9. Ava
nine
Ava
Sebastian apologized. Something I never thought would happen.
I was hurt by his words for so long that I held on to them, letting them cloud my vision of who he was or who he could become. Now, the more time I spend with him, the more I realize he isn’t at all like the person he pretends to be.
It feels as if my whole world has shifted in the last few days. Seeing this side of Sebastian is refreshing, but at the same time, it stirs unexpected feelings for him. I promised myself I wouldn’t fall for him again after what happened, but being so close to him and getting to know him—both emotionally and physically—is making that promise harder to keep.
Whatever I’m feeling for him, I’m not quite ready to name it just yet. Our fake relationship, which I initially thought was just a ruse, is beginning to blur the lines of reality. I’m starting to wonder if I’m the only one feeling this way.
Only time will tell if our feelings are mutual or if I’ve just fallen for the guy I never expected to .
When Annie returns from her honeymoon a few days later, she wants to meet for drinks. We haven’t seen each other since the wedding, and there’s so much to catch up on. We meet at our favorite bar. I arrive earlier than expected, waiting for her.
Annie comes rushing through the door with her arms open wide. She wraps me in a warm hug, and I can see she’s glowing with joy.
“I missed you so much,” she says, settling into the chair beside me.
“I missed you too,” I admit.
Both our lives have changed over the past week.
“So, how was the honeymoon?”
Annie rolls her eyes with excitement. She’s like a boiling pot ready to spill over.
“It was the most romantic time of my life.” Her giddiness is contagious.
She unbuttons her denim collar to reveal a beautiful necklace around her neck. She sits there proudly, flaunting it with a radiant smile.
“You’re one lucky girl,” I acknowledge.
“Stewart’s a lucky man,” she counters.
“That he is.” We toast with shots of tequila .
“So, what have you been up to while I was gone?” Annie asks.
“Well, I finished up your assignment, like you asked me to.”
Annie smiles, mouthing the words thank you.
“I met with Dr. Anderson and handed it over. Besides that, nothing much.”
I’m not sure it’s the right time to tell her about Sebastian, especially since I’ve always been vocal about my dislike for him.
“You know you’ve always been a bad liar,” Annie says, giving me a knowing look.
I smile, feeling exposed. I can’t hide anything from Annie. She reads me like a book.
“Well,” I begin hesitantly.
“Now that’s more like it,” she replies, leaning in.
“You do remember Sebastian, right?” I wince.
“The guy you hate more than guacamole?” Annie doesn’t seem surprised as she nibbles on the free tortillas.
“That one,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Well, it turns out he’s not so bad.” I shrug.
“I knew it!” Annie shouts, drawing half the bar’s attention. “I saw the way he was looking at you at my wedding. He wasn’t too pleased when David came over to talk to you.”
I didn’t know Annie had noticed everything.
“What made you change your mind about him?” Annie asks, genuinely curious.
“Well, I haven’t been totally honest with you,” I admit.
She raises an eyebrow, intrigued.
I explain everything. How Sebastian is partially funding my project and how I agreed to be his fake girlfriend until he secures his inheritance.
Annie’s jaw drops. “Why would you agree to something like that?”
“I know, but I needed the funding, Annie. I couldn’t say no. With Dr. Anderson breathing down my neck, I had no choice. So, I agreed.”
“No choice?” she questions, her tone skeptical.
“I had to do it,” I insist.
“And now you’re falling for him,” Annie says knowingly, her eyes narrowing as she studies me.
I say nothing.
Annie leans closer, a grin spreading across her face as if she’s just uncovered a juicy secret.
I lean back, suddenly feeling vulnerable under her gaze.
“You slept with him, didn’t you?”
How does she do that ?
I stammer, trying to come up with an excuse, but she won’t have it. I couldn’t lie to her, even if I wanted to.
“Yeah,” I admit, swallowing hard. “We’ve spent a lot of time together this past week, and I’m beginning to realize he’s actually a nice guy when you get to know him.”
Annie knows me better than anyone. She is the keeper of my darkest secrets, and she knows I’m not the type of woman to just fall for a guy. I’m always cautious when it comes to relationships.
