19. Amara

19

The sound of the door slamming breaks me out of my blissful reverie, my heart plummeting as I take in the scene unfolding before me.

Grayson and I had been enjoying a quiet, romantic dinner at his place, basking in the glow of our rekindled connection after his return from Tokyo. But our peaceful evening has been rudely interrupted by the sudden appearance of Sophia, who seems to have let herself in with a key I didn't know she possessed.

"What the hell?" Grayson demands, rising from his seat with a look of shocked anger on his face. "What are you doing here? And how did you get in?"

She ignores him, her icy blue eyes locking onto me with a triumphant gleam. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the flavor of the month. I hope you're enjoying your little fairy tale romance, sweetheart. Because it's about to come crashing down around you, just like I told you, stupid girl. You should have stayed in your lane. The ruse is up."

I feel my stomach twist, a sense of foreboding washing over me at her cryptic words. "I think you should leave. Grayson and I are trying to enjoy a private dinner, and you're not welcome here."

She laughs, a harsh, grating sound that frays at my nerves. "Oh, but I think Grayson might want to hear what I have to say. After all, it concerns him just as much as it does you."

Grayson steps forward, placing himself between Sophia and me in a protective stance. "Enough games. Say what you came to say and then get the hell out of my house."

Sophia smirks, a cruel twist of her perfectly painted lips. "With pleasure, darling. You see, Amara...your precious Grayson isn't quite the knight in shining armor you think he is. In fact, he's been keeping quite the dirty little secret from you."

My heart stutters, a tendril of doubt creeping into my mind despite my fierce love and trust in the man beside me. "What are you talking about?"

She reaches into her purse, pulling out a stack of glossy photographs and tossing them onto the dinner table. "Take a look for yourself, honey. Seems your devoted boyfriend has been playing house with more than one woman these past few months."

With trembling fingers, I reach for the photos, my breath catching in my throat as I flip through image after image of Grayson in compromising positions with various women. Kissing, groping, in states of undress...the evidence of his apparent infidelity is laid out before me in sickening detail.

"This...this can't be real," I whisper, my vision blurring with unshed tears. "Grayson, tell me this isn't real."

Grayson snatches the photos from my hands, his face draining of color as he scans the damning images. "Amara, I swear to you, I have no idea what this is. These...these are fake, they have to be. I would never, ever betray you like this."

Sophia scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest with a smug expression. "Oh, please. Don't insult her intelligence, Grayson. You and I both know you've never been the faithful type. Old habits die hard, and all that. Let’s stop playing these games. Nobody will satisfy you, truly, satisfy you but me. We both know this. That is nothing on you though. You’re a powerful man who has powerful urges, you need someone who gets that about you.”

"Grayson..." I choke out, my voice breaking on a sob. "How could you? After everything we've been through, everything we've shared...how could you do this to me?"

He reaches for me, his eyes wild with desperation and panic. "Amara, please. You have to believe me. I don't know where these photos came from, but they're not real. I swear on my life, on everything I hold dear...I have never, ever been unfaithful to you."

I step back, shaking my head as the tears finally spill over. "I...I don't know what to believe anymore. I thought I knew you, Grayson. I thought our love was unshakable, that we could weather any storm together. But this..."

Sophia clucks her tongue, a mockery of sympathy. "Oh, you poor thing. So naive, so trusting. Grayson Winthrop is mine, always has been. Always will be. Why do you think I have a key?"

Grayson whirls on her, his face contorted with rage. "Shut the fuck up! I don't know what game you're playing, but I won't let you poison Amara's mind with your twisted lies. These photos are fake, and you know it."

She shrugs, a picture of cool indifference. "Believe what you want, darling. But the proof is right there in black and white. And if you think this is the only copy...well, let's just say I have plenty more where that came from."

With a final, malicious smile in my direction, she turns on her heel and stalks out of the house, leaving devastation in her wake.

I sink into a chair, my legs no longer able to support me as the weight of her revelations crashes over me. Grayson kneels before me, his hands gripping mine with fierce urgency.

"Amara, my love...please, you have to listen to me. She’s lying, she does this every time. But you know me, you know my heart. I would never, ever do anything to hurt you like this."

I look into his eyes, searching for the truth amidst the swirling chaos of my emotions. And deep down, in the very core of my being...I know he's telling the truth. I know, with a bone-deep certainty, that Grayson Winthrop is not the man that bitch is painting him to be. But all this drama, so early in our relationship, is this how it will always be?

Did I just gamble my entire life and career for this? For a chance to play princess?

The seeds of doubt have been planted, the cracks in our foundation exposed. And as much as I want to fall into his arms and let his love chase away the shadows...I need time. Time to process, to think, to rebuild the trust that has been so violently shaken.

"Grayson..." I whisper, my voice thick with tears. "I...I believe you. I do. But I need...I need some space. To wrap my head around all of this, to figure out where we go from here."

His face crumples, a look of such profound heartbreak that it takes my breath away. "Amara, please. Don't...don't leave me. We can figure this out together, we can prove that she’s lying and that our love is stronger than her games."

