365 Days with the Celebrity

Chapter 61 - The Decision (End)

[Missing by Evanescence - this song really plays out Ariel's feelings in this chapter. Best played once you've finished reading.]

Ariel realised she had slept through till the late afternoon as a result of her exhausted crying and the ensuing migraine. She lost all appetite and felt relieved when Vinny informed her via text that Leon had flown out in the early afternoon to Alaska for four days to shoot a commercial. How did he even managed that after a drunken night? Good thing that she won't be able to see him else it would have been too upsetting.

She was still recovering from her injury so she did not need to work. Leon's parents had left days before so Vinny was in charge of their meals.

Andy was still in school and she hoped he did not hear the previous night's X-rated happening. If he did, he would have mentioned it to Ariel immediately but he did not, which was a pure relief.

Ariel had thought about it throughout the night. Staying in the penthouse was doing no good for her soul and staying on another day would be torture.

She typed a text message to Rita for shelter but stopped midway. Were her friends were going to admonish her for her last-minute life-changing decision like they did the last time? Would they try to coax her out of her crazy decision? Ariel deleted her text. She never once thought of them to be capable of doing otherwise before, but the confusion from everything since she woke up from her coma left her little to trust anyone. She immediately booked a hotel room in a far-off location that would keep her and Andy sheltered for now and from the prying eyes of the press.

Ariel took out her luggage and bags, and started packing her stuff. After emptying her room like it was the first time she arrived, she went to Andy's room and cleared all his belongings into bags and luggages. She had to be quick and discreet lest anyone tried to stop her. She knew this would be a breach of contract which would cost her to forfeit million-dollar win, but she could not endure another month, her last in fact, with Leon. She had not inform Andy about their move, but today she would. Rico had taken a week off and today was not Anna's day of work either, so the timing of her ultimate decision was perfect.

Once she finished packing, Ariel took out a piece of paper and wrote a letter to Leon. Tears dripped down her face as she wrote her lengthy, painful words of farewell, with memories of the good and bad times with him flooding into her core. She glanced at her room one last time before placing the letter on her bed and closing the door behind her.

"Where are you going?" Evan asked when he saw the luggages and bags by the entrance.

"Somewhere," she forced a smile, but Evan could tell she was not fully truthful.

"You're leaving, aren't you?"

She hesitated before finally nodding with trembling lips.

"Please don't do this, Ariel," Evan begged with his hands on her shoulders. "It's just another month and besides, Leon is in love with you!"

"Was," she corrected. "Maybe he wasn't at all."

"Don't be silly! Did you know that on that fateful night itself, I was about to grab your ex down but Leon overtook me and went after him instead. He was fierce in protecting you. He was the only one who knew deep inside that your ex had something to do with your disappearance, otherwise the worse could've happened. That's how much he cared for you and I know he still does."

"I see..." Ariel mumbled softly and shrugged. Such news would usually stir a sense of surprise and fluttery affection in her, but now it felt numb. "Tell him, thank you. It would've been better if he left me dead than alive."

"Don't say that!" Evan rebuked. "Think of your little boy!"

"Of course. It's just my own useless rhetoric because of my broken heart," she drew out her breath. "Look Evan, I'm not stupid. I saw what happened last night with my own eyes. Leon's a toad, a toad in shining armour."