Chapter 36 The First Night Apart
Lara's pov
Today was a good day, I woke up lightly despite the trials and tribulations I've been facing.
I was still able to stand up energized, I took one of my favourite clothes, the one Damien got for me as my birthday gift.
I put on the emerald green gown, a very beautiful gown to behold, the one I know cost more than Lucas's rent now.
My hair was done properly, I had styled it up and used a ribbon to pack it together. I really looked good.
It's the D- day to accept my award for Montgomery Tech company. The company I built from scratch. The one I built with sleepless nights and some nights I wet my pillow with tears. The one Damien helped me build. This was a great day for me.
I arrived at the annual Tech Innovators Charity gala. Damien was there with me, this was the first public appearance as a couple ever since we got married. I
I had been married to Damien for about 7 years now, but today everyone had seen us as a couple.
Press photographers were everywhere, other tech CEOs and industry leaders were also present.
I felt confident as I stepped into the halls. I had to take a breath. The place was massive. Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling like something from a place. Everywhere screaming ‘money’.
I smoothed down my green dress. It was beautiful and expensive. I met a lot of eyes staring at me. I knew that -God, I'm now a successful woman not like the girl Lucas threw out and how they looked at me like dirt.
“Are you okay?” Damien asked.
“Yeah…I'm good, it's just that this is a lot!
You've earned this. You deserve it baby, you belong here more than anyone here.
Honestly, he was right. I really did earn this, this is my company, my success and my life.
A waiter walked by with a tray of champagne. I didn't want to take anything, but I just had to take one cup. Why won't I?
Because today. I was celebrating. Today I was Lara Otto, a CEO and award winner.
A soft music was playing on the ground, a classical stuff, I didn't recognize. Photographers were already taking pictures of people arriving.
I also saw some colleagues from the tech industry as well, some people smiled at me, some waved while some looked jealous. Good. Let them be jealous.
Seven years ago, I had nothing but today, to the glory of God, I had everything, maybe…
Or so I thought…
I noticed people whispering to themselves, that's the girl, the ex- wife of Lucas.
The former colleagues of my father showed up again, offering their condolences about my father's death.
A reporter walked up to me.
“Ms Otto, how do you feel today that you surpassed your father's achievement?
I'm honouring his legacy not competing with him.
And then, the reporter nodded and walked away with his cameraman following behind.
I had to go and ease myself in the rest room .I was near the bar area when I noticed the whispers getting louder. You know that thing when a whole room suddenly gets quiet and people start looking in one direction? That's what was happening now.
I followed their eyes to see what they were staring at.
And I froze.
Lisa.
Lisa Ward was walking through the crowd like she owned the place.
Except she didn't look like the Lisa I remembered. The model, the one gigantic woman. The one that stole my husband and destroyed my marriage.
She really looked terrible.
Her dress was expensive but old. Like something from three years ago that she kept in her closet. Her hair was done but not professionally. You could see she tried to look good but failed. Her jewelry was fake. I could tell from where I was standing. She probably sold all the real ones.
And her shoes. I'm sure it was fake. The heels were worn down and scratched.
This was not the Almighty Lisa Ward everyone knew.
This was a broke and desperate woman.
"Is that Lisa Ward?" Someone whispered near me.
"What is she doing here?" Another person asked.
"I heard the man he followed dumped her and took everything."
I felt Damien tense beside me. His hand moved to my lower back and touched me.
"Are you okay here? Do you want to leave?" He asked quietly.
"No." I said firmly. "This is MY event, I'm getting award today, I'm the most honourable person here.She needs to leave."
But Lisa wasn't leaving. She was walking straight toward me.
People were parting, creating a path for her. Everyone wanted to see the drama. Phones were coming out already. This was going to be all over social media within minutes.
Security started moving but they looked confused. Should they stop her or not?
I stood my ground. I wasn't running from her. Not anylonger.
"Lara!" Lisa's voice was loud.
"Lara, please, I need to talk to you!"
" I don't have anything to discuss with you." I said coldly.
"Please. Just give me five minutes. That's all I'm asking."
Damien stepped forward to confront her. "You need to leave. Now."
But Lisa ignored him completely. Her eyes were only on me.
"Lara, please. I'm begging you."
The whole room was watching now. Cameras flashing. Video recording. This was exactly what I didn't want.
A scene.At my event.On my night.
Lisa moved closer to me. Her little makeup had already scratched. Had she been crying before she came here?
"I'm sorry!" She said loudly. Loud enough for everyone to hear. "I'm so sorry for everything! I didn't know—Lucas lied to me too!"
