Behind the Curtains: A Tale of Hidden Emotions

Chapter 30

As expected, fans have been buzzing about Faye's response in that interview. People have different takes on who the girl she mentioned might be.

Some say it was Annika, some think it was me, and others have their own speculations. Faye hasn’t clarified who she was referring to, and while I don't want to assume, I have a gut feeling it was me.

Or maybe not?

The reactions were varied. Some fans started hashtags like #FayeYokoComeback and #ProtectYoko. Opinions were mixed between blankets. I also learned that while I was locking myself in my room five years ago, Faye was being bashed by many, especially my fans. Rumors even speculated that she was harassed, which was supposedly one of the reasons she left the country.

I told myself I didn't care and that she deserved whatever she experienced. But I couldn't help feeling a twinge of concern. I know how hard it is to be harassed by the media; it wasn’t easy, especially since we were at our peak during that time.

Well, she chose to cheat on me, and now she's paying the price for her actions.

I've had my own share of struggles too, and despite knowing what she's gone through, I can't just forget the past so easily.

Thankfully, our last encounter was in that conference room. Since then, she's been swamped with back-to-back projects, which is good for her and for me.

I was scrolling through my emails when a soft knock interrupted me. Clarisse peeked in and then approached my desk.

She placed a small card with a fancy logo and beautiful calligraphy that said, 'You're invited.' It was an invitation from one of the famous luxury perfume brands, also one of our major sponsors.

"Mister Williams' secretary also asked me to inform you that it's a Halloween masquerade ball." Mr. Williams, the owner of the famous Allure Scents, is one of my father's business associates and a close family friend. "I've already contacted Glamour Boutique and Salon to schedule your dress fitting and hair appointment for next week." I smiled at my secretary, pleased with her excellent work.

Glamour was my go-to boutique and salon for any event I needed to attend. It was owned by Jane's sister, Nicole, a well-known fashion designer.

I liked to incorporate business and friendships, and most of my business partners and investors were family friends, college friends, and acquaintances. Being an introvert, I preferred dealing with people I felt comfortable with, so I focused on those who aligned with my business interests and personal comfort.

After discussing my schedule and other upcoming events, Jane dismissed herself. Since the event was next week, I needed to visit Glamour's boutique for my personalized costume.

I hadn't yet decided on a costume, but I thought about wearing one of the Disney princess characters. It would be more efficient to choose a simpler one.

With that in mind, I grabbed my bag and headed outside. I told Jane to cancel my afternoon meetings and informed her that she could take an early day off as well.

After retrieving my car keys from the building's valet, I drove to Glamour Boutique. The trip was supposed to take 20 minutes, but it ended up taking 30 due to traffic. Thankfully, I left early and arrived on time.

I arrived expecting to be greeted by an attendant, but to my surprise, it was 'Ate' Nicole herself who welcomed me. Nicole, the owner of the shop, was also Jane's sister. Their heritage was a blend of Filipino from their mother and Thai from their father. Nicole and Jane had grown up separately; Nicole spent her childhood in the Philippines under their grandmother's guidance, where she learned what she taught me some of Filipino honorifics like 'ate,' a term of respect for an older sister or respected female friend.