Tabita's Point Of View
"You're so gorgeous, Tabi! Two more shots and well done!"
My smile widened at the camera and I adjusted my body for the pose. After the two shots, today's commercial photoshoot is finally over.
Rika, who is my personal assistant, immediately approached me. She made me sit on a mono block and handed me a water bottle. I accepted it and immediately drank it.
"I'm so tired," I complained before closing my eyes and drinking the water again.
"Do you want to go home?" I heard her ask. I opened my eyes and nodded. "Okay, I'll get the car ready. Are you going home to your husband's house?"
"Yeah . . ." Of course.
I couldn't hear her answer anymore and I felt her leave. I looked around, almost everyone was gone. I'm thankful that the photoshoot for the commercial is over.
In the middle of my thoughts, Rika suddenly came in and said the car was ready.
I immediately stood up and followed her. When I went out to the door, I saw my personal guards, they immediately followed us to the parking lot. When I was already sitting in the back seat, I felt extremely tired. I smile at the cameras all day, who doesn't get tired of that?
"Ask Firri for my 1 week day off. I want to rest, Rika," I said. I have been working for several weeks in a row, I need to rest.
I saw Rika nod. Firri Rivasco, is my manager. She's kind but strict. She wants everything to be almost perfect. And I'm the most famous artist she has right now so if I want to take a break, I know she'll agree.
I fell asleep on our way home. Rika immediately woke me up when we arrived, I went down immediately and Rika followed with my things.
Our house lights are off, nothing's new.
"Looks like nobody's there, Tabi." I heard Rika say.
"Yeah, it's as usual. It looks like he won't be coming home again," I said while opening the door. Upon entering, I turned on the light and immediately sat on the sofa.
"After you put my things in my room, go home. And don't forget my 1 week day off," I said while resting. She nodded and went up to the second floor to put my things in my room.
I really want to sleep right now.
I heard Rika come down. "I'm going home now, Tabi. Rest well."
I didn't say a word and I just heard the door close. I sighed before opening my eyes.
"It looks like he's not really coming home tonight." I laughed at my own words, why am I expecting him to come home? Well,
I'm not important to him.
Just like he always told me. Damn what a ruthless husband.
I stopped thinking when I heard the familiar sound of a car, I felt the beating of my heart knowing whose car it was. I got up from sitting on the sofa when I didn't hear the sound of the car, I thought he wouldn't come home like he always does? But what is he doing here now?
I couldn't breathe completely when I saw him from the window, opening the door. When he finally opened it. Khairo's drunken face welcomed me. His black polo shirt was tangled and his hair was messy.
Did he drive drunk? Didn't he know it was dangerous?
Our eyes immediately met and I continued to feel my heart racing.
"What are you doing here?" I ask. He walked past me before answering.
"Why? Your husband is not allowed to come home to our house?"
Bullshit! We're just married on paper. It's just an arranged marriage.
"You're drunk," I said, not giving attention to what he says.
"Yeah, I want to sleep. And don't give a meaning about this, Tabita. This house is the closest to the bar we go to, so I went home here tonight."
I didn't say a word because I felt the disappointment inside of me. I watched him walk the stairs until he reached his room.
"Fuck him," I whispered annoyed. "Fuck this fucking arranged marriage. There's no point in this marriage."
It's been three years since we got married, the public didn't know about it because it would have a serious effect because we're both actors.
And he also has his love team, Monica. His leading lady in many movies, people really like them because of their chemistry together.
Many fans will be upset and angry when they find out that their idols are married. That's one of the things I hate in showbiz, that kind of thinking. Very toxic. Shame on them.
Only Rika, my parents and Khairo's parents knew that we were married, I hid it even from my manager. It's difficult if many people know. Not everyone should be trusted.
I walked to my room, I stopped walking when I passed by Khairo's room, we are married but we are not sleep in the same bed together. I slowly turned the door knob, I was even surprised because it wasn't locked. I peeked and saw his bare back, he was lying on the bed and asleep.
I sighed and slowly entered, I picked up his fallen comforter and immediately put it on him.
"How can this marriage be real if I'm the only one who loves?" I whispered to him. "I love you, Khairo."
When I woke up the next day, he was already gone. What I know is that he is working on a new movie with his love team, Monica. People love how they both act in front of the cameras.
I hope they should be the one to get married because I think they will work out than us.
I looked at my phone when someone called, I wouldn't have answered it if it was Firri but it wasn't. It was Kenzo who's calling, my love team.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hey, Tabi. I heard you asked for 1 week day off, I'm jealous of you." I heard his laugh from the other line.
"Yeah. You should rest too."
"I want to but I still have a lot of work to finish, you know that," he said and I laughed.
"Scare your manager, tell him you will resign if he doesn't give you a day off."
I heard him laugh again.
"Goofy huh? By the way. I'll hang up, see you after your day off."