"You knew exactly what you were doing." I said.
"I was in love! I made mistakes! Haven't you ever made mistakes?"
"Get. Out."
"Please! I have nothing! The man I followed took everything from me! I'm living in a studio apartment! I can barely afford food!"
So that's what this was about. Money.
She didn't come here to apologize. She came here to beg for help.
"That's not my problem."
You know what it's like to have nothing! You slept on the streets when you had nothing! Please, show some compassion!
That made me really angry.
How dare she compare me to herself?
I stepped closer to her so that she could hear me better only her and not any other person.
"You want to compare our situations?" I asked. Then I raised my voice so everyone could hear. "Fine. Let's compare. I was drugged, thrown out while pregnant, left with nothing because of my husband's cruelty. You? You chose to sleep with a married man. You chose to destroy my marriage. You chose to leave him for someone richer. You chose everything that led you here. We are not the same."
"But I—"
"I don't care. You made your choices. Now live with them."
"Please! I'll do anything, just find a space in your heart to forgive me!"
"Then do it somewhere else. Security!"
Two security guards appeared immediately.
"Please escort Ms. Ward out of the building."
"No! Wait!" Lisa tried to grab my arm but I stepped back.
The security guards moved in.
"Ma'am, you need to leave now."
"Get off me!" Lisa struggled against them. "Lara! LARA!"
They were pulling her toward the exit but she kept fighting them and making everything obvious and worse.
"You'll regret this!" She screamed. "I know things about you!"
Everyone was recording now. This was going to be everywhere by morning.
"Damien isn't who you think he is!" Lisa shouted.
My blood went cold.
"Ask him about the hotel! Ask him about that night!"
Damien went tense beside me. I felt it.
Security was almost at the door with her now.
"Ask him, Lara! Ask Damien what he was doing at that hotel seven years ago!"
Then she was gone. The doors closed behind her. The room was silent for a moment.
Just the sound of cameras clicking.
Then everyone started talking at once. Whispering, gossiping, and questions.
I couldn't move, I didn't know how to at the moment.
How did Lisa know about the hotel?
What hotel was she even talking about?
And why did Damien look so uncomfortable?
A colleague came over. "Are you okay, Lara?"
"I'm fine." I lied.
The event organizer rushed over looking embarrassed. "Ms. Otto, I'm so sorry about that disruption. We don't know how she got in without an invitation."
"It's handled. Let's just continue with the program."
"Of course. Again, our apologies."
She walked away quickly.
Damien leaned close to me. "You handled that perfectly."
"Did I? Everyone's staring."
"Let them. You showed strength. You didn't let her manipulate you."
But I barely heard him. Lisa's words kept playing in my head.
Ask him about the hotel.What hotel is she taking about?What night?
Why wouldn't Damien have the audacity to look right into my eyes now? Is Damien hiding anything from me?
I walked out of the event and stepped straight into my car and headed home without talking to Damien.
"I went to the guest room and grabbed a pillow and some blankets.
'Lara, please—' Damien started as he followed me to the guest room, open the door let me talk to you.
No, I don't want to speak with anyone again tonight. Please just let me be. I will probably talk to you tomorrow.
But why are you sleeping in the guest room? You haven't for once sleep in the guest room ever since we got married, then why are you doing this tonight?
I didn't give a word.
'Baby—'
'Goodnight, Damien.'
I closed the door.
This was the first time we'd slept apart since we got married. Seven years together and this was the first night in separate rooms.
I lay on the guest bed staring at the ceiling.
My phone kept buzzing. Social media notifications. News alerts. Videos of Lisa being dragged out. My name trending.
But I didn't care about any of that.
All I could think about was Lisa's words.
Ask him about the hotel.
And Damien's face when she said it. The way he tensed. The way he wouldn't look at me.
He was hiding something.
I knew it.
After everything we'd been through. After seven years. After building a life together. After Ethan.
He was still keeping secrets.
Lucas's letters said Damien was at that hotel. That he planned everything. That our whole relationship was orchestrated.
I didn't want to believe it.
But what if it was true?
What if the man I loved, the man who saved me, the man who raised my son, had been lying to me from the very beginning?
Three days.
In three days I'd know the truth.
In three days everything might fall apart again.
I closed my eyes but I couldn't sleep.
Down the hall, in our bedroom, I knew Damien wasn't sleeping either.
Both of us lying awake. Both carrying secrets. Both scared of what would happen next.
The distance between us had never felt bigger.”