Maria's P.O.V

I read the note thoroughly as I walked out of the hospital. He wanted me to meet him at his hotel as soon as possible, not 'later tonight' as the receptionist had suggested. She hadn't read the note after all, she just wanted the information out of me.

I found Jack by his bright red Aston Martin.
The guy loved his cars and by being from a rich family, having a well respected job in the hospital and a boyfriend who was an architect, he was more than able to afford it. He was lucky like that, he always got anything he wanted.

"Nice ride" I said as he opened the passenger door for me.

He grinned. "Only the best for my M, babe"

"You should be careful saying things like that, or people will think you're on the turn"
"Or get Mystery Man jealous perhaps? Anyway let's get this baby on the road, next stop, Maria's" I elbowed him in the arm as he honked the horn.

"Actually, change of plan. Can you take me to Plaza Hotel?"
"What? Isn't that where Michael Jackson's staying? I heard it's chocka with fans. Don't tell me you want to join them and start screaming your head off" He had pulled out of the car park and was going in the direction of the hotel.

"How did you know that?"

"M please. If there's a hottie in town, don't you think I'd know about it? Besides, it's in the paper, I think you're the only one who doesn't know. Why do you need to go there anyway?"
I had to think of an excuse, but there was no way I could convince him unless I told him everything, and I couldn't do that.
"I don't. Just turn around, we'll stick to Plan A"
He shook his head in annoyance. "Why are girls so bloody indecisive"
He did a U-turn and we made our way to my apartment, me getting more and more nervous about how Michael would react if he knew I was going in there alone.

I shook myself out of it, I had my own life and if I wanted to go back to my own apartment, I could, I didn't need him to follow me everywhere. It was getting too suspicious as it was, it was definitely better to keep my distance from him until the press died down, I just hoped it wouldn't take too long.

Jack dropped me off and I watched as he took off down the road at a rather reckless speed. Show off, I thought.

I climbed the stairs slowly, my hands getting sweaty as I recalled everything that had taken place last time I was here. My mind flicked back to the start of my nightmare, Michael's face livid as he stared right at me.
I couldn't worry about him though, what he didn't know couldn't hurt him.

I unlocked the door and made a beeline to my bedroom.
Then I stopped dead halfway across the lounge. There he was, sitting on my sofa, totally relaxed.

"It's about time you came back, Rosey."

Craig.

He had a smile on his face, but it wasn't kind. My stomach twisted at the sight of him.

"How did you..."

He chuckled at me. "You seem to forget that we were in a relationship for about three years, my dear. During that time I remember you gave me a spare key to this very apartment. When we argued for the first time, I thought it would be best to make sure I always had a key, so I got the one you gave me copied, then when you asked for it back, I still had one. Very simple really"

I looked at him in disgust. "What do you want Craig"

He sighed and got out of his seat and started walking around the room. "There's so many things I want, but most of all, I want what I'm looking at right now" He looked me dead in the eye and grinned.

"Well we don't always get what we want. I'm never going back to you, you had your chance and now we're over. And that's the way it's going to stay" I tried to keep my voice level even though I was terrified. I shouldn't have come here, I should be with Michael right now.

"That's where you're wrong. You see, I know exactly what's going on with you and that man of yours" My heart quickened. How did he know?

"I don't know what you're talking about" I snapped.
"Well it's a good thing I do then. And I know exactly who you've stupidly chosen to try and get back at me with." He chucked a newspaper by my feet

"Jackson's Secret Lover: The nurse and the popstar" I read the headline in dismay.

"You know that's just a load of rubbish. Why on earth would I be with someone as famous as him? I don't even know him, not really. I met him backstage a few days ago, but that's all. I'm not his 'lover' or whatever. Why would I want to get back at you anyway? I'm not interested in you or anyone else."

He stormed over to me and grabbed my arm.

"I know that you're lying, girl. I know that he came here and he's been visiting you at your friend's house too. You wanna know how I know that? I have this whole place rigged. I see everything that goes in and out of this place. And your slutty mate's boyfriend works for me and he rigged up her place too. We know everything about you and him. So don't try and tell me a load of bull okay?"

He dropped my arm and I was silent, completely stunned by what he had told me.
Then the realisation hit. He saw everything. He was watching me the whole time. I felt sick.

"You sick, twisted motherf-" He put his finger to my lips.
"Sssh sssh my dear. It's all going to be just fine as long as you promise me that you will never see him again"

I backed away from him. "I don't have to promise you anything"

He sighed. "So we're going to have to play dirty are we? Fine by me. Jed, be a lad and turn on the TV"

A large figure moved across the room from my kitchen, holding a can of beer in one hand. So this was Jed. I had to say that Roxanne sure had a terrible choice in men. He looked me up and down before pressing on the television.

The picture was grainy at first but once it cleared I saw footage from this very room. I watched myself answer the door to Michael.

"I edited the video myself, perhaps I might go into the TV industry in the future"

The sequence of the evening had been changed dramatically. I watched the scene where we shared our first kiss, trying not to blush.
From the angle of the camera, it looked like Michael had tipped wine in my dress and I watched in horror as I pushed him backwards. Then I saw myself in my bedroom and crossed to take off my dress.

"Ah, my favourite part" Craig's comment made me cringe.

Then the camera zoomed in on Michael as he entered the room. It cut to the part when Michael had done up my dress but Craig had reversed it, it now looked like he was taking it off.

I couldn't breathe, why had he done this?

The room changed to the spare room at Roxanne's, but the difference between the two was very slight, anyone who didn't know otherwise would think it was the same place.

The scene then cut to Michael getting off my bed and pinning me against the wall, another scene Craig had reversed.
It ended by Michael leaving and cut back to my apartment, I was crying beside my bed.

The whole thing was lies. Craig had made it look like I had been...I couldn't even think the words. I couldn't believe what I had seen.

I turned to Craig, my hands shaking.

"Now Maria, you have seen what I took lots of time and effort to make"
"Why... why would you do this? What are you going to gain with this... this pack of lies?"
"The camera never lies Maria. I merely extended the truth."
"You manipulated what really happened"
"Of course I did, how else was I going to make sure that you wouldn't go running back to him? One wrong move and this goes straight to the press. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

I looked him in the eye as I tried to stop the tears from falling. "What do you want me to do."

He smiled. "Now that's a better attitude. It's simple. You are going to carry on with your evening. Tomorrow morning he's going to come and find you, wondering why you hadn't met him tonight. Then I'm going to come round and I'm going to explain everything about you and me and you're going to go along with everything I say. Then he's going to leave you and it will be just like old times." He stroked my cheek. "Is that clear?"

I swallowed. I had no other choice.

"Crystal" I said.

He grinned at me "Good. Now I suggest that you keep your distance from him tonight, I'll be watching."

He nodded to Jed and they both left the apartment, Jed touching my backside as he passed.

The door shut and I locked it firmly behind them.
I screamed at the walls and ran into my bedroom. I spotted the camera mounted in the corner and I grabbed a chair and ripped it off the wall.

I went round the entire apartment, removing the cameras from the walls of the place that I thought was my home.

Satisfied that there were no more cameras, I took a shower. I felt violated and filthy. I sat in the bottom of the shower cubicle and cried.

Then I remembered Destiny.

I shoved some clothes into a holdall, all of which were trousers and long sleeve shirts. I didn't want anyone to see any part of my body again.

I composed myself and left, and with nobody to drive me, walked the few miles to the hospital, knowing I could never step foot in that apartment again.

I never looked back.

*