"Did you know Penelope Eva had an illegitimate child with someone?"
"Really?""Yes and apparently they were planning to elope from the country"."The man apparently owns that small diner on Second Street, everyone's talking about it. It's all over celebrity deets.""Can you believe it? she wanted to risk her career for a man like that? Not like she had any real talent anyway, the only reason why she made it this far is due to her old celebrity mother. Ugh, Nepo babies and their misplaced privileges"."I always knew Penelope was a slut, she wanted to trend so badly. I guess this is her big break. Her career is finally over." She laughs.The others join in. The room is filled with their incessant laughing.I listen while they slander various individuals. The room was stuffy and filled with different scents of intoxicating perfumes. I'm currently seated with my mother-in-law and her friends at this family get-together but in reality, it was just another chance to get together and gossip about people, most of the people in attendance weren't even family.Everyone here was filthy rich. I mean these people saw money as nothing. They were all dazzled up and had no care in the world. They found it easy to look down on people of lesser status.They might be rich but they all had one thing in common, they all had a shitty character."So Emily, right?" I look across at one of the women seated opposite me. Her jet-black hair was tied back into a sleek ponytail and if not for the tons of makeup on her face, she would have been attractive. She had on an expensive black designer gown. She looked like if she'd smiled wider her face would crack.I nod."How long have you been married to Zachary?""Three years," I say."Three years? and no children?" She gasps.I smile awkwardly."W-well, we're w-working on it—""Three years and nothing to show for it, she eats my son's food, spends his money, sleeps in his bed, and she has nothing to give back to him, pathetic." Zachary's mother, Jacqueline, my mother-in-law from hell sneers at me.She was a formidable woman, tall like her son. She always had a coldish expression that made her look very unapproachable. When I first met her she sized me up and decided that she didn't like me.The sharp remark hit me and I feel a pang of hurt. I had been trying to get pregnant but it wasn't happening and every time I went to a doctor, they told me nothing was wrong with me. I look down at the floor to avoid her glare."She could be cheating on him who knows." One of the other women remarks.I look up in astonishment."She's obviously infertile." Another woman pitches in. They continued to talk like I wasn't right in front of them."She must be. I know there's nothing wrong with my son, the problem is from her." Jacqueline concludes.The room becomes hotter. I can't take this, not today.I stand up "Please excuse me, I need to use the restroom."Before they could say anything I made my way out of their vicinity.They all believed I married Zachary for his money. I didn't care though. I love him and he loves me. That's all that really matters.I was Zachary Lockwood's wife and that was enough for me.Where was Zachary anyway?However, as I scanned the room, I couldn't find him anywhere.Feeling a little disappointed, I decided to take a break and headed towards the kitchen to grab a glass of wine. As I entered, I noticed a group of ladies huddled together, deep in conversation. They give me a glance and then continued their conversation, but I couldn't help but notice the look of disgust on their faces.One of them whispered something to her friends, and they all sneered at me. I couldn't understand why they were giving me such looks. Was it because I was alone? Or was it because I didn't fit in with their group? Whatever the reason, I decided to ignore them and focus on my mission.I pour myself a glass of wine and take a sip, trying to calm my nerves. I quickly exit the kitchen. The room was getting hotter. Zachary had left me with his mother to play games with his friends in the games room. I make my way to the games room but find no one.Just as I exit the games room I spot Zachary rounding the corner."Zach—""Ah ah Emily, how are you? this is quite a party."I'm interrupted by one of the guests who engages me in conversation.I watch as Zachary disappears down the hall and go upstairs. I smile at the guest politely as the elderly man asks me about my well-being. From the weather, to food, to fashion he chatters aimlessly and after ten minutes, I was finally able to excuse myself.Excitedly, I go up the stairs carefully trying not to fall, Zachary wanted me to wear these heels today, although pretty they were so uncomfortable. My feet were definitely going to be sore after today.As I reach the top I stop in my tracks when I hear a strange sound, it sounded like someone was in pain, it sounded intense. Then a strange mix of muffled sounds. I strain my ears then I hear it again.I walk slowly trying to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. I make my way to one of the rooms, where the sound was coming from. I hear Zachary's voice.What?I fling open the door and the sight before me makes me let out a cry.I couldn't believe my eyes as I tried to make sense of the situation.Zachary was in bed with a woman I had never seen before. They were both locked in an embrace as she was on top of him, she looked at me like she had seen a ghost, she quickly got off him and pulled the covers up to her chest but I'm more shocked at Zachary who gives me a bored, blank look. I stand there, frozen in shock and disbelief.My throat felt dry, the room began to spin. I leave the room and hurriedly made my way downstairs."What's this?" I held the papers out to him as he knotted his tie. "I want a divorce." He says. My heart struck. It's been a week since I caught him with that woman. I had retired to my room and waited till everyone had gone home, it wasn't till the next day that Zachary had come to meet me and ask for my forgiveness and I forgave him. He had promised never to do that again and we put it behind us. I thought everything was back to normal until now, staring at the black ink on the paper which I felt like tearing up.I move closer to him. He backs up a bit. "I forgave you when I caught you cheating and now you want a divorce?!!" I raise my voice.He sighs exasperatedly. "I want a divorce Emily, just sign the goddamn thing and let's get this over with."What? This isn't the Zachary I knew. "Wait a minute. You went back to her, didn't you. This isn't the first time is it?".He says nothing. "How long Zach, how long?!" I scream at him."We've been seeing each other for six months, Emil
