The Truths Behind the Life of Maeve Sun Lively

42

HER HAIR THAT HAD BEEN up in a tendril twist bun for the premiere and after party was now down and scattered. Her mascara was running a little black around her cheeks and eyes from probably, what a surprise, crying.

My shock quickly vanished as I gained my confidence back, I stood tall. "Did you put Cameron up to this? Making him lock me in here with you because you're too scared to just talk to me?"

She stood a few feet away from me, eyes hard and strained. "I'd never do such a petty thing."

I scowled a laugh. "Who knows what kind of thing you'd do, you might as well have done anything."

In her beaded pearl white dress, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me warily. "Something in those few words sure does sound angry."

"Well yeah, it's not like you didn't leave me with a bunch of problems. It's not like you spread lies about me that might as well have boosted your career. It's not like you ruined my reputation and career while you rose yourself. It's totally not like you ruined almost every part of me and still haven't been satisfied and you might as well try to ruin me again. What kind of things are you going to tell the tabloids about me now in Hollywood? Tell them I abused you again? Is it gonna be verbally or physically this time?"

Her eyes that had stood so hard now softened, she took a step closer to me. "Maeve, is that what you thought all these years? I did not try to ruin you for my own benefit, I'd never do that. I never meant to do that."

I laughed again. "You sure did have a lot of backstory on that interview."

"That was..." She glanced away before continuing. "When you came begging in front of Ascending8's mansion, Cheng No had seen you. I had to make up an explanation quickly, because people, they were suspecting we had something. I panicked and when she started asking me with all these questions the results of it I came up with was you verbally abusing me. I never meant for this to get out, it was just a short explanation so I could shut her up. But she..." She closed her eyes and then opened them again. "She pressured me to tell the press, she said it'll bring me the justice I deserved and while that I can use this as a chance to get my name heard. I never meant any of it to happen, Maeve, I never wanted to hurt you."

I was guilty, because it was because of me that she had needed to give Cheng No an explanation. So basically, all around, it was me who had tumbled my own career. I didn't let my guilt show though.

"You still hurt me though, Klarise. You left me, and even if you never meant to hurt my career, you still did. My parents kicked me out, I had no home. And I did not leave G.W.F. willingly, my manager had gotten rid of me. Because of what you had said."

"Oh god I," she stared at me and I couldn't tell if she was guilty or just plain pitying. "I didn't know, I'm sorry. I...but you still got back up, didn't you? You're okay now."

I huffed. "Yeah, and what? Are you trying to hurt me again? Leave me? About to marry someone else? Fuck more guys?"

She flinched as I said that, but then the softness in her eyes grew sharp again. She always had some kind of method at gaining back confidence like I did. "I've known you for only five months, and I was seventeen, Maeve, I was half in school and half trying to jumble with my career. I was scared, I weighed my possibilities, the pros and cons, so I left. And I do not regret doing that, because it was the right thing at the right time. I wouldn't—you and I both wouldn't be here in Hollywood right now if I hadn't left."

I bit down on my tongue. "But seven years, Klarise. Really? For that long?"

She ignored me and continued. "And Cameron, I had known him since I was basically a toddler. His family arranging a marriage with mine was something we both knew eventually would happen."