Dirty Little Secret (GxG)

SEASON 2, CHAPTER 22

Dria's POV

I leaned back against the wall in one of the quieter corners of the venue, letting the noise and lights of the crowd blur around me. I'd been keeping up appearances all night, smiling and engaging in conversation as though I hadn't just confronted a decade of unspoken pain. But the weight of the exchange with Sandra still pressed against me, lingering in my mind like an unwanted guest. Her words echoed, questions that felt both intrusive and disorienting: "Did you move on?" "Are you happy?" And worst of all, her plea to start over.

Had I been too harsh? The thought gnawed at me, though I hated myself for entertaining it. Sandra had shattered me, hidden me, made me feel unworthy and disposable. I'd had no choice but to rebuild myself, brick by brick, into the woman I was now—a woman who deserved respect, who didn't settle for less than she was worth. Even so, part of me wondered if it had been necessary to lay my pain bare like that, to hurl it at her feet for her to pick through. But hadn't she earned it? Ten years was a long time, and the scars she left were still there, silent reminders of what it took to get here. So no... she deserved every single word, and perhaps, even that wasn't enough.

"Dria?"

I looked up, startled, to see my mother, Alice, standing there, her brows knitted together in that familiar expression of concern. I quickly composed myself, summoning a smile as if the past few minutes hadn't thrown me into a whirlpool of old memories and doubts.

"Mama," I greeted her softly, forcing a small smile. "I'm alright. Just... exhausted from talking to so many people." I let out a light chuckle, hoping to mask the truth beneath the excuse. "Just needed a minute to breathe."

She didn't look convinced. Her eyes searched mine, as if she could sense the emotional chaos lingering beneath my calm exterior. Of course, she would. My mother had been there during those dark days ten years ago, watching as I unraveled and struggled to put myself back together. And she must have noticed Sandra's approach earlier. She knew better than anyone what that would mean for me.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked, her voice soft, almost as if she didn't want to intrude but felt compelled to ask.

I nodded again, hoping to reassure her. "I am, Mama. Really," I replied, keeping my voice gentle, steady. I wanted to say more, to confide in her, but I held back. I didn't want to reopen old wounds, didn't want to drag her back into the heartache that Sandra had caused. Some things were better kept to oneself.

With one last worried look, she nodded, patting my arm before leaving to rejoin the crowd. I watched her go, the familiar warmth of her presence fading as she disappeared among the other guests. But before I could slip back into the solace of my thoughts, I saw someone else approaching—a familiar face from the past.

Luna Frabell.

A smile crept onto my lips before I could stop it. Luna had that effect on people; her warmth was infectious, a quiet presence that could light up even the darkest of rooms. It had been ten years since I'd last seen her, and in that time, life had added new lines and contours to her face, signs of maturity and grace. Yet she was still as beautiful as I remembered, her energy just as bright.

"Dria," she greeted me, her voice as warm as her smile, the kind that made you feel welcome even when you least expected it. She looked at me with that same gentle curiosity she'd had back then, and it felt like I was twenty-four again, trying to navigate the complicated waters of Sandra's world with Luna as my silent ally.

"Luna," I replied, a real smile now softening my features. "It's been... far too long."

"It really has," she replied, her eyes lighting up with a kindness that put me at ease. "Look at you—so professional, regal even," she teased lightly, though there was a genuine note of admiration in her tone. "You've come a long way from Sandra's overworked secretary, haven't you?"