19. QUINN
19
QUINN
The morning light seeps in, but it doesn't warm me. It's just a reminder that last night wasn't a bad dream—it was real.
My phone is buzzing like it's possessed, each vibration a sharp poke reminding me of the video that's everywhere now.
I barely slept last night. If the incessant buzzing wasn’t enough to keep me up, my anxiety definitely was. My mind is a mess, and I’ve rewatched the video hundreds of times now.
It was posted by a new account that has nothing else uploaded. They follow one person: me. Their username is quinnexposed45.
Seriously? If the situation wasn’t so depressing, I would have actually laughed.
It’s still a mystery to me how they even managed to get their hands on footage like that. Enzo and I, for all our spontaneity, had always been careful not to be seen in public like that together.
Could someone from the vineyard have done this? It’s surely gotten their name trending. Nothing more viral than a good old scandal.
My heart catches at the thought of Enzo being involved. But no, he wouldn’t… would he ?
I push the thought away. He’s always been too private to do something like this. Besides, knowing how inept he is with technology, I would be surprised if he even knew what TikTok was.
As I debate what my next move should be, a new message arrives. It’s Lilly.
You’re coming today, right?
I ignore it. The idea of seeing everyone at the launch after the leak is too much for me. This feels like when I was in high school, and someone stole my diary from my locker and read it out to everyone. It was embarrassing then, as it is now, having something private laid bare to the public without my permission.
My phone buzzes again.
Lilly: You better not bail again. I saw the video, Q. Everyone did. You need to clear your name.
Lilly: P.S. they’re all just jealous of you anyway. ;) Don’t be so hard on urself.
A small smile forms on my face.
Maybe Lilly is right. If it’s going to be my last day here, I shouldn’t spent it cowering behind closed doors. What happened is embarrassing, yes, but it’s hardly a crime. I didn’t really do anything wrong.
People kiss each other all the time, right?
With feeble resolve, I make up my mind and remind myself who I really am.
An embarrassing clip on the internet should not define me. None of this will matter in a week, since people on the internet have worse memory than a goldfish. Why should I let it ruin what little time I have left here?
Two hours later, I’m at the event. My hair is slicked back, my dress is brand new, high heels and my lips are painted the loudest shade of red I own.
If I didn’t feel my best, I could at least look it. Right now, I felt like the poster child of fake-it-till-you-make-it as I plastered a confident smile on my face, making my way through the area around the pond.
The event is beautifully set up, and the soft hum of conversation and clinking glasses fills the air. I get the odd glares and whispers from people around me, but they’re not relevant right now.
This is about me. I need to prove to myself that I won’t crumble when there’s a little bit of drama in my life.
“I’m glad you listened.” Lilly catches up to me, linking her arm with mine and handing me a glass. “Isn’t it so much better that you’re here now?”
“I guess I’ll find out.” I gulp down the liquid. “How many people do you think saw it?”
“I’m not going to lie to you. It has been making rounds.” She presses her lips together, “I didn’t know mystery man was Enzo.”
“Well, it’s not much of a mystery anymore, is it?” I mumble under my breath.
“It’s not. Let’s not kid ourselves, though. Any of the girls here would have killed to be in your place.” Lilly smiles. “So, no one’s going to judge you.”
“Tell that to my audience.” I chuckle, shaking my head. “Half of my comments are divided on whether I’m escorting on the side or this whole influencer thing is just a front.”
Lilly’s face twists. “God, that’s awful. How come they never say that to a man when he’s seen with a woman?”
“You know why.”
Lilly rolls her eyes, “Gross. It’s just words on a screen, though, Quinn. I know you’re stronger than that.”
She squeezes my hand, and it’s nice to have someone on my side for a change.
If the people online only knew about the sacrifices I’ve made in my career to get to this level, they’d think twice. It’s unfair that they’re quick to point fingers and discard everything I’ve worked to build.
“Let’s do a quick selfie.” Lilly points her camera at us and sticks her tongue out. “I’ll post on my story. This one’s for the haters.”
I laugh and the camera shutter clicks. I’m slowly beginning to get my confidence back.
Lilly and I strike up some conversations with some of the other influencers. I can see curiosity burning in their eyes, but no one is crass enough to ask. I’m grateful for that. At least there is some shred of decency left in the world.
I’m in the middle of a conversation when my phone rings again. It’s my dad.
“You’re still there?” he growls. “Didn’t I tell you to come back?”
“First of all, I’m an adult, you no longer have the right to “tell me” to do anything. This is my job and my life, so back off.” I’ve had enough of him treating me like a child. “I told you I’ll be back soon.”
“Bullshit. If you’re meeting with Enzo again, then I will tell you—”
“Stop, Dad.” My voice is firm. “I know you’re mad about what happened with Enzo, but like I said, I’m an adult, and in case you forgot, I’m here for business.”
“You’re the one who forgot that, Quinn. Not me.”
His words sting, and it’s a low blow.
“I thought we agreed that you weren’t going to bring this up again.”
“When you get home and block and delete his number for good, yes,” he says. “But as long as you’re there, you will get held accountable.”
“Accountable?” I shake my head, “Dad, you’re acting like I committed some kind of a crime.”
