Alyssa felt as though her entire world had just shattered.
The sight before her was like a knife plunging straight into her heart.
Eldric quickly pushed the woman off his lap and sat upright on the bed.
“Who is she?” the woman asked, glancing curiously at Alyssa.
No answer came from Eldric.
The room fell silent.
Alyssa’s chest rose and fell rapidly as she stared at him.
Countless emotions crashed through her at once—shock, disbelief, anger, and heartbreak.
Her trembling fingers curled into fists.
Then—
Paa!
The sharp sound echoed throughout the room.
Alyssa’s palm landed hard against Eldric’s face.
The force of the slap turned his head slightly.
For a brief moment, nobody moved.
The woman gasped.
Eldric slowly turned back to face Alyssa.
A faint red mark appeared on his cheek.
Instead of getting angry, he calmly wiped the lipstick stain from the corner of his mouth and looked at her.
“If slapping me makes you feel better, then go ahead,” he said quietly.
His indifference hurt far more than any apology could have.
Alyssa’s lips trembled.
She wanted to scream.
She wanted to ask him why.
Why had he betrayed her?.
Why had he lied?.
Why wasn’t he even sorry?
But in the end, no words came out.
Without saying anything, she turned and walked away.
The moment she stepped out of the room, she heard the woman speak again.
“Babe, why did she slap you? Who is she?”
There was a brief pause.
Then Eldric answered.
“A friend.”
A friend
The two words struck Alyssa harder than the betrayal itself.
A bitter laugh almost escaped her lips.
A friend?
After years together…
After everything they had been through…
That was all she was?
She bit down hard on her tongue to stop herself from crying.
Don’t cry.
Not here, not because of him.
With hurried steps, she made her way downstairs.
By the time she reached the first floor, her vision had already become blurry.
She pulled out her phone and ordered a taxi.
The cool evening air brushed against her face as she stood outside the building.
A few minutes later, a car pulled up.
Alyssa got inside and closed the door behind her.
“Where to, miss?” the driver asked.
“Iris hotel,” she replied softly.
The driver nodded and started the engine.
As the city lights flashed past the window, Alyssa finally lost the battle she had been fighting.
Tears rolled silently down her cheeks.
She wiped them away.
More followed.
Her chest hurt so much that it felt difficult to breathe.
She had known Eldric since high school.
They had grown up together.
Fallen in love together.
Dreamed about their future together.
She had truly believed he was the one.
Even when other men had mocked her for wanting to remain a virgin until marriage, Eldric had promised to wait for her.
He had held her hand and sworn that she was enough.
They had only shared hugs and kisses.
Nothing more.
That promise had made her trust him even more.
As a struggling C-list actress, she worked endlessly.
Small roles.
Background appearances.
Long filming hours.
She endured everything just to support herself, her mother, and sometimes even Eldric.
They weren’t rich.
Life wasn’t easy.
But she had always believed they were happy.
So why?
Why would he do this?
The tears flowed even harder.
What did I do wrong?
The question repeated itself endlessly inside her head.
“Miss… we’re here.”
The driver’s voice pulled her back to reality.
Alyssa blinked.
The hotel entrance stood just ahead.
The driver had actually arrived several minutes earlier but had quietly allowed her some time.
He could tell she was carrying a mountain of pain.
Alyssa quickly wiped her tears away.
“Sorry.”
The driver shook his head.
“No need.”
Taking a deep breath, Alyssa reached into her handbag.
She pulled out a tissue and carefully cleaned her face.
Then she took out a compact mirror.
The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
A moment ago, she had been crying like her heart was breaking.
Now she was calmly applying foundation.
The transformation was almost unbelievable.
Alyssa covered the redness around her eyes.
Then she applied a little powder.
A touch of lip gloss followed.
Slowly, the devastated woman disappeared.
In her place stood a beautiful actress with a flawless smile.
Alyssa studied her reflection.
Perfect.
No one would know she had just been shattered into pieces.
She put away her makeup and closed her bag.
Then she handed several bills to the driver.
The driver stared at her, he couldn’t help it.
The woman sitting before him seemed completely different from the one who had entered his car.
It was as though he had witnessed two entirely different people occupying the same body.
One broken and one untouchable.
The speed of the transformation left him speechless.
Alyssa noticed his stare.
She grabbed his hand and shoved the money into it.
“A tip,” she said with a smile.
Then she opened the door and stepped out.
She walked into the luxurious hotel lobby.
The warm lighting and elegant décor were familiar to her.
Before she could take a few steps forward, one of the receptionists spotted her and smiled.
“Miss Alyssa. Welcome.”
Alyssa returned the smile.
“Thank you.”
“Would you like us to book a room for you?”
The receptionist’s tone was polite and professional.
Alyssa shook her head.
“No. I’m alone this time.”
The receptionist nodded knowingly.
Alyssa was a regular guest at the hotel.
