Page 24 of Fake Engagement with my Brother's Best Friend

I freeze, the words hitting me like a slap. Logan shifts beside me, his fists clenching at his sides. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Samantha,” he snaps, his voice hard. “This isn’t about you.”

Samantha’s gaze sharpens, and she takes a step closer, her voice dripping with fake concern. “Oh, I think it’s very much about me. I know a gold digger when I see one. I can’t help but wonder, did you two get together before or after we split?”

The room goes completely silent, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. My heart is pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears. She just called me a gold digger. In front of everyone.

I glance at my parents, at Jess, and see the shock on their faces. Emily and Joseph are watching from across the room, their smiles gone, replaced by wide eyes. The embarrassment is crushing, the shame clawing at my throat. I want to disappear, to melt into the floor.

Logan takes a step forward, his voice low and dangerous. “Gold digger. You would know all about that, wouldn’t you, Samantha?” His words cut through the air like a knife. “You’re the expert on using people for personal gain, considering that’s exactly what you did with me.”

Samantha’s eyes flash, and her smile turns icy. “You really think this little charade is going to last? She’s just playing you, Logan. When she’s done with you, she’ll move on to the next rich guy who comes along.”

“That’s enough,” Logan growls, but it’s too late. The damage is done, and I can feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me,like they’re waiting for me to defend myself, to say something—anything.

I try to speak, to say something that will calm everything down, but the words stick in my throat. “This isn’t… I’m not…” I start, but Samantha’s smirk deepens, and I realize she’s enjoying this—relishing in the attention and the scene she’s causing. She wants this fight, wants to tear me down in front of everyone.

“Samantha,” I say, my voice shaky but firm. “This isn’t about you. Please, just stop.”

“Oh, Grace,” she replies with mock pity, tilting her head. “You can pretend all you want, but we all know what’s really going on here. You saw an opportunity and took it. Smart, really. I almost admire it.”

My heart feels like it’s going to burst, the humiliation washing over me in waves. My parents are staring at me, their confusion turning to worry. Jess looks at me with a mix of disbelief and anger, and I can see Emily’s shocked face in the background.

“Samantha, stop!” I say, my voice rising with desperation. “You’re wrong!”

Logan steps forward again, his face flushed with anger, but I can’t handle it anymore. The attention, the accusations, the way Samantha’s words are twisting everything—it’s too much. I know this could ruin everything, and the walls are closing in.

“I can’t do this,” I mutter, my breath hitching. “I can’t—”

Before Logan or anyone else can react, I push away from the table and storm out of the room, my heart pounding in my chest. I can’t stay here, can’t face the looks, the whispers, the pity in their eyes. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I blink themback, forcing myself to walk faster, to get away from the mess I’ve created.

I push through the doors into the hallway, the air outside the dining room feeling cooler, less suffocating, but I can’t shake the tightness in my chest. My heart is still racing, my face flushed with embarrassment. I lean against the wall, trying to calm my breathing, but the humiliation is too fresh, Samantha’s words echoing in my mind.

Gold digger. Fraud.

I press the heels of my hands into my eyes, willing myself not to cry. This was supposed to be a simple, no-strings-attached plan, and now it’s spiraling out of control. I need to pull myself together before I completely fall apart.

Across the hall, I spot the sign for the bathrooms and quickly slip inside, hoping the cool water will help calm my nerves. I splash some on my face, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My updo has come slightly undone, strands of hair falling loose, but I don’t care. All I see is the panic in my own eyes, the uncertainty. I feel like I’m drowning in it.

The door behind me creaks open, and I glance in the mirror to see Logan stepping inside. His face is tight with concern, his jaw clenched as he watches me.

“Grace,” he says softly, stepping closer, “don’t listen to her. You know she’s just trying to stir things up. She thrives on this.”

I swallow hard, my emotions still raw. “Logan, she’s ruining everything. I can’t… I can’t keep doing this if she’s going to be around, making everyone think I’m some kind of con artist. Everything could unravel. You have to get rid of her. Now.”

I’m nearly in tears, the weight of the situation pressing down on me, and I can see the guilt flicker across Logan’s face. He reaches out, trying to offer some kind of comfort, but I step back, needing space to breathe.

“I will,” he says quickly, his voice low. “I’ll talk to her, get her to leave. Grace… you need to understand something.”

I glance at him, confused, and then I see it—the hesitation, the regret in his eyes.

“Samantha and I didn’t end on good terms,” he admits quietly. “She’s vengeful, and she knows how to hold a grudge. She’s not going to let this go easily.”

“Why is she doing this?” I ask, my voice trembling. “Why does she hate me so much?”

Logan rubs a hand over his face, clearly struggling with what he’s about to say. “It’s not just about you,” he begins. “It’s about me. When Samantha and I were together, things… weren’t great. Yes, she was a gold digger. I knew that when we started dating. I used it as an excuse to not always be fair to her.”

I blink, trying to process what he’s saying. “What do you mean?”

“I wasn’t always kind to her,” Logan admits, his voice rough with guilt. “I let her take the blame for everything wrong in the relationship, but the truth is, I wasn’t innocent. I knew what she wanted from me, and I used that as a reason to push her away. I wasn’t fair, and when we finally broke up… she held onto that.”

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