I'm currently trying to process what this man had just said."My father left me with that much money??" I exclaim. Giovanni nods. "I understand this must come as a shock to you, when you get home and see your mother she'll explain to you better". As if on cue the driver started the car and we were in motion. We sat in silence as I tried to process my thoughts. The divorce, father's death and now this. This seems too much. We approached my parents' house and I was glad to see that it still looked like it had looked three years ago. Although the color had changed from baby blue to cream. The lawn was newly mowed.I got out of the car just as my mother came out of the house. I just stood there staring at her. I wanted to say something but my tongue was at war with itself. She looked older but more beautiful than I had last seen her. Her blonde hair was silver and she had it cut in a short bob. She wore a simple green dress that suited her nicely. She stood there too and slowly raised
I look at him in astonishment."A child?!" I continue to stare at him incredulously. What did he just say?"I want to remind you that this marriage is just for a while Mr D'errico""I know but maybe one day you'll grant me my wish," he says softly and for a moment his countenance changes into one I can't describe.I didn't say anything. It didn't really matter, not like I could conceive a child anyways.We shook on it and the day after we were married and so I became Mrs D'errico.The night of the gala soon arrived. I was dressed up glamorously, I looked different, and I felt different. It was like I was in a new body and loved it. "Will you be by my side throughout the night?" I ask Giovanni. He looked very handsome tonight in a black tailored suit, his hair styled to perfection and he smelt so good. "If you wish." He grins. As I emerge out of the car with Giovanni by my side, the blinding lights of the paparazzi cameras flash in my face. I was used to the attention and the consta
"He's mine"I look at her in astonishment, her lips curving into a saccharine smile but her expression quickly changes back into one of remorse. She was about to say something and before I could stop myself, I slapped her harshly across the face. She clutches her right cheek, her eyes wide as saucers. The room gasped and the attention of everyone in the room was on us. I couldn't believe what I had done myself. Did I just slap her? It was as if my body had moved on its own.She looked as though she would retaliate. I instinctively brace myself. Giovanni steps beside me and her fierce expression changes into a meeker one. She looks at me again, anger in her eyes, turns and walks away, her hips swaying slowly in the tight gown she wore. The onlookers continue to stare, rushed whispers flying in the air. I self-consciously wrap his suit tighter around me, my head hanging low to avoid any eye contact.Giovanni places his hand on the small of my back, and whispers, "Don't look down". Hi
Giovanni D'Errico is a bastard.Not only had he failed to inform me of the wake-up time, but I also found myself startled awake by an unfamiliar alarm clock, the origin of which I couldn't comprehend. It nearly gave me a heart attack.It took all my willpower not to strangle his smug face as he sat by the kitchen island carefully sipping coffee. He looked incredibly handsome in a well-fitted suit that accentuated his strong shoulders and neat physique."Not a morning person I see." He says looking at me over the brim of his mug. I roll my eyes and sit down for breakfast. I wasn't in the mood for any irrelevant chit-chat. I had on a simple blue blouse and a Christian Dior pencil skirt, prepared by Esmeralda. My hair was done up into a neat bun. After breakfast we rode in his Mercedes Benz, it smelt exactly the same as that night. The drive was accompanied by a lovely tune on the radio. The ride was silent, I entertained myself by looking at the news online. I look up as we approach a
"Is there a problem?" Giovanni asks as I continue to stand there like a scarecrow with performance anxiety in a field of overconfident crows.I hesitate for a moment, take a deep breath and walk in, closing the door behind me. "Gio—Mr. D'Errico, I-I need to t-talk to you...i-in private," I say, feeling like a broken record player stuck on the stutter track."They continued to stare at me, there were about seven of them gathered around the big round table with Giovanni sitting in the middle. "Who on earth is this woman? Doesn't she know that interruptions aren't allowed during a meeting like this" one of them says angrily, he has a thick Arabic accent as he glares at me. "Isn't she Emily Rivera, the heiress to the Rivera fortune!" One of them exclaims. The room began to fill with murmurs making me feel uncomfortable as they all looked at me with growing interest now. I look at Giovanni again, silently willing him to get up. He gets up finally and they all stop taking as he advances
I wake to the sound of loud beeping noises in a strange room, surrounded by bright lights and white walls. Confused and disoriented, I tried to sit up but felt a headache and noticed tubes and wires connected to me. Everything felt scary and unfamiliar, and I couldn't remember how I got here. The beeping sounds from the monitors made me even more anxious, as I struggled to figure out what was going on.I try to recall what happened, but my mind was blank. A nurse walks into the room as I attempt to get down from the bed, she rushes to my side. "No, no, no, miss D'errico. You're not in the right condition now. Please lie down, you need more rest" She gently pushes me back down. "What happened, why am I here? What's going on?" I ask anxiously in a loud tone. "Calm down Mrs. D'errico, you were involved in a car accident this morning and was rushed here shortly after."My head was spinning with questions. An accident? How long had I been in the hospital? Then it hit me. Memories of the
As I sat on the edge of my bed, I took a deep breath and reached for the tubes attached to my body.My mother put her hands on me."No you can't, you'll hurt yourself,' she said, placing her hands on mine. I could see the worry in her eyes. I tried to control my breathing, but my mind was spinning. The constant beeping of the machine and the sterile hospital smell made matters worse. The door opens and Giovanni walks in calmly. 'What happened, who was murdered?' I ask frantically, my heart racing and my mind filled with fear and confusion. I catch the quick look he gives my mother, and my anxiety only grows."The driver, apparently someone snuck into his ward and killed him," Giovanni responds in a calm tone, almost as if he's talking about the weather. My mind goes blank for a moment as I process this information. Oh my God, I say to myself, putting my hand to my mouth in shock."You'll be discharged today," Giovanni continues, his voice still calm and collected. I can't believe what