"Bye."
When I hung up, I was shocked to see Khairo walking past me.
"I thought you had left, don't you have work right now?"
"I always have work, Tabita." I was surprised by the coldness of his voice. What's going on here?
I saw him go straight to the kitchen and grab a glass. Is he mad? I watched him do what he wanted to do in the kitchen. I watched him make his own coffee.
I can't understand this man's behavior.
I turned my attention back to my cellphone. I just read the feedbacks of my fans. And all their comments were positive.
I didn't really think of anything I would do on my 1 week day off. All I want is to stay in this house until it's over, I won't do anything. That's what I want. I just want to rest.
I saw him come out of the kitchen and was reading a paper, maybe he was just memorizing his script for his upcoming movie.
"Do you have anything to do today?" I asked.
"Don't talk to me, Tabita. Can't you see? I'm fucking busy here."
I was shocked by the harshness of his voice. That's his real attitude! It was different last night, different when he was drunk. Well, even I, I have a different attitude behind the cameras. I won't smile and I won't laugh often in real life.
It just I have to smile and pretend to be someone far from myself.
That might be difficult for those who are just starting out in showbiz, but for me, I have been in showbiz since I was young. That thing is easy for me.
Pretend.
It was very easy to do, I pretended not to love Khairo but deep inside I knew I loved him very much. That I will give up everything I have right now just to be with him.
I looked at him and watched him read the script, he sighed loudly every time he couldn't memorized the lines. He frowns whenever he doesn't understand something and makes him drink his coffee.
I really know him more than myself.
I know whenever something hurts him, I know when he has a problem, I know when he is tired from work, I know when he is hungry and I know if he is happy or not.
Khairo is hard to read, others say that too. But for me who loves him, it's not. I have also been with him for three years so I know him well.
But most of the time he doesn't come home here, he goes home to his condo. He made it clear to me that he really doesn't want this marriage and he doesn't want me to be his wife.
He stopped reading when his cellphone rang. He looked at his phone and his frown quickly disappeared when he saw who called. He took the cellphone and answered the call.
"Hello, Monica?"
I looked away and looked down at my cellphone screen.
"Ah yes I will. Yeah, Me too. Do you know that? Oh, really? Sure sure. Don't forget to eat breakfast. Okay, bye. See you."
I thought he didn't want it when someone to talk him when he was busy?
I laughed at my own thought, I'm not important to him so why would he waste time talking to someone like me?
I closed my eyes.
This is so hard. I stood up from sitting and walked into my room, upon entering I immediately stood on the veranda. I took out my cellphone and called mom's number.
A few rings before she answered the call.
"Hello, dear. How are you?"
"Hey, mom. I'm fine. You?"
"I'm good, why were you call? Is there a problem?"
"I'm okay, ma. I'm on my day off today."
"Oh, really? That's good. Rest well, Tabi! And don't stress yourself, okay?"
"Of course, mom."
"Try to go on a vacation with Khairo!"
"You know that's impossible, right?"
I heard her laugh on the other line.
"I just want to hear you laugh! Do you really have no progress? Maybe you didn't tell me that you had sex there at your house?"
I blushed.
"That's more impossible to happen, mom. He don't want to be touched."
He don't even love me.
We talked for a few minutes before I hung up, as I hung up I heard Khairo's car starting its engine. Next I saw him leave from the veranda of my room.
"He didn't even say goodbye," I said as I watched his car drive away. "If you want someone else, Khairo. It's fine with me, remember. You'll still come home to my house at the end of the day."
The whole day off I slept, ate, watched a show, read a book, I did it over and over again. And since then, Khairo never returned home as I expected.
I frowned because my work started again. I was in the car, with Rika. And we are going to the network because there is a meeting.
"What else do they want to talk about?" I asked.
Rika looked at me and laughed. "As usual, it's the same."
"Aren't they fed up?"
"They won't get enough as long as they make money from your love team with Kenzo."
I leaned against the window of the car, that's what I did until we got to the network.
We immediately entered the conference room and we told to wait for the network executives to arrive. After a few minutes, they arrived with Firri who immediately sat next to me. Kenzo is on my left side.
"Okay so let's start this meeting," said Sir Ryan. "The ratings of the latest movie of the two of you, Tabi and Kenzo, are great. And people are very happy with the love team of the two of you. And we want you two to do a movie together again."
That's all?
"And you've known each other for a long time, Tabi and Kenzo, don't you still have feelings for each other? You'll get more support if you really do."
I sighed while Kenzo laughed before answering. "We'll go there too, we don't want to rush each other."
I nodded. "Yeah he's right. Just because we know each other is reason enough to enter into a relationship."
Sir Ryan nodded and looked like he really believed it.
Oh damnit I don't have a plan on getting into a relationship because I'm already married. Married To a Ruthless Superstar.
