For the Camera

15. Stupid Roses and Balloons.

RUBY.

A week had passed since the scandal, and I had been avoiding Toby as much as possible. It seemed he had been doing the same, and I was relieved that he seemed to respect the boundaries I had set. Our interactions were strictly limited to public events, and the online pictures had been taken down. The blogs had even managed to twist the story, claiming that it was Aiden, not Toby, who had been kissed by Yasmin. Given their striking similarities and the unclear nature of the pictures, it was surprisingly easy to debunk the rumours and scandals.

On this particular early morning, I was abruptly awakened by the sound of trumpets and piano. Confused, I opened one eye, trying to make sense of the chaos unfolding before me. Strange faces, decorations of flowers, balloons, cakes, and teddy bears greeted me. And then there were cameras. Instinctively, I jumped up, startled by the sudden burst of activity.

"Happy birthday!" the room erupted with shouts and screams from the people inside.

"Birthday? Today?" I wrestled with myself, trying to recall the date. How could I forget my birthday? The clicking of cameras only added to my disorientation, and I suddenly realized that I was still in my pyjamas, with my hair sticking out in all directions. What the hell?

"Happy birthday, my darling wife. This is your first birthday as my wife, and I wanted to make it extra special for you..." Toby began. I scoffed and rolled my eyes, not caring that he caught that small gesture.

He was dressed casually in khaki shorts and a white designer t-shirt, and yet, he managed to look undeniably attractive. Damn him.

"...I love you so much, my baby. That's why I've prepared a very special gift for you. Shall I show you? It's a surprise," Toby said, producing a blindfold. I rolled my eyes open this time, and he playfully glared at me, though I paid no attention.

I allowed him to blindfold me, but my face remained devoid of any smile that one would expect from a surprised wife. He guided me through the room, with people and cameras trailing behind. We stepped outside, and he removed the blindfold, revealing a pink Lamborghini adorned with ribbons and balloons in red, white, and pink.

The cameras clicked furiously as exclamations of awe and admiration filled the air. My jaw dropped in disbelief at the extent Toby was willing to go to portray himself as a loving husband and deceive others into forgetting the scandal.

"Leap," Toby whispered.

"What?" I asked.

"Leap for joy! Scream! You just received a Lamborghini, woman!" he whispered again, a mischievous glint in his eyes. I turned to him, my disdain clear, and refused to comply with his request.

I knew there would be consequences for my actions, but I didn't care. There had always been consequences for things I hadn't even done, so why not face them for something I did? I managed to force a smile as Toby hugged me and twirled me around. I couldn't help but smile, even knowing it was all a charade.

Why a pink Lamborghini, though? Pink of all colours? That eye-searing shade? There were much cooler colours like black or white. What the hell is with pink?

After enduring numerous pictures, poses, and more fake smiles, I finally found myself back in my room. Toby walked in, his face twisted in annoyance. I rolled my eyes for the seventh time that morning.

"What was that about? You were supposed to be all over me! Hugging and kissing me! Grateful for the surprise! It was supposed to make them think the scandal was fake and that we had no issues whatsoever. But you went there and acted like a fool," he snapped.

I remained silent, refusing to engage.

Jump on you, my foot!

"You interrupted my morning sleep with a pink Lamborghini! What the hell? And what's with all these ridiculous roses and balloons everywhere? The site is grotesque!" I exclaimed, kicking the balloons in anger, causing one to burst. If only it had been Toby's head. Boom!

"Compared to the ridiculous car you had before? Are you serious right now? You know what, I don't want to deal with you right now. Just get up, get dressed, and do whatever you have to do. A grand birthday party has been organized for you, and everyone will be there. And I mean everyone," he said, storming out of my room, while I simply hissed in response.

~•~

Seated in the back seat of my pink Lamborghini, I glided toward the venue of my birthday party. Adorned in a stunning black gown, embellished with diamonds and stones, I shimmered as if I had emerged from a realm of pure radiance.

My phone incessantly chimed with birthday messages, flooding in from various social media platforms like i********: and Twitter. The hashtag #HappybirthdayRubyDaniels even claimed the top spot on Twitter's trending list. It was overwhelming. Blogs and numerous brands joined in, wishing me a joyous birthday, while pictures of the morning surprise flooded the internet. I had truly broken the internet.

"Because you're married to Toby Daniels," my inner voice chimed in, but I brushed it aside.

Deciding to capture the moment, I snapped a selfie with my latest iPhone and attempted to upload a picture with a simple caption: "+1." However, the pictures turned out terrible.

My self-deprecating thoughts took over. My unattractive, fat rear end.

"Stop the car," I calmly demanded.

"Ma'am?" the driver asked, perplexed.

"I said stop the car!" I snapped. The car came to a halt, and I stepped out.

"I wouldn't advise that, ma'am. There are people everywhere, and the convoy will attract attention," the driver, who also served as my bodyguard, quickly chimed in. "Well, whatever. Take a picture of me," I replied, handing him my phone.

Initially, he gave me a strange look, but he obediently began capturing the shots. I posed, mimicking the poses I had observed from various celebrities. I positioned myself in ways that exaggerated my curves, sucked in my stomach to achieve a flat-tummy appearance, and pretended to be unaware of the camera before me. Standing beside my Lamborghini, I tossed my head back and laughed.

A crowd gathered, observing and capturing the scene on their phones, but I paid no mind. After all, it was my birthday. Couldn't I be a little wild for just one day?

Carefully removing my heels, I climbed atop the Lamborghini, striking yet another pose. I was beginning to revel in the attention when I was interrupted by a short, petite girl who approached me with a greeting.

"Hello, Mrs Ruby Daniels," she said.