Not because she could afford to stay there often, but because she frequently booked rooms for directors, producers, and senior actors in hopes of securing minor roles.
Without family connections or powerful backing, she had learned to survive in the entertainment industry however she could.
She was just a small actress trying to climb her way up.
Apart from her mother and her best friend, Albert, she had no one she could truly rely on.
The receptionist handed her a reservation card.
“Your table number is written here.”
“Thank you.”
Alyssa took the card and headed toward the restaurant area.
After finding the table number, she sat down quietly.
A waitress soon approached.
“What would you like to order, miss?”
“Tequila.”
The waitress nodded and left.
Alyssa leaned back in her chair.
For the first time all day, she was completely alone.
The events of the evening replayed endlessly inside her head.
Eldric.
The woman.
The way he had called her a friend.
A bitter smile appeared on her lips.
Years of love had been reduced to two simple words.
A friend.
Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
She needed a drink, just one night.
One night to forget.
“Miss Alyssa?”
A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
She looked up.
An elderly man stood nearby.
Recognition flashed across her eyes.
“Director Gideon.”
The man smiled warmly.
He was one of the most influential directors in the company she was signed under.
“Are you meeting someone?”
“No. I came alone.”
“Really?”
His eyes lingered on her face.
“You don’t look very happy tonight.”
Alyssa chuckled lightly.
“Do I look that obvious?”
“To someone my age? Yes.”
She looked away.
She had no intention of discussing her personal life.
Not tonight.
The waitress returned with her tequila and carefully placed it on the table.
“Thank you.”
Alyssa immediately reached for the glass.
Before she could take a sip, Director Gideon spoke.
“Mind if I join you for a drink?”
Could she refuse?.
Not really.
He was one of the company’s top directors.
Offending him would be foolish.
“Sure.”
Director Gideon took the seat opposite her.
He then called the waitress over and quietly whispered something into her ear.
The waitress smiled and nodded before leaving.
Alyssa noticed the exchange but didn’t pay much attention to it.
She simply poured herself a drink.
As she lifted the glass, she noticed Director Gideon watching her.
His gaze was strangely intense.
She raised an eyebrow.
“Is there something you want to tell me, Director Gideon?”
He laughed softly.
“No. Please continue.”
Alyssa found the situation odd but chose to ignore it.
Moments later, the waitress returned carrying an expensive bottle of wine.
She placed it on the table before leaving once again.
Director Gideon personally opened the bottle.
He poured wine into two glasses and pushed one toward Alyssa.
“Congratulations.”
Alyssa blinked.
“For what?”
“Your new role.”
Alyssa stared at him.
They weren’t close.
The sudden generosity felt unusual.
Still, refusing would seem rude.
“Thank you.”
She lifted her glass.
Their glasses clinked softly.
Then she drank.The wine tasted smooth, much smoother than she expected.
After finishing the glass, she returned her attention to her tequila.
Several minutes passed.
Then something felt wrong.
A strange heat spread through her body.
At first, she thought it was simply the alcohol.
But the feeling quickly intensified.
Her skin felt hot.
Her breathing became heavier.
A frown formed on her face.
“Are you alright?” Director Gideon asked.
Alyssa immediately stood up.
“I think I need to use the restroom.”
“I can accompany—”
“No.”
Her reply came out faster than intended.
Then she forced a smile.
“I’ll be fine.”
Without waiting for another response, she hurried away.
The moment she entered the restroom, she locked herself inside a stall and grabbed her phone.
Her hands trembled slightly.
She dialed Lisa’s number.
Not reachable.
“Damn it.”
She immediately called Albert.
Not reachable.
Her heart sank.
“What terrible timing.”
The heat in her body continued to grow.
Something wasn’t right.
Something was definitely wrong.
After splashing cold water on her face, she stepped out of the restroom.
Director Gideon was still sitting at the table.
Luckily, his attention wasn’t on the reception desk.
Alyssa immediately changed direction.
She walked straight to the front desk.
“I need a room.”
The receptionist quickly processed her request and handed over a keycard.
“Third floor. Room 306.”
“Thank you.”
Without wasting another second, Alyssa headed for the elevator.
The ride felt endless.
By the time the elevator doors opened, her vision had started to blur.
She stumbled into the hallway.
The cool air felt wonderful against her burning skin.
“What the hell…” Her voice came out weak.
She loosened one of the buttons on her shirt.
The heat refused to go away.
A dark suspicion surfaced in her mind.
Did that bastard put something in the drink?
The thought made her stomach twist.
She needed somewhere safe.
Somewhere she could lock herself in until this feeling passed.
Using the keycard as a guide, she followed the room number.
Her steps became increasingly unsteady.
Finally, she reached the door.
It was slightly open.
Normally, she would have found that strange.
Tonight, she barely noticed.
All she could think about was getting inside and finding something cold.
Anything cold.
Without a second thought, Alyssa pushed the door open.
Then she stepped inside and quietly closed it behind her.