The Stars Trilogy (81 page)

He had a dead ex-friend, an ex-friend and business partner still plotting to kill him, an important movie project put temporarily on hold and a pregnant girlfriend who just publicly dumped him. His life had never been this fucked up since he was seventeen years old.

Chapter Thirty-four

“You haven’t been busy with movies lately, I noticed. I saw your guest appearances in some indies and that hilarious Sasha Baron-Cohen movie.  But not a full starring role for nearly a year now. I wonder why? There are talks that you’re having a falling out with Olympus Pictures. Is that true? I hope not. The Daredevils had a fund-raising drive last week to raise money for an orphanage here in Manila. It was very successful and many donated for our cause. The Daredevils miss you doing what you do best-  kicking ass on the wide screen. I hope you’re not depressed or something. Those tabloids can be really annoying. Just don’t mind them too much, okay? Take care.:)

SHE THOUGHT THEY WOULD LEAVE her alone now that she’d announced that she and Dare were no longer together. Boy, was she dead wrong.

Celine stared wide-eyed as a small group of people with cameras suddenly rushed toward her and took pictures as she emerged from her chauffeur-driven SUV. She just wanted to attend mass with her mother as she hadn’t gone to church for some time. She was thinking of having a confession later. So much guilt and heartache filled her heart now she wanted to unload to someone who wouldn’t judge her. But her desire for peace and quiet was not possible, even in a sacred place like this. Were these people following her? How did they know she was going to this particular church?

Short of creating a scene for the other churchgoers, she asked her chauffeur to drive off.

“I’m so sorry, Mom.”

Her mother patted her arm and sighed. “It’s okay,
hija.
It will pass.”

She hoped so. How she wanted to move on but the public won’t let her. They were still crazy about her fairy tale love story that they refused to accept it was truly over. Despite her public declaration that she’d called it quits with Dare, the rags insisted that it was just a lovers’ tiff, that they’d get back together soon.

Darcee had quite a fan base now. It even had its own website ran by Elite Insider, a popular local society blog. One of her friends texted her the URL and she went to investigate. Lo and behold, Darcee was now the official money-maker for a high-traffic website. The guest book was smoking with guests from all over the world, inquiring about their new favorite Hollywood couple. The interracial nature of Darcee intrigued the netizens and the growing trend of interracial marriages seemed to have been magnified tenfold by her brief association with Dare.

In this time and age, she couldn’t believe that people were still suckers for fairy tale dramas but judging from her countrymen’s love for those American, Mexican and Korean soaps syndicated on cable TVs, Darcee was right in the middle of the “happily ever after” frenzy. She’d already snapped out from Neverland but the public was still drunk with it. Even in the US, Darcee was still the hottest piece of gossip in tabloids, internet blogs and social sites.

Her eyes got misty. If only Darcee still existed...

“Mom, I wanna go to Palawan, stay there for a month maybe. I’ll just let things cool down. I’ll come back when the hoopla’s dead.”

“If that’s what you want,
hija
. Want me to come with you?”

“No. I know you’re busy here with your civic  works. I’ll be fine. I just need a break from all this.”

“I know. I agree. You really need a break.”

“Alana, what are you doing here?”

Dare was surprised to see his ex-wife waiting for him in the living room of his mansion.

She stood up from the sofa. “Dare...” There was a strange look in her eyes. They seemed glassy. No, this was no stranger to him. He’d seen such eyes a million times in wasted people, but not on her.
Shit.
She’s using coke.

He walked toward her slowly. “Are you okay?”

She smiled wanly. He noticed the unusual pallor of her skin, her disheveled hair and crumpled clothes. There was nothing glamorous about her today. She looked like she would collapse on the floor anytime. He felt sympathy for her despite his distrust. “Are you alright?” he asked her again.

She suddenly broke down in tears and embraced him. He was taken aback. Her arms were tight around him, as if he was her only lifeline, her entire body, shaking as she sobbed. He didn’t know how to deal with her in this state of naked emotional weakness. “Alana, come on, sit down.”

He guided her to sit down on the sofa again but she held on to his arm. “Don’t leave me...” she uttered in a brittle voice. “Please, Daryl, please!”

“Tell me what’s wrong,” he asked her gently. It was hard to believe that this fragile-looking woman was the same confident  Alana who ruled the Cannes Film Festival only weeks ago. She won best actress again. That turned her into a legend before she even hit fifty.

“Daryl...I’m so afraid..so afraid!”

“What are you afraid of?”

She hugged him again and he could feel the tremors wracking her body harder. She wasn’t acting. This was real. She was in deep shit. “Dare...I need you. Please...come back to me. I miss you so much. I can’t live without you anymore!”

He closed his eyes briefly and tried to move away. “Alana...”

She held on to him tighter. “I tried to let you go. I truly did! I left you alone to live your own life but I know you haven’t been happy. You’ve been lonely, too, as I have been all these years.”

He sighed deeply. “Alana…don’t…”

“We used to be happy!” Her tone became frantic. “We used to be in love! We can bring that back! I know we can!”

He held both her arms and pushed her away as gently as he could. “Alana, please. Stop it.”

Her eyes were wild, desperate. “We were good together! We were a team, remember? We can make great movies together! I act, you direct. We will win awards! We can rule Hollywood together again! Please, Daryl—”

“No.”

