Chapter 11 The Spill
Maya reaches them with a smile sharp as damaged glass.
"Kairo." She air-kisses his cheek. Leaves a lipstick mark. "And the lovely little spouse."
Adorable. Little. each word designed to diminish.
Zephyra extends her hand. professional. cold. "Maya."
"Permit me to observe you." Maya's eyes rake over her. Attempting to find flaws. "That dress is... quaint."
Old fashioned. The dress Zephyra spent three weeks designing. Hand-stitching each element.
"Thanks," Zephyra says through clenched teeth.
Maya leans in for an air-kiss. Her champagne flute tilts.
Crimson liquid cascades down Zephyra's white gown.
The champagne soaks via silk. cold. Sticky. Ruining the whole thing.
Gasps ripple through the group.
"Oh my God!" Maya's hand flies to her mouth. Eyes wide with fake horror. "How clumsy of me! I am so, so sorry!"
The apology drips with venom.
Zephyra stands frozen. Every eye inside the venue staring. Cameras clicking. Whispers spread like wildfire.
Her dress. Her design. Destroyed.
Humiliation burns hotter than the champagne is bloodless.
Kairo's whole frame goes inflexible beside her.
His moves are specific. controlled. deadly calm.
He shrugs off his clothier jacket. Wraps it round Zephyra's shoulders. Shields her from the staring crowd.
Then he turns to Maya.
His voice may want to reduce diamonds. "She's more graceful covered in champagne than you have ever been."
Maya's smile falters. just for a second.
"Kairo, I did not mean—"
"Yes. you probably did." he's taking Zephyra's hand. "We're leaving."
He guides her through the group. His jacket is warm around her shoulders. His grip firm on her hand.
Behind them, the whispers explode.
The car journey is silent.
Zephyra stares out the window. The town blurs beyond through tears she refuses to let fall.
She feels the champagne drying. Sticky in opposition to her skin. Her ruined dress clinging to her legs.
Three weeks of labor. Gone.
A tear escapes. Then another.
She turns her face away. Hides them.
"Zephyra." Kairo's voice is smooth.
"I'm fine."
"You're crying."
" I'm not—" Her voice breaks.
He pulls the car over. Right there on the side of the street.
"Look at me."
She didn't.
His hands discover her chin. gentle. He turns her face in the direction of him.
"She destroyed it," Zephyra whispers. "My design. I spent weeks on that dress."
His jaw clenches. "I understand."
"Everyone noticed. Everybody watched her humiliate me."
"And everyone saw me defend you."
"It doesn't change what she did."
"No." His thumb wipes away a tear. "but it suggests what she is. Desperate. Sour. Threatened by way of you."
"Why might she be threatened by using me?"
Something sparkles in his eyes. "Because the fact you are real. She's not."
Silence stretches among them.
"We dated briefly," Kairo subsequently says. " Months. I ended it. She never accepted it."
"Why did you end it?"
His hand drops from her face. "She wanted what I couldn't give her."
"Which was?"
"Love." The phrase sounds overseas in his mouth. "She doesn't truly love me. She sleeps with men for roles.After I made that clean, she..." He trails off.
"She what?"
"She doesn't let go easily."
The words dangle heavy with meaning
His hand finds hers. Their fingers intertwine.
"I am sorry she harmed you," he says quietly.
"Why do you care?" Zephyra asked
He doesn't respond. Can't reply.
They sit down there. Parked on a random street. Holding hands inside the dark.
Once they reach home, Zephyra's phone explodes with notifications.
The pix are everywhere.
Maya "accidentally" spilling champagne. Zephyra's greatly surprised face. Kairo wrapped his jacket around her. His protecting stance. The fury in his eyes.
The net has already chosen sides.
"#CoupleGoals"
"The way he defended her I'm SOBBING"
"Kairo Draven stated she's greater swish blanketed in champagne HUSBAND OF THE YEAR"
"Maya Delrose is CANCELLED"
Lots of comments. hundreds of thousands of perspectives.
Then Maya posts.
A close-up of her face. Cryptic smile. Caption: "Some secrets and techniques by no means stay buried."
Zephyra's stomach drops.
"Kairo. Look."
He reads it. His face goes pale.
"What secrets?" she asks.
"I don't know."
"Don't lie."
His eyes meet hers. "I'm not."
However something in his expression says otherwise.
Zephyra showers. Scrubs champagne from her pores and skin. Her ruined dress is going in the trash.
She's making tea whilst she notices the package deal.
Brown box. No address. Sitting on the kitchen counter.
"Kairo? Did you order something?"
He emerges from his office. "No."
They both stare at the box.
Kairo opens it cautiously.
In it is a photo.
A girl with dark hair stands outside an exclusive club. stylish. Poised. An acquainted scar on her left hand.
Zephyra's heart stops.
"It's impossible," she whispers.
"Who is it?" Kairo asks.
"My mom." Her voice shakes. "but she's been dead for some years."
Kairo's face drains of color. "Zephyra—"
"I was at her funeral. I buried her." She picked up the photograph with trembling hands. "This must be fake."
But the woman looks exactly like her mom. equal hair. same posture. Same scar.
"Someone's messing with us," Kairo says. "looking to get in our heads."
Zephyra's phone buzzes.
Unknown number.
Her palms shake as she opens the message.
"Fake spouse. Maya is aware of that and soon, everyone will."
The room tilts.
Zephyra looks up at Kairo. "What does this mean?"
His face is unreadable. but his arms are clenched into fists.
"I don't know."
"Stop lying to me!" Her voice cracks. "What aren't you telling me?"
"Zephyra—"
"Why did you really need a fake wife? Isn't it a business contract?
What are you hiding?"
He opens his mouth. Close it. The silence screams.
Another text arrives.
"Check your Email. The truth is ready."
Zephyra's pc sits on the counter. She opens it with shaking arms.
New E-mail. nameless sender. Subject line: "The real Kairo Draven."
She clicks it.
A video file loads.
Kairo's actions toward her. "do not—"
"No." She steps lower back. "I'm watching this."
She hits play.
The video shows Kairo. younger. perhaps five years in the past. Sitting throughout from someone in the shadows.
Audio performs.
Kairo's voice: "I need someone disposable. Someone the press will buy but won't matter long-term."
Shadow voice: "What about Maya?"
Kairo: "Too attached. I need someone with no connections. No power. Someone I can discard when this is over.”
The video cuts to black.
Zephyra's hands shake so difficult she drops the computer.
"Disposable." The word echoes in her head. "a person you can discard."
Kairo's face is white. "It’s not—"
"Not what? Not real? Not about me?"
"It's taken out of context—"
Her voice rises. "Is that what I am to you?"
"No. Zephyra, please—"
"Don't touch me." She backs away. "Don't you dare touch me."
Tears streamed down her face. but these a
re not unhappy tears. They are rage.
Her telephone buzzes once more.
“Now you know what Maya knows. And tomorrow? The world will too. Sweet dreams, Mrs. Draven."
What was Kairo really planning, and how much of their arrangement was designed to destroy her from the start?