Allison
I turned to Gideon, my eyes locking onto his as he stared at the phone, his expression unreadable.
“Where the hell did you get this?” I demanded, my voice trembling. Fear crept up my spine as I wondered if this guy was a stalker, a villain who could hurt me.
I shifted uncomfortably on the bench, creating some distance between us. My mind still racing, I also thought back to the makeover Jayden had given me. This woman in the video looked identical to me, wearing the same outfit. What was going on? Why the heck would Jayden do that?
Gideon’s eyes met mine, and he took the phone from my hand. “Allison, this might be a lot to take in, but…” He paused, his words hanging in the air like a challenge. “You’re actually an adult actress.”
My eyes widened in horror. “What? Are you crazy?” I exclaimed, my voice rising. “What do you mean I’m an adult actress?” The words felt like a slap in the face, leaving me stunned and disbelieving.
Gideon’s calm tone was a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside me. “Please, just calm down. And yes, it’s true. In fact, you used to go by the name Sweetest Bunny for your adult content. To put it simply, you were an OnlyFans creator.”
I also laughed, but it was only a painful snicker that escaped from my lips. This made no sense… None of it. Was this my past? It wasn’t, right?
“I told you this would be a lot to take in,” he paused, his eyes locked on mine. “Everything was all set up by your mother, Elizabeth. She’s the one who made you… who you are today. She was the cause of everything.”
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. The words were too much to bear. I wanted to cover my ears, to block out the truth. “Tell me you’re fucking lying,” I begged, my voice shaking. “Tell me this is all just made-up nonsense.”
Gideon’s expression was sympathetic but firm. “Allison, please sit down. Let’s talk about this.”
I hadn’t realized I’d stood up, but my legs felt like jelly. I sank back onto the bench, my heart pounding in my heaving chest.
Gideon’s voice dropped to a somber tone, his words painting a heartbreaking picture. “Your mom married Tom, but their happiness was short-lived. He was diagnosed with cancer, and they were faced with a daunting reality: they couldn’t afford treatment. They drained their savings, but it wasn’t enough. Your mom was consumed by desperation and fear, terrified of losing the man she loved.”
As I listened, my jaw clenched, my teeth grinding against each other. I couldn’t bear to hear these words, to face the truth about my mother’s past.
His next words cut deep, each one a painful revelation. “Your mom couldn’t afford you and your sister Sally’s bills for school because of that, so she thought of an alternative. A friend suggested she do adult videos, like OnlyFans, but she knew it wouldn’t work for her. She’d already had children, and her body had changed so much because, trust me, she was willing to do it despite being a mother. I guess that’s how much she loved Tom.”
I felt a wave of nausea wash over me as Gideon continued. “So, she turned to you. You were desperate to go back to school, and she knew it. She laid out the idea, and you agreed, partly because you felt trapped, partly because you wanted to return to school.”
My mind reeled as Gideon described how my mother had transformed me into a completely different person. “She bought you a blue micro dress, a curly golden wig, and a bunny mask to hide your face. You became someone else, someone anonymous, someone who could hide behind a mask and be Sweetest Bunny.”
Each word stung, a painful strike to my chest. Did she really put me through that? Because it might make sense since she was dying to get a therapist that would make me forget my so-called dark past so much even when I wanted to remember, she fired up and was against it.
“You started going nude online, using sex toys, masturbating, and even doing whatever kinks your fans wanted, just for money. But soon, they wanted more. They wanted a man, someone to join you in your… performances.” His pause was heavy with unspoken emotions. “That’s when I came into the picture. I was desperate for cash, my grandma was quite sick at that time, and I saw an opportunity. We did a lot of videos together, and they sold well, but…”
His voice trailed off, and I felt a lump form in my throat. I knew what was coming, the memories I’d wanted to forget, that were deep inside my brain, so that I wouldn’t find them.
Gideon’s eyes locked onto mine, filled with deep sadness. “You started to spiral into depression. You were so lost, so broken. You’d harm yourself, bleed, and still, the pain wouldn’t subside.”
“Then, you wanted to stop since it was taking a huge toll on your mental health,” he paused, his voice cracking as he revealed the darkest secrets of my past. “You begged your mom to stop, to let you leave that life behind. Your father had recovered, and you wanted to stop fully. But she refused, blinded by greed. She wanted more money, more fame, and she was willing to sacrifice your well-being for it.”
My eyes stung as he described my desperation. “You tried to escape, to take control of your life. But your mom’s grip was too tight. In a moment of darkness, you attempted to end your life, running into a truck outside. They found you bleeding, rushed you to the hospital…”
Gideon’s pause was heavy with emotion. “That’s when your mom finally let me go, telling me to never see you again. She was relieved when you lost your memories after the accident. She thought it was a fresh start, a chance to erase the past.”
My voice shook as I spoke, my hand covering my mouth. “You’re lying,” I muttered, my eyes wide with horror. “You’re lying to me, aren’t you? This is all just gibberish, nonsense…”
“I wish,” he sighed, looking away. “You don’t know how much I wanted to let this all out.”
I glared at Gideon, my mind reeling. “Are you insane?” I yelled, trying to process the barrage of revelations. “How do you expect me to believe all this? That I did those things because of my stepfather?” I shook my head, my mind spinning. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, my stomach churning with disgust. I wanted to vomit. The words Gideon spoke were like poison, infecting my mind and making me question everything.
Without another word, I turned and walked away, leaving Gideon calling after me. “Allison, please come back!” But I didn’t look back, my hands clutching my hair as I struggled to comprehend the chaos swirling in my mind.
Suddenly, I stopped dead in my tracks. Jayden’s face flashed in my memory, and I recalled the makeover he’d given me. A creeping sense of dread spread through my veins.
Jayden never knew about this, right? I mean, he had been in Spain ever since. Then, was he a fan of my alter ego, Sweetest Bunny? That was the only way it made sense. Besides, he was a freaking porn addict. Seeing that I probably looked like Sweetest Bunny, had he used me as a substitute for his stupid obsession? All this while, it was because of her… not me. The reason why he was so obsessed with this back and waist of mine was because of her! Fuck!! It was all coming together now.
My phone rang, jolting me, and when I checked, Nina’s name flashed on the screen, and I let out a tired, shaky sigh, accepting the call.
“Girl, why aren’t you coming? Remember that the party is in two hours; I’ll see you there,” Nina chirped.
I sighed deeply, unsure how to respond. Then, I hung up and continued walking, lost in thought. The world around me blurred, until a scream pierced the air. “Allison!”
I spun around, disoriented, and saw Gideon rushing toward me. That’s when I realized I’d wandered into the middle of the road. A motorcycle hurtled toward me, and I felt a jolt of fear. The bike struck me, sending me tumbling to the ground.