FOURTEEN

Having to see this was enough, I didn't need him giving me that look. My chest tightened, and I fought to keep my composure. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much it hurt. Without a word, I headed straight for my apartment, my legs feeling weak. Once inside, I locked the door behind me and leaned against it, taking deep, steadying breaths. The image of Wade and Gabriella was burned into my mind, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake it.

Why did it hurt so much? Why did seeing him with her feel like a betrayal? I sank onto the couch, my phone still clutched in my hand. No message from Wade. No explanation, no apology. Just silence. I stared at the blank screen, a mix of anger and sadness welling up inside me.

As the night wore on, I couldn't help but replay the events in my mind. The look in Wade's eyes, the way he had smiled at me before returning to Gabriella. It felt like a deliberate slap in the face, a way of telling me that he had moved on.

I needed to talk to someone, to make sense of everything. I dialed Charlotte's number, and she picked up on the second ring.

"Wendy? What's wrong?" she asked, immediately sensing my distress.

I told her everything, the confrontation with Wade and Spencer, Wade's cold behavior on set, and finally, seeing him with Gabriella.

"That asshole!" Charlotte fumed. "How could he do that to you? You deserve so much better, Wendy. Don't let him get to you."

Her words were comforting, but they couldn't erase the hurt. "I just don't understand, Char. Why did he have to rub it in my face like that?"

"He's trying to get a reaction out of you," she said. "He wants to see if you care. And by the sounds of it, you do. Maybe more than you thought."

I sighed, feeling the weight of the truth in her words. "I don't know what to do, Char. Ivan is so good to me, but Wade... he's just so confusing."

"Listen, Wendy, you need to figure out what you really want. Don't let Wade's mind games distract you. Focus on what makes you happy, and don't settle for anything less."

We talked for a while longer, and by the time I hung up, I felt a little better. Charlotte always knew how to put things into perspective.

But as I lay in bed that night, sleep eluded me. The image of Wade and Gabriella haunted me, and my mind kept circling back to the same question: What did I really want?

…..

The next day on set was worse. I arrived early, hoping to avoid any immediate drama, but Wade and Gabriella were already there, wrapped up in their little world. I took a deep breath and tried to focus on my work, but it was impossible to ignore them. Wade's behavior had escalated from cold to outright hostile. He paraded Gabriella around like a trophy, their exaggerated displays of affection a constant reminder of the previous night's heartbreak.

Osse was visibly frustrated, he deserved it though, wasn't he the one who wanted to cast Gabriella initially? He gave Wade a pointed look as we gathered for the first scene of the day. "Alright, everyone, let's focus. We've got a lot to get through today."

Wade rolled his eyes and draped an arm around Gabriella's shoulders. "Don't worry, Osse. We're professionals. We'll get it done."

I cringed at his tone. This wasn't the Wade I knew. He was acting out, and it was affecting everyone.

We started filming, and Wade's performance was lackluster. He flubbed his lines, missed his marks, and generally seemed disinterested. Osse called cut more times than I could count, his frustration growing with each take. Every now and then between scenes, Gabriella kept stealing kisses, offering coffee, he was obviously distracted and extra grumpy.

"Can we keep this serious please, you both have the entire day to mess around! Not while we need to work, so can you please quit acting like two horny teenagers?". I yelled at Wade at one point, while he was making out with Gabriella when he was supposed to be on set.

What was wrong with them?

Wade turned to me, his eyes cold. "What's the matter, Wendy? Can't handle the heat?" His voice dripped with sarcasm, and I could feel the entire crew's eyes on us.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. "I'm just trying to do my job, Wade."

He laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Yeah, sure you are. Is that what you call running off to Ivan every chance you get?"

The accusation stung, and I struggled to find a response. Everyone's eyes were on me, he knew how rumors were flying but he had to say that uhn. "If that is what got you all riled up, then grow up!"

He scoffed at me, mimicking me in the most mocking manner. "I just hate women who sleeps their way to the top!"

There were murmurs as everyone began saying one thing or the other. Speculations flying around, no one saying anything positive. Before I could say anything, Spencer stepped in, his face a mask of anger. "Back off, Wade. This isn't the place for your personal issues."

Wade's eyes flashed with anger. "Stay out of this, Spencer. It's none of your business."

Spencer stood his ground. "When you're disrupting the entire set, it becomes everyone's business. Take your little sob story home or go fuck your bitch there!"

Gabriella gasped, chiming in with her voice dripping with mock concern. "Oh, Spencer, you're always so noble. Maybe you should mind your own business for once."

The tension in the air intensified, and Osse finally intervened. "Enough! This is a professional set, and I expect everyone to act like it. Wade, get your act together, or I'll have to make some changes."

Wade glared at Osse but didn't say anything. The rest of the day was a painful slog, with Wade's mood infecting everyone. By the time we wrapped up, the atmosphere was tense and drained.

As I gathered my things, Wade approached me, his expression a mixture of anger and something else—hurt, maybe? "I hope it's fun sleeping with the big boss."

I blinked, taken aback by his words. "Wade, I don't know what's going on with you, but this isn't you. Why are you doing this?"

He scoffed, stepping closer. "Maybe you don't know me as well as you think. Maybe I'm tired of pretending."

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, Gabriella appeared at his side, her arm slipping around his waist. "Ready to go, Wade?"

He looked at her, then back at me, his eyes hardening. "Yeah, let's get out of here." Without another word, they walked away, leaving me standing there, feeling more confused and hurt than ever.

That night, as I lay in bed, I couldn't shake the feeling that something deeper was going on with Wade and it was all my fault. I had avoided him because I felt awkward after that morning. When I saw his text, I knew he wanted to talk about it but I didn't think I was ready for that. One thing was clear now anyway, I couldn't ignore this any longer.

The next day on set, I was determined to get answers. I arrived early, hoping to catch Wade before the chaos of the day began. As luck would have it, he was already there, talking to Gabriella.

Taking a deep breath, I approached them. "Wade, we need to talk. Now."

He looked at me, his expression guarded. "I'm busy, Wendy."

"This can't wait," I insisted, my voice firm. "Please, just give me a few minutes."

Gabriella rolled her eyes but stepped aside. "I'll be over there if you need me," she said, her tone dripping with disdain.

Once she was out of earshot, I turned to Wade. "What's going on with you? Why are you acting like this?"

He crossed his arms, his gaze cold. "Maybe I'm just tired of your games, Wendy. You run off with Ivan and expect everything to be fine between us? Why? Cause I'm your fall back to guy, is that it?

His words hit like a slap. "Wade, you know it's not like that. Ivan and I... it's complicated. But that doesn't give you the right to treat me or anyone else this way. You don't have to go this far"

He laughed bitterly. "Complicated? What am excuse".

Tears pricked my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "Wade, I care about you. But you can't keep lashing out at everyone. This isn't you."

His expression softened for a moment, a flicker of vulnerability breaking through. But it was gone as quickly as it came. "Maybe you don't know me as well as you think."

Before I could respond, Gabriella returned, slipping her arm through Wade's. "Everything okay here?"

Wade glanced at me one last time, his eyes hardening. "Yeah, everything's fine. Let's go."

As they walked away, I felt a mix of anger and sadness. Wade was pushing me away, and I didn't know how to reach him. But one thing was certain, I wasn't giving up. Not yet.