“Why not?! Why not?! I still love you! I love you!”

“Alana, no!” he said in a firm, louder voice.

She stared at him, her eyes devastated.

He shook his head. “No,” he repeated.

“You love her?” she asked in a weak voice.

“Yes.”

She closed her eyes and her knees buckled. She dropped to the floor before he could break her fall. The anguished sounds she made were gut-wrenching.

He knelt beside her. “Alana, please, don’t do this.”

“No matter what I do or say will not make a difference, will it?”

He shook his head sadly.

She nodded repeatedly, in defeat, in acceptance. “Why did you leave me?”

“Alana...”

“I just want to know, Daryl, please. I tried to be a good wife to you...to make up for all the pain I’ve caused you. I tried so hard, Daryl. God knows I did...”

He inhaled deeply. He knew he owed it to her, at least, an explanation. Or half of it. Just to ease her pain so she could finally move on, too. This woman had done her an unforgivable wrong. But he couldn’t go on hating her anymore. He had to put closure to their past now.

“It wasn’t your fault...why I wanted a divorce. I know you tried, Alana. I’m sorry. I thought it was me.”

She stared at him. “What do you mean it was you?”

“I found out that I was sterile.”

Her eyes widened. “What...?”

“I went to get tested and the result said I was incapable of having children.”

She looked confused for a while, then her eyes melted back in pain. “Oh Daryl, why didn’t you tell me?!”

“I’m sorry. I should have told you... but then you told me something else...and that...I couldn’t take that, Alana. I’m sorry but I had to walk away.”

She closed her eyes again and nodded. “I know. I know. It’s just so sad that you’re telling me this now after all these years...but I would have understood, you know? I would have stuck with you no matter what, Daryl.”

He wouldn’t have. Her betrayal ran deeper than that. But he didn’t need to slap her with it anymore. This was truly the end of all his hatred for Alana.

“But you couldn’t forgive me...”

“I have, Alana.” It was a lie. But then it wasn’t. Looking at her now, maybe he could truly, completely forgive her. His heart no longer burned with pain when he looked at her. Forgiveness was part of letting go.

“I know you’ve forgiven me. But you’ll never forget how I betrayed you, how I hurt you. No matter what I do to make up, you’ll never forget. I know that now.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry, Alana, but—”

She touched his lips. “Shhh. It’s all right. It’s all right. I understand. I truly do. It was all my fault. I was one lost soul back then…and then you came like a gallant knight and saved me from all that shit…”

“Alana...”

“You can’t blame me for trying to win you back. I was arrogant to think that I still could. I had my chance with you but I blew it. I blew it bigtime.”

“You have become so great, Laney...”

She smiled. “I missed that. I never thought I’d ever hear you say my name like that again. Just like old times.”

He smiled, too. He reached out to touch her hand then, squeezed it.

Silence passed as they both stared at their linked fingers, knowing in their hearts it was the last time they would ever hold hands.

“I must go,”  she finally said.

He helped her stand up.

She framed his face in her hands and stared at him solemnly. “You’re the greatest Dare Montgomery. Always remember that. Goodbye, love.”

She kissed him gently and walked away.

He got a call from Boyd that day.

“Gabby wants to meet up with you one last time.”

Frustrated by the events that were holding him up in LA against his will when he could be with Celine by now, Dare blew his top. “What is this bullshit, Boyd?! What stupid game is she playing again? I won’t have it any more!”

“One last time she said and she’d walk away quietly.”

“No! What the fuck have you been doing while I was busy, anyway? I thought you’d deliver me the divorce papers by now! You promised me! You’re way beyond your deadline!”

“Gabby has been really difficult, Dare. After she saw your pictures with Celine at the Cannes, she went plain crazy. You know how she is. She was furious.”

He cursed colorfully. “That bitch has been a pain in my freakin’ ass for so long. I want her out, Boyd, you hear me?! I’m paying you fuckin’ millions to do your fuckin’ job!”

“She promised she’d cooperate. She told me she has no choice now but to accept the fact that you no longer love her and you want to be with someone else. She even fired her lawyer.”

“Why would she do that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe that’s the sign she’s ready to really settle amicably. I don’t know. You have to talk to her.”

“Amicably is not something Gabby recognizes, you should know that by now.”

“But you do want her to cooperate, don’t you? So you will be free to remarry?”

That calmed his escalating temper a bit. “All right. This will be the last, tell her that! If she doesn’t honor our agreement, I’ll take her to the cleaners, you tell her that, you hear me, Boyd?! I will destroy her!”

“Yes, Sir. She said for you to come alone. No lawyers, bodyguards or secretaries, so I won’t be there. It’s just between you and her, she said.”

“Where?”

“At her place at the Sky View Tower.”

“I’m coming with you,” Cruz insisted.

“Alright. Just you. I don’t want to freak her out so she can have an excuse to stall again.”

“It’s dangerous. Delano could be out there.”

“Uly won’t be acting now that news about Morgan’s death is all over Sphinx’ ass. He would be busy answering all the inquiries by both the press and the cops.”

“Never underestimate greed, Dare. He can multi-task. He has a network.”

“Hey, what happened to ‘sir’? You’ve been acting real comfy with me lately.”

“I feel especially closer to you when someone’s trying to lay your ass off.”