Then what? She digs deeper into my past and exposes me for exactly what I am? I cup his face in my hands, pressing a trembling kiss to his forehead. "I'm not leaving you, Grayson. I just...I need a little time. To process, to heal. But I promise you, I'm not going anywhere. I love you, and I won't let her lies destroy what we've built."

With a final, tearful embrace, I gather my things and walk out, my heart heavy and my mind whirling with unanswered questions.

I drive home, the streets passing in a blur.

I don’t know what to believe. Maybe deep down I’ve been thinking Grayson was too perfect for a girl like me. With her cream-white aesthetic, Sophia blends right into his work and lifestyle. I’m just his assistant. What could I possibly add to his already perfect life?

As I stumble into my apartment, my vision blurred by a fresh wave of tears, I fumble for my phone and dial the one person I know I can always count on.

"Sar?" I choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. "Are you home? I...I really need you right now."

Sarah's voice is thick with concern as she answers, "Amara? What's wrong, honey? You sound… God, you sound awful. Did something happen with Grayson?"

At the mention of his name, a sob tears itself from my throat. "Can I...can I come over? I don't want to be alone right now."

"Of course, babe. I'll put the kettle on and break out the emergency ice cream stash. Get your butt over here, stat."

Twenty minutes later, I'm curled up on Sarah's couch, a pint of double fudge brownie in my lap and my best friend's arm around my shoulders.

"Okay, spill," Sarah commands gently, her eyes soft with sympathy. "What happened, Amara? Last I heard, you and Grayson were on cloud nine, basking in the glow of your epic love story."

I take a shuddering breath, the words pouring out of me in a jumbled rush. "Sophia happened, Sar. She showed up at Grayson's place tonight, waving around these...these photos. Of him with other women. It looked...God, it looked so real."

Sarah's eyes widen, her grip on my shoulder tightening. "Holy shit. Are you serious? That conniving bitch actually tried to frame Grayson for cheating?"

I nod miserably, swiping at my tears with the back of my hand. "She was so smug, so sure of herself. Like she'd been waiting for the perfect moment to drop this bomb and watch us implode."

"And what did Grayson say?" Sarah asks, her voice carefully neutral. "Did he...did he try to deny it?"

"He swore up and down that the photos were fake, that he had no idea where they came from. And Sar...I believe him. I do. But there's this tiny, nagging part of me that can't help but wonder...what if she’s telling the truth? What if I don't know Grayson as well as I thought I did?"

Sarah is quiet for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. "Amara, honey...I've seen the way that man looks at you. Like you're the sun, the moon, and every star in his sky. And more importantly, I've seen the way you two are together. The love, the trust, the unshakable bond you share...that's not something that can be faked."

I sniffle, a glimmer of hope sparking in my chest at her words. "You really think so?"

"I know so, babe. Grayson Winthrop is in love with you. And if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that he would never, ever do anything to jeopardize that love. Least of all for a bitter harpy like Sophia."

I manage a weak laugh, the knot in my chest loosening ever so slightly. "You're right. I know you're right. It's just...the seed of doubt has been planted, you know? And it's hard to shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe...our love isn't as unbreakable as I thought it was."

Sarah sets down her own pint of ice cream, turning to face me fully. "Amara Jeffries, you listen to me. What you and Grayson have? It's the once-in-a-lifetime, ride-or-die kind of love that most people only dream of. And if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you don't give up on the things that matter. Least of all the man who holds your heart in his hands."

I feel the tears well up again, but this time, they're tears of gratitude, of fierce love for the incredible friend who always knows just what to say. "I love you, Sarah. You know that? I don't know what I'd do without you."

She grins, pulling me into a tight hug. "Back atcha, babe. Now, let's put on a sappy rom-com and finish this ice cream. And in the morning...you're going to march your cute little butt over to Grayson's place and fight for your man. Because if there's one thing I'm sure of...it's that your love story is far from over."

As we settle in for a night of tear-jerking movies and sugar therapy, I feel a new sense of determination settling over me. Sarah's right - what Grayson and I have is worth fighting for. Worth weathering any storm, conquering any obstacle.

I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m more than enough for Grayson Winthrop. Sophia may have rattled me, with her perfect hair and blanched cable knit sweaters, but that was round one. I’m just getting warmed up.

The next morning, I wake up with a renewed sense of purpose, Sarah's words from the night before ringing in my ears.

I know what I need to do, what my heart has been telling me all along. I need to talk to Grayson, to hear him out and give him a chance to explain. To trust in the love we've built and the man I know him to be.

With trembling fingers, I dial his number, my heart in my throat as I listen to the ringing on the other end.

"Amara?" Grayson's voice is hoarse, thick with emotion as he answers on the first ring. "God, baby. I've been going out of my mind. Are you...are you okay?"

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation ahead. "I'm...I'm okay, Grayson. But I think we need to talk. Can I...can I come over?"

"Of course," he says immediately, a note of desperate hope in his tone. "I'll be here, waiting."

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