“You were irresponsible and—”
“Listen, I no longer have to answer to you, but just so you know, it’s my last day here, and I don’t want to spend it being scolded like I’m ten years old. We can talk when—”
He hangs up on me. If he only called to make me feel bad about myself, then he’s succeeded.
The crowd begins to feel too much, and I retreat to a quiet corner of the pond, hoping to settle my thoughts. It’s short-lived as a gentle tap lands on my shoulder.
"Mind if I join you?" It’s Luciana. Her stance is too welcoming for someone who’s been caught hooking up with her dad. Which makes me think that she hasn’t seen the video yet.
“Sure,” I croak. “Why not?”
“It can get too much, right?” She laughs. “The constant socializing. I can see you’re tired from it, too.”
That’s not why I am tired, but I don’t correct her. “Yeah, it’s nice to have a moment of peace.”
“I’ve heard nice things about you from Valentino. He says you’re quite passionate about your craft. You have to excuse me, though, because I don’t really keep up much with social media. But I believe him.”
I nod, easing up. This only confirms that she hasn’t seen the video.
“It’s the only thing that helps me find meaning in life, having a passion.”
“You know, we haven’t gotten a chance to talk a lot, but you remind me a lot of my mom.” Luciana smiles. “She used to say the same things, and wine was one of her biggest passions as well.”
I wonder if that’s the reason why Enzo was interested in me in the first place. Because I reminded him of his late wife.
“I miss her whenever I come back here.” Luciana looks at the pond. “I think that’s why I never want to visit much.”
Her admission breaks down my resolve, and I push my own issues aside for a moment. “I’m sorry, Luciana. It must have been really difficult losing your mother so young.”
“I’m not trying to complain, because some people have it a lot worse, but when I see how far the company has come, I just know that she would have loved every moment of this. Everything would have been perfect if cancer hadn’t taken her so soon.”
My breath hitches. Enzo never really told me how his wife died.
I put my hand on her arm. “I’m sure she must be proud of you, wherever she is.”
“It’s weird, you know, how this works. One moment someone is here, and then they’re gone to a place where there’s no return from.” Luciana’s lips curve downwards. “But the love we have for them remains. Most of all, Dad. He loves her the most, and he always will.”
I know her words aren’t out of malice, but they slice through me all the same.
Enzo will always love her. What he had with me was nothing more than a distraction to a grieving heart. I just took it too seriously and fell for him.
But this has to stop now. If there was any doubt before, Luciana’s words just made the decision for me. I know what I have to do, as painful as it may be.
I lose track of Luciana’s conversation and almost don’t register when Enzo joins us.
“Everything okay?” His gaze darts between the two of us. He seems worried, as if he suspects me of telling Luciana something I shouldn’t.
“I’m leaving tomorrow,” I blurt out. Since he’s so concerned about not letting his kids know, I should ease his mind and take myself out of the picture altogether.
“Oh, no.” Luciana hugs me warmly. “But I only just started to get to know you.”
I nod, stiffly, and look over at Enzo.
He hasn’t said a word.
“Well, it’s been great knowing you,” Luciana says, and looks over at her dad.
He hasn’t moved at all.
“Um, I’ll maybe leave you both alone for a moment. I’m kind of intruding here.”
She drifts off, and I’m left facing Enzo. It’s the first time we’ve had a moment alone together in a while, and my memory flashes to the times we spent together, heat rushing to my cheeks.
If only things could have been different.
“Aren’t you going to say anything at all?” I ask, frustrated by his silence.
“Good luck." There’s a flash of emotion on his face, but he quickly replaces it with cold nonchalance.
“I guess this thing between us…” I pause, trying not to be too emotional. With how stoic he’s being, I’d only look like a fool. “It was…”
“Well, it’s out in the open now,” he responds, “I saw the video today.”
“Right, yes.” I nod, feeling silly.
He only cares about appearances.
“You shouldn’t worry much. People are pointing fingers at me. It’s not ideal for reputation if I want to be taken seriously as a wine influencer. You know better than me how much brands care about that.”
I want him to say something, anything that lets me know that this meant more than just a fling to him. But our conversation is strictly business.
“We’ll do our best at our end to make sure there’s no damage to your career. I can put out a statement if you like.”
It hurts that there is no feeling from him at all.
“There’s no need.” The last thing I want is a favor. “I think going back to America will help fix things, both with my reputation and my father.”
His presses his lips together. “Michael will understand. He can’t hold it against you forever. Besides…” He pauses, looking at me with a searching expression. It’s the most emotion he’s shown in this entire conversation, “Perhaps some distance and letting things die down is for the better.”
It feels like someone has twisted a knife inside my heart.
“When I saw you and Luciana talk, I realized how Michael must have felt. And as a father, I cannot blame him for how he reacted. You have to put yourself in his shoes.”
I say nothing in response. He’s made himself clear, and I don’t want to make myself seem like a begging fool by asking more of him. He is done with me, discarding me like a regret.
“If you need anything else—”
“That won’t be necessary.” I turn my head away so he doesn’t see the tears forming in my eyes. “I’ll handle everything from here.”
I walk off, and he doesn’t stop me. Whatever little bubble I’d been living in these last few weeks has finally popped. It’s time to go back to my real life.