Chapter 17
The sharp scent of antiseptic was the first thing I recognized when I opened my eyes.
White ceiling. Fluorescent lights. The sterile hush of a hospital room.
Panic bubbled in my chest. Where was I? What happened?
I tried to sit up, but a gentle hand pressed against my shoulder. “Hey–hey, slow down. You’re okay.”
Julian’s voice.
My eyes flicked to his. He was seated beside the bed, worry etched across his features.
“You fainted,” he said softly. “You overworked yourself, and stress caught up to you.”
Stress. My mind spun back–to the message from Rain, the fear of my mother and Denver tracking me down. And then… the woman. The one leaning in to kiss Julian.
I felt my chest tighten.
He noticed the shift in my expression, but I quickly looked away. “I… I’m fine now. Just a little lightheaded.”
He tilted his head. “You scared me.”
I offered a weak smile. “I’m sorry.”
He didn’t push for more, just stayed by my side until the doctor arrived to check on me. A few hours later, I signed my own discharge forms. Julian, of course, insisted on driving me home.
“I can take care of myself,” I said as gently as I could.
“Alicia-”
“Please,” I said, my voice firmer this time. “I just need a little space.”
There was hesitation in his eyes, but eventually, he nodded. “Call me if you need anything. Anything, okay?”
I didn’t answer. That night, I stood in the center of my tiny apartment, staring at the phone that wouldn’t stop buzzing. Julian’s name lit up the screen again and again.
But I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.
Because I knew what this feeling was–the heaviness in my chest, the ache when I remembered the way he smiled at me. The warmth that bloomed every time he did something kind without asking for anything in return.
I was falling in love with Julian Thorne.
And I hated it. Because we were just pretending. Just a contract. A role to play.
And that woman–whoever she was–was clearly someone from his real life. His real world. The kind of world I didn’t belong in.
I swallowed hard, then turned to my desk. Slowly, I opened my laptop and began drafting my resignation.
It was short. Polite. Void of emotion. Just like I needed it to be.
First thing in the morning, I’d print it out and leave it on his desk.
And then I’d disappear. Again.
Chapter 17
212
68.03
2:58 pm DDDD
By the time the clock hit midnight, I was curled up on the couch, my phone silent now- thankfully. Or heartbreakingly.
I didn’t know which.
Then the doorbell rang.
I froze.
A beat passed.
Then another. Cautiously, I walked to the door and opened it.
Julian stood on the other side, rain dripping from his hair, his brows drawn together in worry.
“What… What are you doing here?” I asked, startled.
“You’ve been ignoring my calls,” he said, stepping inside. “I thought something happened.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” He closed the door behind him, his eyes never leaving mine. “Tell me what’s going on.”
I hesitated. “It’s not you. It’s me.”
“That’s vague and classic,” he said, trying to soften his tone. “But I want the real answer.”
I swallowed hard. “Julian… I can’t fake this anymore.”
His face shifted. “Fake?”
“All of it,” I said, voice shaking. “The contract, the dinners, the pretending. It’s not just an act for me anymore. It’s…” I took a deep breath. “I’m falling for you.”
He blinked.
The silence that followed made my stomach plummet. I turned away, embarrassed. “You don’t have to say anything. I get it. I’m sorry for making it awkward. I’ll resign. I’ll-”
He closed the space between us in two long strides.
And then he kissed me.
Soft. Certain.
I froze, lips parted in shock.
Then I melted into it.
When he finally pulled back, he touched my cheek, brushing away a tear I hadn’t even realized had fallen.
“You weren’t the only one falling,” he whispered.
I stared at him, breathless. “What?”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen either. But somewhere between fake dinners and real coffee runs, I started waiting for your laugh. Your smile. I’ve been falling too.”
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