Chapter 5
In the harsh fluorescent light of a crowded Starbucks, Vanessa nearly choked on her vanilla latte as I finished my story.[]
She leaned across the table, practically hissing“Hold the fuck up–are you telling me Fabian is screwing his own sister?” []
“That’s fucking nauseating! ”
“We’re talking about Fabian! The man who has models sliding into his DMs 24/7. Why the hell would he have something with his stepsister?“[]
“So what–she’s young and looks innocent? That’s worth torching him entire future and reputation?“]
“Are you sure about what you saw?”
“You didn’t think to whip out your phone and get some receipts?”
My eyebrow twitched at her bizarre suggestion, and I shot her a look.
She didn’t even register how fucked up that sounded.I just shook my head, my face still ghost–white after a night of zero sleep.[]
Vanessa Vanessa bulldozed forward“So what’s the game plan now?“]
“Are you telling daddy and ditching the whole engagement? Or are you just gonna pretend your fiancé isn’t into family reunions with benefits?“]
She said with that special brand of confidence“If it were me, I’d burn his entire life to the ground.“[]
“But let’s be real, men are all trash. The only difference is timing.”
“Fabian’s already London’s most eligible bachelor. What’s your alternative–marry some crusty old CEO instead?“[]
“The fact he’s keeping his stepsister on the down–low means you still matter to him… sort of.“]
I shook my head again. “There’s something else I didn’t tell you.“[]
“After I left the hospital, I went straight back to home.“[]
…0
- me.
I’d waited at his mansion until dawn, sleeping for maybe twenty minutes. When I opened my eyes, Fabian was suddenly looming over me.
Still half–asleep, I blurted out When did you get back?“[]
Fabian looked genuinely confused]
“I’ve been in my study all night working on the Tokyo merger.“]
“Adeline, what are you talking about?”
A jolt of alarm shot through me, but I kept my poker face.[]
When I asked about the housekeeper, Fabian handed me a bowl of oatmeal, saying breezily Family emergency. Mrs.Sullivans’s in the ICU. He won’t be back for a while.
Seeing me frozen in place, he pressed his forehead against mine“Why are you acting so weird?“||]
He will never tell me.
Those words echoed in my head.[]
If my car hadn’t been a biohazard of vomit–soaked Kleenex, I might have gaslit myself into thinking it was all a bad dream.[]
But that gut churning disgust was real. That soul crushing betrayal wasn’t something I imagined.]]
After hearing this part, Vanessa sat there with her mouth hanging open.]
“So you’re saying she hesitated, “the housekeeper was… what… whacked because he ratted out Fabian’s location?]
Then she laughed, waving dismissively. “That’s batshit crazy“]
Were in London
breaking the Caps The best Letters in a hovers
Chapter 5
“Maybe Fabian’s right–you’re having a pre–wedding meltdown and hallucinating this whole thing!“]]
“I’ve got a therapist who specializes in anxiety. You need to call her like, yesterday.“[]
I felt my blood pressure spiking and yanked out my phone, pulling up the browser history.
“Look at this post.“[]
Vanessa reluctantly took my phone, speed–reading.
She handed it back with a scoff“Adeline, that could be some bored teenager in the basement making shit up.“[]
“You’re torching your engagement over some rando’s anonymous post?“]
But as we sat there arguing, my phone pinged with a notification.[]
The supposedly dead thread had just been updated with a new comment…[]