“Maybe you’re in love?” Annie asks, her face growing serious.
“I’m not in love with him,” I tell her quickly. “But I’m also not sure how I feel about him.”
I’m not the type to jump into a relationship easily, and the only guy I’ve seriously dated was back in college. After a brutal breakup, I buried myself in work, pushing my love life to the sidelines.
“How did you know Stewart was the one?” I ask.
Annie is a smart woman, even when it comes to matters of the heart. If anyone can help me sort out my feelings, it’s her.
“At first, I didn’t,” Annie admits.
I’m surprised to hear that.
“It took Stewart several attempts before I agreed to go out on a date with him. ”
“You never told me that.”
“I never thought we’d get serious,” she explains.
I lean in, listening intently. Annie’s advice has always been gold to me.
“It wasn’t until he sent me a Valentine’s card, expressing how he truly felt about me. He knew I wasn’t into his money, so he had to try extra hard.” Annie giggles, taking another shot.
“But once he won me over with his heart, instead of his wealth, he had me, hook, line, and sinker.”
“I’m happy you found him,” I say sincerely, squeezing her hand.
“Sometimes men try to win us over with money and fast cars, thinking that’s what we want. But when they realize we’re one of the real ones, that’s when they open up. And you start to see a side of them you never knew existed.”
Annie’s words resonate deeply. It doesn’t matter how famous or wealthy Sebastian is. What matters is the person he is inside, and I’m starting to like what I see.
“You answered that beautifully,” I say, feeling grateful.
“I know you’ll make the right decision,” Annie replies, pulling me into a warm hug.
I drive back home, feeling exhausted. I pull out my keys to open my apartment door when I realize it’s already open. My heart races as panic sets in, but my fear soon fades when I see Sebastian leaning casually against the dining table .
He’s prepared a candlelight dinner for the two of us.
“How did you get in?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
“The key under your rug,” he replies with a smirk.
I wince, surprised that he knows about my hiding spot.
“Are you hungry?” he asks, stepping aside to reveal the beautifully set table.
“Starving,” I admit, slipping off my coat.
The two of us sit down for dinner.
“This is really good,” I compliment, savoring the meal.
“I’ll let the restaurant know you approve,” Sebastian quips.
We both chuckle, and I shake my head, realizing I’d been fooled into thinking he cooked it himself.
“You look exhausted,” Sebastian observes as he clears the table.
“I am,” I admit, rubbing the tension in my neck.
“You need a little TLC,” he declares. “Why don’t you have a hot bath while I finish up here?” He kisses me softly before turning back to the dishes.
After soaking in a hot bath, I join Sebastian in the living room, where he’s poured us both glasses of wine.
I shake my head. “I’ve had too much alcohol for one night,” I admit, flopping down onto the couch behind me .
Sebastian sits on the floor in front of me.
“What are you doing?” I ask, puzzled.
He silences me with a look and gently takes my feet in his hands, beginning to massage them. It’s like being transported to paradise. I rest my head back, surrendering to the moment, and let out a content sigh.
“I’ve had several shots with Annie tonight,” I mumble, my voice soft and relaxed.
Sebastian listens quietly as I ramble on about my day, his hands never stopping their soothing movements. I’m not drunk, but I’m not entirely sober either. I’m teetering on the edge of vulnerability when I look up at him and whisper, “You’re something special,” before drifting off to sleep.
The next morning, I wake up alone. Sebastian is already gone.
The memory of almost confessing my feelings for him hits me like a tidal wave, and regret floods my chest. I instantly wish I could take it back, wanting to believe it was nothing more than a dream. A part of me hopes he’ll forget I ever said anything.
Grabbing my phone, I check for messages. There’s nothing. Relief washes over me—if Sebastian took my words seriously, he would’ve said something by now.
I know I have to be more careful with my emotions. Things between us are still uncertain, and I can’t bear the thought of my heart shattering into a million pieces if he doesn’t feel the same way .
As I go about my day, I can’t ignore how much I miss him. I’ve grown closer to Sebastian than I ever intended, and realizing how strong my feelings for him have become makes me wonder if I’ve taken one step too far.