Sweet Downfall (31 page)

He smiled like he just closed a huge deal. “Good. Plan our wedding. ”

Uncaring now of his feelings, she finally delivered the
coup de grâce
, the one thing guaranteed to make him discard her. “The tabloids are telling the truth. I slept with Jaq Montero. Many times.”

He stared back at her, not even missing a step. She felt a chill run down her spine at the lack of natural reaction on his face. He gave new meaning to the word ‘stoic’.

“You think I’m a fool, Angie? I know everything about you and Montero. Everything. You’ve been sheltered most of your life. But I’m liberal and practical and I understand your need to explore. Marriage would be a long journey for the both of us and I wanted you to get all your unfinished business finished so you will become more capable of being my wife, which I’m telling you now is no small task. But I think you’ve explored enough. It will stop now. We will be married soon and you will have no one else but me, you understand, Angie? I do not share my wife with anybody.”

That dissolved the last vestiges of her girlish illusions of finding real love with the right man. She had thought, despite everything that happened, that Jordan was different. She thought Jaq was the worst monster. She was wrong. Jordan was an entirely different breed. He was ruthless. Devoid of any sentimentality. Just a hard to the core businessman.

Come to think of it, they deserved each other. This Machiavellian man was the perfect partner for a lying, cheating fiancée like her. She was just thankful that she didn’t need to pretend around him anymore.

He touched her face gently. She fought not to flinch. Eyes were on them, cameras flashing.

“You have to be brave, Angie. We’ll get through this. Don’t break. Don’t let him destroy you. Us. Our future. Whatever you did, I forgive you. Now, do your part.”

That moment, she hated really him for his total lack of empathy, for not showing any pain and anger of his own, for making her feel all too human, weak and vulnerable, while he acted like an infallible god.

She was seeing a side of Jordan she had never seen before. And she knew, somehow, she was responsible for that, for bringing out the worst in him.

Her heart was breaking all over again. If that was still possible. How many times would it have to break before it finally stopped feeling?

When their dance was over, Jordan lead her back to their table. The party went on and she took everything in silent passivity.

She felt dead inside.

* * *

Jaq stepped out to get some fresh air.
Ironic because he was dragging nicotine deep into his lungs. He’d bought a pack of Dunhill from the counter on his way out. He was not a smoker but he could really use a few sticks right now.

He met up with his business partners and some of his Black Jack creative team. They were inside the function room of this restaurant in Greenbelt 5, discussing a huge project Black Jack would be producing for an all-Asia distribution. It will star the country’s most famous young actress and Jet Li. But even Lara Enriquez’ dazzling beauty couldn’t make him sit still in that room.

He should be in there, leading the discussion. His passion for his job was being eclipsed by another kind of passion, a turbulent force wrecking havoc inside of him and he had no outlet for it.

God, he was a mess all over again.

Somebody joined him outside. The scent of her perfume told him it was Lara Enriquez, the gorgeous half-Brazilian, half-Filipino actress. Lara was really hot. She was tall, with the toned and curvaceous physicality of an athlete and a face that had launched a thousand commercials. Add the fact that she was also a multi-awarded actress made her perfect for this movie.

“May I?” she asked.

He pulled out a stick for her. “I didn’t know you smoked,” he commented as he lighted it for her.

“I don’t but I thought you could use some company.”

He smiled but said nothing.

They watched the people strolling in the well-manicured park in contemplative silence.

“You know, Jaq, I’ll be frank with you. I accepted this project because I think you’re great and I haven’t been directed by the much raved about, kickass director Jaq Montero yet.”

He blew out smoke. “And?”

“I think your mind is not one hundred percent on this project that I’m so excited to do with you,” she said point blank. “I’m turning down some lucrative offers for this. I want an acting award from this.”

He wanted to tell her to mind her own business and her business was to act well, not dictate him on how to run his damn production, but he didn’t want to lose her over his bad temper. “What award? This is a Jet fucking Li movie,” he teased her. “Your role is to make the male moviegoers drool, not make ‘em cry.”

She grinned and shrugged. “Now that I got your undivided attention, mind telling me who’s this woman that’s been making you so antsy?”

Did she know? She must have heard about the video. “How do you know it’s a woman?”

Her knowing eyes told him she knew, alright. She smirked. “Only women can give men a real taste of hell. You’re definitely on Level Nine, darling.”

He chuckled, shaking his head at her keen intuition. She was cool.

“So, why don’t you go get her so you can finally relax?”

He paused from taking a drag of his ciggie. “Get her?”

“Yes. Get her. Claim her.”

“She’s getting married.”

“And that should stop you?” She blew smoke in his face. “Go.

He stared at her harder. Then he kissed her cheek.

He dashed to the parking lot.

* * *

When Jordan asked her to join a group of his friends,
Angie obeyed and walked by his side, her mind not really there anymore.

“Smile,” Jordan reminded her. She knew now, he was not being magnanimous or courageous in the face of the scandal. He was in fact punishing her by subjecting her to this mental and emotional torture, facing the public as a couple, forcing her to pretend, using emotional blackmail to bend her to his will.

They approached Alexis’ group. She recognized some men she’d known from way back– Jaq’s old friends and others who looked familiar but whose names she couldn’t recall.

Jordan did the usual works. He introduced her to Blue del Rosario and Dylan Anderson, both CEOs of their own companies. They were brothers-in law. She was acquainted with their wives, Helaena and Issabella from the charity events they’d attended and supported. Then there were the guys from Jaq’s now defunct band, Oblivion— Tommy, Rydon and Diegs. They were all high-powered businessmen now, a far cry from their wild rock star days.

