The Stars Trilogy (90 page)

She tried to ignore the knocks on her door but her mother wouldn’t quit.

Angrily, she left the bed and wrenched the door open, plastering a scowl on her face to express her extreme displeasure at her mother’s lack of regard for her need to be alone.

“Mom—”

Before she could continue, Marjorie thrust a phone in her face. “It’s Shavonne.”

Sighing, she reluctantly took the call. “Hello, Shav?”

She nearly dropped the phone when she heard what her cousin had to say.

She rushed to the TV in her room and turned it on.

Marjorie sat beside her on the sofa as they watched the hottest, most shocking news that day.

Chapter Thirty-eight

“I finally talked to my parents about my plan and as expected they didn’t approve. But this is my life and this is something I need to do or I wouldn’t be able to move forward without all those ‘what ifs’ haunting me. I made a deal with my parents. If they will grant me one whole year in LA, all on my own, I will come home after that and work for the family business for good. But I’m hoping that I won’t have to come back and do that. I’m hoping that I will stay with you, wherever you are, for the rest of my life. I do love you, Dare. Not a fangirl love, but love, simply love. I am in love with you. I am a grown woman now. I have been in love with you for so long and I will take a chance on that love. I will fight for it. I will  risk everything for it.

Just once. I want  my chance with you. And I will have it.”

“ALANA CHRISTENSEN IS DEAD AT 43. The award-winning actress with the most mesmerizing violet eyes was found unconscious in her bedroom days ago by her personal assistant. She was taken to the hospital where she was revived by doctors but she slipped into a coma. The cause of her death is not yet conclusive but speculations are rife of the actress’ drug and alcohol dependence. She was in a coma for three days but was taken off life support earlier today. The only people allowed in her hospital room were her three doctors and her ex-husband, Dare Montgomery.”

“Will it ever end for Dare Montgomery? Almost two months ago, his ex-wife Gabrielle Lopez allegedly tried to kill him amid their bitter divorce battle. He refused to press charges but Gabrielle remains in custody of the authorities today as she faces a serious case of attempted murder filed against her by the people of the United States. Last week, he made headlines again when he proposed to his girlfriend Celine Lavega live on television. News of the actor’s impending marriage to the Filipina heiress has been circulating worldwide. Today, he takes center stage yet again as the bereaved ex-husband of award-winning actress Alana Christensen. The actress has been rumored to be battling drug and alcohol addiction for some time now. She was found unconscious days ago in her mansion in Beverly Hills. She slipped into a coma in the hospital for three days and was finally taken off life support today. She was 43 years old.”

“One of the most beautiful and talented actresses Hollywood has ever seen has passed away today. She was only 43 years old. Millions of fans around the world are mourning the death of award-winning actress Alana Christensen who died of an alleged drug overdose. The actress who  recently won the Oscar best actress trophy was rumored to be struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. The autopsy report has not been released yet. Dare Montgomery, her ex-husband was by her side when she was taken off life support. The actor deferred to grant any interviews as of the moment and asks for the public’s understanding in his wish to remain private regarding his ex-wife’s death. Interment is yet to be announced. Alana Christensen will always be fondly remembered.”

“Hundreds of fans gathered today in front of Alana Christensen’s mansion in Beverly Hills to light candles for their departed idol. The actress passed away today after spending three days in a hospital with the aid of a life support system. Rumors of drug and alcohol problems has plagued the Oscar best actress for some time until her death. Celebrities took to twitter and other social networks to express their sadness and extend their condolences to Alana’s family. Meanwhile, Alana’s ex-husband, actor Dare Montgomery who was reported to be the one who switched off the life support machine is unavailable for comment. More news on this after the break.”

The rags had a new moniker for him. Drama King.

Indeed, how apt that was. His life was a never-ending soap opera of the most salacious scandals that only Hollywood can offer. He was so tired of it all. So damned tired.

Dare closed his eyes and just sat there on the sofa. He was beat to the bone. He hadn’t been getting any decent sleep since he arrived in LA. Alana’s condition didn’t get better. It got worse. Until they finally told him it was no use prolonging the inevitable.

He had endured many tragedies, had hurdled many struggles that could break a lesser man, but pulling the plug on Alana’s life was probably the hardest thing he had to do in his life.

God, what a waste!

And now, it seemed that his life would follow the same route as Alana’s —a dark, thorny path to total self-destruction.

His heart burned with the most bitter, most excruciating pain.

He wished he didn’t have to feel anymore.

But he still did.

He felt everything. His biggest losses. The cards that he’d played with fate and gambled away.

Faye. Alana. Naiomi. Gabby. Celine.

Celine...

His tears fell.

Even in his most screwed up state, he used to believe that God was in the rain. Yeah, even in the rain.

