Andrea didn't want to move. The headlines still played in her head.
Fallen star.
Desperate model.
Kayden West's pity date.
She didn't sleep. Her phone stayed off, face down on her nightstand, but Kayden's missed call icon was still seared into her memory.
Her body turned, and she groaned from exhaustion. The sun seered through her curtains, the brightness it carried a contrast to her emotions.
She took her phone from her nightstand, her eyes hooked on the missed call icon that held call back and she itched. Her hands hovered above the icon, but she couldn't.
Andrea bit her lip, unable to call back. She knew the words she thought he would say—because I thought you'd end things—she wasn't ready to hear them.
She kept her phone back on the nightstand and dragged herself up, as she walked to shower.
Sitting on her bed in nothing but a baggy shirt and wet dripping hair, she began scrolling through the comments of those posts from yesterday. She didn't know why she did that, because she knew there was a possibility of her getting more battered and attacked.
But still she scrolled deeper.
Most of the comments she saw were basically about her and her dead agency, which didn't even bother her. But one comment made her freeze.
"I can't believe Kayden would actually settle for her. He deserves better"
Andrea dropped her phone on her bed in front of her. She felt the beginning to spin, just a little, as her mind spiralled. Even a stranger thinks he deserves better, so why won't he think same?
Only this comment made her stamp the fact that Kayden only called yesterday to end things, and to further prove she was right, he hadn't called again or left a text.
Her apartment was dead silent, which amplified Andrea's thoughts and dejected feeling. She dropped her phone back on the night stand and buried her face inside her pillow.
At this point she needed a drink but she didn't have any alcohol at home, and going outside wasn't on the list. The topic was still hot, she'd have to wait at least two or three days before she tried to step outside.
But even after two or three days, there was still a chance that she would get jumped by reporters.
Andrea jumped from her bed when she heard a knock on her door, and although she didn't know who that was, her hands trembled.
She walked briskly to her door, and stood there, taking a deep breath in she looked through the peephole, and there stood in person–
Kayden West.
Andrea could swear she saw her life decrease by over half, as her heart began thrumming hard. She thought about ignoring him. Pretending she wasn't home. Maybe he'd give up. But his voice came through the door, low and steady.
"Drea, I know you're in there. Please open up."
Her hand shook as she turned the lock. The door opened, and Kayden stepped inside without waiting for permission. His expression wasn't anger—it was something worse. Controlled. Intense.
"Why'd you turn off your phone?" he asked, closing the door behind him.
Andrea bowed her head down, maybe because of shame, maybe because she didn't want to see him holding on to something she already let go off.
"I..I thought you wouldn't want to see me" Her didn't even trust her own voice when she murmured the words. And right after they left her lips she prayed that Kayden didn't hear her, but he did.
"Why..why would you think that? Because of the media? I knew you were going to spiral and I didn't want that, that's why I called but you didn't pick up" Andrea slowly lifted her face up, but she remained quiet, which only did nothing but agitated Kayden the more.
He hated seeing the effect the media had on her, but most of all, he hated seeing how much of her self value she had tied to the media.
Kayden ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tight. "Do you think I care about what they wrote? About what they're saying? Do you think I'd let them scare me away from you?"
Andrea's eyes burned. "But you should care, Kayden! They're dragging your name into my mess. Your family—your father—won't he…" Her voice cracked. "What of you business, Kayden? Shits like this makes the shares or whatever thing, drop".
The silence between them stretched. Andrea's stomach twisted as she searched his face for an answer, for rejection. Instead, Kayden stepped closer, his hand cupping her chin, forcing her eyes up to his.
"Let them talk," he whispered. "I'm not letting you go."
Andrea's chest rose and fell rapidly. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to melt into his arms and forget the world. But beneath the comfort, another fear grew louder.
Because if Kayden stayed—if he really meant it—then one day he'd want to know everything about her. Including the truth about her family. The truth she'd buried for years.
And that was the one scandal she wasn't sure she could survive.
Andrea had thought that if Kayden didn't stay, if Kayden would drop out right me, it'd save her the event of cleaning up herself when her secret spilled all over her face.
Part of her fear had been the media, but the bigger fear was what he would think of her when she told him things even the media didn't know. She didn't want to change the way he looked at her, the way his arms were always available for her to fall into.
But as selfish as she had always been, and still is, she fell right into his arms, pushing away the thoughts, as his scent once again enveloped her.
"I'm so sorry" She took the risk and looked up to him, his blue eyes already staring down at her.
No words were spoken, as the silence between them lingered, both lost in the world each of their eyes created for them.
Kayden held both sides of Andrea's face, making Andrea hold his hand, both their eyes still hooked on each other.
"I love you, Andrea" Andrea nearly cried at the way those words made her feel, the way Kayden's eyes never left her as those words left his lips.
But Kayden didn't give her room for a reaction, as he closed the space between their lips.
Slow and intentional, the kiss between Andrea and Kayden was, but their hearts were different–beating loudly that they were sure the other could hear it, but it only said one thing–
They were their happy place.
****
After Kayden left, Andrea had a newfound confidence to walk on the street, but not so much, without a disguise.
Wasting a scarf and sunglasses, Andrea stepped out of her apartment to do some grocery shopping at least.
Feeling all giddy, and hopping in steps, she entered the nearest supermarket around her street, but all that stopped when she saw a familiar face.
Too fami
liar if Andrea were to be completely honest, and it made chills run up her spine.
"Yilea?"