As if her very thoughts had invoked him to appear, she suddenly saw Jaq walking towards them like a predator who had spotted a perfect kill.

Her first instinct was to run, but Jordan snaked his arm around her waist, anchoring her firmly to his side. It was a very territorial gesture. His fingers bit painfully on her hip.

“Jaq!” Alexis called out. “You’re late as usual. I’ve been calling you.”

Jaq greeted his friends with some macho hand gestures and hugs.

“How’s your new movie coming along?” Blue asked Jaq.

“Almost done,” Jaq replied simply.

“Issabella is your biggest fan. I might permit her to be a movie actress if you’d direct her. She’s always raving about you I’m getting jealous,” said Dylan teasingly.

Jaq smiled. “Directing your beautiful wife would be an honor, man. But on one condition. You’re banned from watching the shoots. No jealous husbands on my set.”

Dylan chuckled. “Touché, man.”

Angie wanted to drag Jordan away from the group which clearly outnumbered them. It was obvious, they were all in Jaq’s corner. Why was he here anyway? But of course, the
persona non grata
imposed by her brothers on Jaq didn’t apply to occasions where Jaq was invited. He was clearly Alexis’ guest who was representing her sick stepmother Maristela las Marias tonight. Even her brothers won’t dare offend Alexis Benedicto. They were after all in the hospitality business.

Jaq finally addressed Jordan. “Jordan,” he said in a formal tone.

Jordan didn’t respond. He’d gone so still beside her.

Jaq slightly tipped his head. “Angelina.”

She did not respond either. Her face felt like it would crack from trying so hard to look unaffected. The buzz around them had quieted. She had a feeling everyone was covertly watching them.

Tension mounted as Jaq looked at them with a half-smile, as if he knew something they didn’t. “When’s the wedding by the way?” he asked casually.

Jordan’s hand splayed possessively under the swell of her breasts. “Soon. Very soon and you’re invited.” He kissed her hair.

Jaq’s phony smile faded, replaced by a sneer.

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks. No hard feelings?”

Jaq’s smile was nasty. And then he threw all pretense of courtesy to the wind. “I’m afraid I can’t resist feeling hard for a beautiful woman. My million viewers at YouTube would be so disappointed.”

Three beats later, all hell broke loose.

Jordan went for Jaq’s throat.

The scene played like a silent movie.
Angie couldn’t hear anything. But she could see everything.

Her fiancé and her not-so-ex-lover were attacking each other like rabid dogs, rolling on the floor, crashing against walls, dislodging and wrecking anything that stood in their war path. They were barbarians intent on killing each other. It was surreal.

Cameras flashed crazily. It was the scoop of the century. Probably hotter than her video scandal.

It took ten men to separate Jaq and Jordan.

Watching the whole scene was like an out-of-body experience. She was looking into a giant doll house, witnessing everything from the outside.

Something snapped inside of her. A mercurial force swept over her, breathing energy into her system. She was suddenly inside the doll house, vibrating with raw power. Invincible.

She owned the damn universe! Might as well put the icing to make the cake perfect, she thought with a strange emotional detachment and perverse intention.

Her head held high, she purposely walked towards Jaq who was being held by Alexis and Dylan. His nose was bleeding profusely, bathing his white undershirt in crimson. He looked like a tornado devastation.

“Angie…” he said, his eyes intense.

She slapped him hard across the face.

She turned around and marched toward Jordan who was being restrained by Rydon and Rocky. His lips and forehead were bleeding, too, looking like a train wreck.

“Angie…”

She whacked him hard across the face.

She faced the spectators who had adopted a single reaction to the whole scene– jaws dropping in total shock. Even the media people had stopped taking pictures.

She pointed at Jaq. “That good for nothing bastard is my ex-lover. Ex!”

She pointed at Jordan. “And that Neanderthal pig is my ex-fiancé! Ex!”

Deafening silence.

The floor was totally hers.

“My life has been a mad circus since I had the misfortune to meet these two megalomaniacs. It ends now.”

She exited the ballroom with her nose in the air, the people parting like the Red Sea to make way for her.

For the first time in her life, she was truly free.

God, it felt damn good!

Chapter Twelve

JAQ DIDN’T WANT TO GET UP.
His whole body hurt like he survived doomsday. Not just physically but emotionally.

But he had to get up.

He had work to do. He had committed to participate in a Habitat for Humanity project today, an international organization involved in building community houses for the poor.

Slowly, he stood up and padded with a limp to the bathroom. He nearly scared himself shitless when he saw his mug in the vanity mirror. He couldn’t recognize his own face due to the cuts and swelling on his left eye and upper lip. Dried blood coated the corners of his lips and the holes of his nose.

Nasty shit.

“What the fuck are you doing to yourself?” he asked himself aloud.

He washed his face carefully. It hurt like the devil to even breathe.

There was a loud knocking on his bedroom door.

“Cuz, breakfast is ready!”

That was Joey. What the hell was she doing here this early? Lulu must have sent her to check on him again. Fuck. He descended to the ground floor and entered the kitchen.

Joey was shocked when she saw him. “Holy shit! I didn’t know you’d look this bad!”

He sat on a stool at the breakfast nook. “Coffee.”

Joey hastily poured him a cup of brewed coffee from the percolator. It was hot but he took a hefty sip. The steaming liquid created a burning path all the way to his stomach. It made him feel a little better.

“Holy cow, you should be in a hospital, cuz! You look like you had a 12-rounder with Pacman!”