But now...it was just fuckin’ rain.

Never-ending rain.

He didn’t know how to survive this anymore.

He threw the last stem of rose on the fresh grave.

Alana was buried at Hollywood Forever cemetery, her choice of final resting place.

He stared at the mound of soil that covered her remains. He couldn’t believe she was gone.

But she really was.

Millions mourned her death around the world but only a few dozen of people were able to attend her funeral. It was her request.

The people had all gone home and he was the only one left. He asked Cruz to cordon the place. He didn’t want to be disturbed.

He received a letter from Alana via FedEx two days after her overdose.

He read it again.

These were her last words.

My darling Daryl,

I hope by now, I am gone. If my physical body will resist my desire to leave this world, please don’t hold on to it for long. I truly want to be free. To finally rest.

I trust you to do the right thing by me.

Bury me at Hollywood Forever. I want to party with Rudolf Valentino and Bugsy Seigel for eternity.:)

I have lived a full life, I believe so, no matter how short that was. But 43 is not short. It’s almost half a century. That’s enough for me. I have made my mark. I must go.

I want you to know that you are the only person who really made the biggest impact in my life. Your inherent goodness shone like a beacon of light all over me since the first time I met you and it was the only reason why I survived this long. You have always, always been my strongest lifeline.

I was weak, Daryl. Very weak. I have committed a lot of shameful things in my quest for acceptance and happiness but the one thing that I regret the most, the one thing that will always haunt me even in the afterlife was my betrayal of you. I betrayed you. I hurt you so badly. I have probably contributed to the failures of your succeeding marriages. I know I did.

I have turned a good man into someone just like me.

I am so sorry, Daryl. For everything. I know I can never make it up to you. Not in this life.

Please, don’t be like me. Don’t be like me.

Be happy, my darling.

I will be watching over you from wherever I would be. I’m not sure where I would be:) But you can be sure that I will be rooting for you...until we meet again.

But that won’t happen for a hundred years yet. In the meantime, fall in love. Love. Love. Love.

Love like you’ve never met me.

Lastly, I’m leaving everything to you. All of my worldly possessions. Please, don’t say no. You’re the only person who truly cared for me. Do as you see fit with my estate. I know I can trust you to take care of my legacy.

Thank you so much, Daryl.

Always, Laney

PS. I have a gift for you. Wait for it.

It started to rain.

Dare folded the piece of paper and put it back in his coat’s inner pocket before it got wet.

He looked up and closed his eyes, welcoming the raindrops on his face.

He didn’t know how long he stood there, under the pouring rain.

Finally, he turned around from Alana’s grave.

And then she was there, a fairy, emerging from the mist, bathed in light, illuminating the gloom that shrouded his soul.

The rain didn’t seem to touch her luminous skin as she walked toward him slowly, turning the darkness around him into this breathtaking vision of beauty.

It was HER. The Light Fairy in his dreams. He knew now without a single doubt. It had been her all along.

She gave him a smile that erased all the grief in his heart like a single swipe of a sword. Indeed, she could chase all his demons away with just a smile.

“Hello, Captain Shang.”

“Hello, Mulan.”

“Sorry, I’m late. Air traffic, you know.”

“How’s the little one?”

She touched her belly lovingly. “Jet lagged, but okay. It’s only his second time to fly trans-Pacific.”

“He?”

“It’s wiggling in there like a little frog, so I think it’s a he. Like father like son?”

He smiled and opened his arms.

She ran straight into his embrace.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“Shh. Let’s go home.”

Dare told her his most guarded secret, the one the world didn’t know about. A secret that he had managed to keep inside the closet for so long by paying off people, hiring lawyers to zealously protect his privacy and PR professionals to reinvent his history. All signed confidentiality contracts.

He grew up in a squalid neighborhood in South Brooklyn, New York. Despite the poverty he was born into, he had always known what he wanted to do. He had his sights on an acting career since he saw the legendary Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire. In his high school days, he diligently attended his drama classes and after school, he worked night shifts at a local fast-food restaurant, and during weekends, he would be at Coney Island as an assistant operator of the famous Cyclone. Unlike the other boys his age, he didn’t waste his spare time enjoying  his youth at bars and beaches watching bikini-clad babes. He had an ambition to work on. He was inspired to make something of himself so that he can take care of his little sister better.

But fate handed him a bad card when he was seventeen. One day, a beautiful woman named Alana Cavalleri rode the Cyclone and he fell in love for the first time. It was a mutual attraction. But she was married. Nevertheless, their forbidden love affair progressed because of their common interest. Like him, she had aspirations of becoming an actor.

For two months, they had met clandestinely in several places and became very emotionally and physically involved. They’d practice lines from their favorite movies together and make love afterward. The illicit nature of their affair only made their passion burn hotter every passing day.