The Superstar's Obsession: My Unwanted Husband

The hotel room was too dark. The air in the corner felt too thin to breathe.

Bridie's chest heaved. Her back hit the cold, textured wallpaper.

A tall shadow closed in on her. The heavy, aggressive scent of cedar and mint completely swallowed her.

Evander's long, cold fingers clamped around her jaw. He forced her head up.

"You will take responsibility for that night," he whispered.

His low, raspy voice scraped against her eardrums. It was thick with a dark, undeniable obsession.

A violent shiver ripped down Bridie's spine.

She slapped his hand away with a sharp smack.

The dark room shattered.

Bridie gasped loudly. Her eyes snapped open to the blinding California morning sun.

She sat up, her lungs burning as she sucked in the air. Sweat coated her forehead.

She reached out with a trembling hand and grabbed the glass of ice water on her nightstand. She downed it in three massive gulps. The freezing water hit her stomach, finally dulling the frantic pounding in her chest.

Rapid footsteps echoed in the hallway. High heels clicked hard against the hardwood floor.

Without a single knock, the bedroom door flew open.

Her assistant, Pax, stood in the doorway. She held two iced Americanos and looked like she had just seen a ghost.

"Bridie," Pax gasped, marching straight to the bed.

She slammed the coffees onto the nightstand.

Pax pulled a thick, luxurious gold-stamped envelope from the folder under her arm. She shoved it right into Bridie's face.

Bridie's eyes focused on the heavy paper. The exclusive crest of the Byers family gleamed in the sunlight.

Her heart completely stopped. A cold sweat broke out across her neck.

"I found this in your mailbox!" Pax shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at the envelope. "It's an engagement invitation for Evander Byers!"

Pax read the name on the card, her eyebrows pulling together in deep confusion. "Why does the bride have your exact name? Bridie Isabella Ortega?"

Bridie's stomach twisted into a tight, painful knot. Her brain spun frantically, searching for an escape route.

She snatched the envelope out of Pax's hands. She forced her facial muscles to relax and glanced at it with fake boredom.

A loud, exaggerated scoff left her lips. She tossed the heavy envelope onto her duvet.

"It's a prank," Bridie said, her teeth grinding together. "Some psycho hater made it."

She looked up at Pax, keeping her voice flat. "I'm a D-list actress, Pax. I got a box of dead rats last week. You think a fake invitation is a stretch?"

Pax frowned, staring down at the bed. "But the gold foil... it looks so expensive. And how would a hater know your middle name is Isabella? That's never been public."

Bridie's pulse hammered against her throat. She had to kill this suspicion right now. "My info was leaked months ago, remember? The same psycho who sent the dead rats probably dug up my birth certificate."

She threw the covers off and jumped out of bed.

She grabbed the invitation, her knuckles turning white from how hard she gripped it. She marched to her vanity and grabbed her heavy silver lighter.

Without a second of hesitation, Bridie held the priceless family document over her metal wastebasket and flicked the lighter.

The flame roared to life, catching the thick paper instantly. The fire chewed the expensive gold foil into black, curling ash.

"Wait!" Pax gasped, reaching out. "You're going to set off the smoke alarm!"

Bridie turned around. She clapped her hands together, brushing off the imaginary dust.

"Go prep my schedule for the red carpet today," Bridie ordered, her voice completely steady.

Pax blinked, her attention successfully diverted. She nodded and turned around, flipping through her folder as she walked out of the bedroom.

The second the door clicked shut, Bridie's knees gave out.

She slumped against the wall, her breathing shallow and ragged. She stared down at the pile of burnt ash in the metal bin, her hands shaking violently.