The theater fell quiet as Tobias stood from his seat, scooting past us and into the aisle. I arched my brow at him in question, receiving a wink and sly smirk in response before he swaggered off toward the stage, my heart suddenly sinking with every lazy step he took.
There could only have been one reason why he would’ve been chosen to announce the winner.Because how fucking perfect would it be for him to have the esteemed honor of reading the name of his goddamn girlfriend?
I was fuming in my seat as darkening thoughts of splitting her open with the stem of my champagne glass started consuming me.
“I hope you’re not a sore loser.” Marissa leaned in to whisper under her breath, and my fingers curled into my dress, my fresh stiletto manicure puncturing holes in the delicate lace. “It’s about time someone knocked you off your high horse, and let’s face it, you haven’t been relevant since last year’s ceremony. Everyone fully believes that they only gave you the win because the rest of the nominees sucked in comparison. Talk about a pointless ego boost.”
I ground my teeth, resisting the urge to bite back at her smug attitude.
Theodore would have told me to breathe through my anger, to brush her off like a speck of dust as if she were nothing more.But he wasn’t here anymore, was he? No. He left me, just like my fucking father.
Losing my grip, I bared my teeth in a threatening smile, ready to sink them into her skin and mark up her pretty, flawless face. With a stiff mechanical movement, I turned my head toward her—like one of those fucked up clowns at a midnight carnival.
“You—” I gritted out, before being blinded and rudely interrupted by a beam of bright white light that shone down between us.Goddamnit!
Tobias’s charming voice filled the theater as all eyes were now directed at us, and I receded into my prim and proper facade, with a smile that just barely reached my eyes.
“And the winner for Best Actress, whom I am more than elated to be announcing this evening, is none other than—”Marissa fucking St—“Tessa Bradley!”What?
I froze as my jaw dropped to the floor in complete and total shock. I was confident the win had always been mine; however, seeing Tobias selected to announce the award threw me off my game, into a spiral of failure and disappointment.
For the first time inyears, I was genuinely surprised and taken aback by the win, without having to fake my reaction as I’d done so often before.
Taking the opportunity while I could, the congratulatory music blaring and the crowd growing even louder, I pulled Marissa in for a tight embrace. And when my lips were just a hairsbreadth away from her ear, I let her know precisely what I thought of her—claws and all.
“I’ll give you my trophy if you want it that badly,Riss.” I hissed her name for the fucking snake she was. “You can use it to go fuck yourself for a change. Hell, you can even keep it when you’re done, as a reminder to whom you’ll alwayscomesecond to.”A dig at her and Tobias for what it was worth. She could have my sloppy seconds.
“I’ll destroy your name and your fucking career, Tessa. You arenothing,not anymore, and I will see to it that your legacy is ran straight into the fucking ground. Buried six feet under, right where you belong.” There was an aggravated tremble in her voice, the rage building within her at the loss, and I fucking basked in it.
“Try me. Idareyou.” I coolly called her bluff before pulling away with a playful smile and wink.
I shifted back into sheer innocence with the flip of a switch, mouthing the words ‘thank you’ to her and everyone I passed as I glided down the center aisle with a hand pressed firmly to my chest as a display of humble gratitude.
Tobias met me at the top of the stairs, extending a hand to assist as I smugly stepped up and onto the stage, taking my rightful place in front of the microphone with my third Oscar.
Standing under the harsh lighting, realization dawned on me as I peered out into the crowd.
Another award, another rehearsed speech, another night of pretending to be someone I no longer wanted to be.
The constant bouncing between personalities was becoming exhausting. At home, I was free to be myself, but here… I was no better than a well-trained animal at the San Diego zoo.
I need a change.
I needfreedom.
