Time To Heal [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: A LITTLE BIT OF CLICHÉ

Two days later, Ana peeped surreptitiously through her apartment windows for the hundredth time, trying futilely to wait for the phalanx of paparazzi to subside. Her whole building was surrounded by those leeches, like hounds being unleashed on some defenseless prey.

Not that she was without armor. Her malevolent cover was protection enough against anyone with baleful intentions. Yet, she was stashed in her apartment, struggling to make herself unobtrusive feeling very reticent to face the media after her disastrous farewell with Dev.

As for her career going downhill like Aimee had been so worried, everything was finally sorted out. Jennifer had changed the whole dynamics of the story by masterly transforming it into an epic love story. Photos of their heroic exit had been deliberately provided to serve as ammunitions for backing up the forfeit fairy-tale. Not that she gave a damn. She was no longer concerned about what the world thought of her – she just wished they would leave her alone.

With the experience she had amassed in the industry, she knew there was only one way to achieve that – she had to face them. Not at all media-shy but not mentally prepared for the confrontation, she gave herself a prep talk before going upstairs to get ready. Not that she was vain but she refused to face the vultures with her Tweety PJs.

The moment she stepped out, a crowd gathered around her, invading her personal space and bombarding her with unlimited questions. From time to time, when she had the time to catch her breath, she responded with side comments being very cautious to skip the juicy details and skipping to Jennifer's version.

There was no point denying her association with Devin Crighton, not after the dirty past had been exposed. Besides, who did not have ghosts in their closets nowadays?

Ana was on the verge of congratulating herself for having succeeded when a question was thrown out of nowhere and she did a double take, unable to mask her surprise.

"So, can you please tell us why Devin Crighton is moving around with your friend? If we didn't know better, we would have been certain that they are actually dating."

Scandalized, Ana managed a grim smile fiercely glad that she had had the sense to wear her sunglasses before coming out of her hiding. "You would find a story in a dead leaf," she replied with frost in her voice, showing that she was not appreciating such vile comments without displaying how affected she actually was.

"We're all friends and they're hanging around. What's the harm in that?"

It was uttered with so much conviction that she would have congratulated herself for her outward composure had she not been in such a turmoil inwardly. Dev and Aimee?? Was that true? Had Dev finally decided to move on with someone else, searching for his long-lost happiness with another woman?

Once planted in her mind, the burgeoning seeds of doubt found a life of their own, refusing to dislodge. How much did she knew about Aimee McKenzie anyway? She'd only known her two years ago, when the latter had been a struggling fashion designer. What if she was Devin's girlfriend from the beginning and they had both set out to deceive her?

With a heavy heart, she reached the office, giving herself a mental shake to clear away her stupid thoughts. What did it matter anyway? She'd been crystal clear the other night that she was done with Devin, and he could have any other woman he wanted. So why was her heart feeling like somebody had just plunged a knife right to the center?

Nobody noticed her wretched state as she was too used to project an indestructible façade. Besides, nobody in the office actually cared about her, nobody except Aimee. Pissed off with her for having plotted behind her back with her enemy, Ana had rebuffed her friend for the past two days giving her the cold treatment.