Page 22 of Enemies with My Brother's Billionaire Bestie

I feel my fists clench. “Don’t pretend like you didn’tintendto hurt me with what you did to Henry. That was deliberate.”

He spins around, shocked. “Wait, this is still about your ridiculous crush on Henry and high school prom? Grow up, Ollie.”

“I’m not being childish. I liked Henry. You ruined that, and you’ve ruined everything since then. Just like you’re ruining this night!” I shout, the rawness of my anger boiling over.

For a moment, the words are out before I can stop them, but Elliot just takes a step toward me, his chest inches from mine, his breath warm against my skin. “First of all, you don’t know the whole story. And secondly, Henry wasn’t your shot at happiness.”

My heart races, and before I can even think, I shove him, my hands pushing against his chest with force. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is I liked Henry, and you scared him away. You ruined that night, just like you’re ruining this one!”

I’m ready to shout more, but a sharp voice cuts through the tension. “Enough!” Julia’s voice reverberates through the room, and suddenly I realize how big the audience is.

Clearing her throat, she addresses the room. “I’m sorry, everyone, for this scene. It’s probably time we all head home before things get any worse.”

Her disappointment hits me harder than I expected, sharper than any argument. As Daniel leads her away, she won’t even look at me.

“Jules, please, let me explain,” I choke out, lifting my hands to touch her arm, but she pulls away.

Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, and she whispers, “I don’t think I’m ready to talk to you, Ollie. Not after you just ruinedwhat was supposed to be a very special evening before the wedding."

The weight of her disappointment presses on me. As everyone quietly shuffles out of the hall, I can’t even bring myself to look Daniel in the eye, and Elliot’s silence speaks volumes.

Finally, Daniel says, his voice quiet but full of sadness, “You know what? If you’re both going to keep making Julia cry, I’d rather not have either of you at the wedding.”

Elliot tries to say something, but Daniel cuts him off before he can get a word out. “Nothing you say now can fix this. Stay out of the wedding plans until you both get your act together.”

I chase after Daniel as he storms out of the hall, heart pounding. “Please, Daniel, just hear me out,” I beg, but he doesn’t turn around. His eyes—usually full of humor and warmth—are cold, and his words pierce me.

“I would’ve expected this from Elliot, but to know you’re fueling the flames tonight? That’s disappointing, Ollie.”

“I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” I stammer, the words almost strangled in my throat, but his hands squeeze mine gently.

“I love you, Sis. But you need to figure out what really matters to you: my happiness, or some petty grudge you refuse to let go of.”

With those words, he walks away, leaving me standing in the empty parking lot, my chest heavy with guilt. The night feels like it’s suffocating me, and I can still hear Julia’s voice, full of hurt, echoing in my mind.

I look up at the night sky, feeling the weight of a million regrets crashing down on me. If I could turn back time, I would’ve listened. I would’ve discarded those damn candles the moment Elliot suggested it.

I feel a pressure in my chest, like the weight of the world, and before I know it, my legs are moving. I’m running—runningfrom the wreckage I’ve caused, running from the guilt. I don’t know where I’m going, but I need to get away.

“Please, universe, make this night go away,” I pray silently, as I sprint into the darkness, hoping it will swallow me whole.

Chapter fourteen

Elliot

This is entirely my fault. Once again, I've let down not just everyone here tonight, but myself, too. This is the opposite of everything I’ve ever stood for, everything I was raised to believe in. I know I’m not a bully at heart, but every time I interact with Olivia, it feels like I’m losing sight of who I am.

Maybe the anger I feel toward her is changing me. Or maybe I’m just overreacting, risking everything I care about in the process. Tonight has been a disaster, and maybe Olivia was right: I seem to ruin everything because I’m too rigid to embrace change.

The restaurant is empty now, the guests long gone, and the servers are finishing up. But I remain here, rooted to the spot. I can’t go to bed with this knot in my chest, but I can’t bring myself to apologize to Daniel, not yet.

The door creaks open, and Aaron steps in, his eyes heavy with sadness. He pulls up a chair beside me.

Rubbing my forehead, I mumble, “It was a mess, wasn’t it?”

He nods, his voice calm but candid. “You two were like a ticking time bomb. I just wish it didn’t blow up tonight.” He sighs, his disappointment matching mine.

“Yeah,” I say quietly, the memory of how quickly things spiraled coming back.

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