Page 31 of Enemies with My Brother's Billionaire Bestie

Not again. I’m never going through that hell again.

Chapter nineteen

Olivia

AStrangely Familiar Love Story

We fell in love with a stranger—someone who didn’t resemble our vision of Prince Charming in the slightest. His brooding, cold stares slowly melted into hesitant smiles, and now, our once-protected hearts are faltering. The walls we so carefully built are crumbling. Is this what it feels like to fall in love, or is this far from the fairy tale ending we’ve always dreamed of? Maybe only a kiss will reveal if there’s a prince beneath that tough exterior.

As I read through the post one final time before hitting ‘share,’ a knot tightens in my chest. It’s startling how much this story mirrors my own life. Lately, my feelings for Elliot have spiraled into uncertainty—a complicated dance between hope and hesitation. It’s a strangely familiar love story, one where I’m left replaying every glance, every memory we’ve shared.

All those casual outings, the unexpected bursts of laughter—they’ve broken through my defenses, leaving me vulnerable to a man who’s made it clear he doesn’t see me that way. His cynical remarks about love, spoken with such conviction, should havebeen enough to warn me off. So why does my heart still cling to the hope that there’s warmth buried beneath his cold exterior?

I shake my head, determined to push every thought of Elliot aside. Today isn’t about him; today is about everything we’ve worked so hard for these past few weeks. I glance down at my champagne-colored satin dress, my heart swelling as the sound of wedding bells seems to echo in my mind.

"If you’re going to cry and ruin your makeup, I’ll be forced to find a new maid of honor," Julia’s playful voice pulls me from my thoughts.

I turn to her, fully dressed in her stunning, simple white mermaid gown. It’s hard to believe that after all the obstacles and bumps in the road, she’s finally here today. “It’s hard not to cry, Jules. You look absolutely breathtaking,” I say, blinking back tears that threaten to ruin my mascara.

She squeezes my hand, her eyes soft. “I wouldn’t be here without you, Ollie. You and Elliot—who, by some miracle, managed to work together without killing each other.”

“I think we should get through the day without any disasters before we celebrate that victory,” I tease, and she laughs. “But yeah, we’ve come a long way. I just hope there’s no more fighting. You’re right though... I do look at him differently now,” I admit, a blush creeping up my cheeks. “I guess I can’t really hide it, can I?” I add with a nervous chuckle. “Is it that obvious?” I whisper.

“Only to me. Daniel’s too busy trying to make me happy to notice.” She grins, a knowing sparkle in her eyes.

I exhale, relieved. Dealing with Julia is one thing, but I’m not ready to drag my brother into this mess. Elliot may be his best friend, but I have no idea how Daniel would react if he knew his little sister was falling for the guy everyone swears is incapable of love. He’d probably try to talk some sense into me—and maybe he should.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Jules. I’m lost,” I confess, sinking onto the bed.

She sits beside me, her voice soft yet steady. “None of us know what we’re doing at first. I didn’t expect the geeky genius I met in high school to become the love of my life. But here I am, about to marry Daniel, and I can’t imagine my world without him.”

I laugh, pulling her into a tight hug. “Weren’t you the one who said no crying today? Daniel’s going to blame me for this.”

We’re interrupted by a soft knock on the door. When Elliot steps into the room, my breath catches. He’s dressed in a light grey suit that fits him almost too perfectly, his hair styled in a way that makes me momentarily forget how to breathe. I silently curse the hairspray for making him look so... irresistible.

“Wow, Jules. You look beautiful,” he says, his gaze briefly flicking to me before darting away. “We need to get going.”

“Just a minute,” Julia replies, thankfully giving me time to compose myself.

Elliot slips back out, but not before Julia throws me a knowing glance. “Was he always this handsome, or am I losing my mind?” I manage to say, heat rising to my cheeks.

“Oh, you’re not losing your mind. You’ve just been bitten by the love bug,” she teases.

I roll my eyes. “Please, you sound ridiculous.”

“The more you fight it, the harder you’ll fall, Ollie. Just go with it. Who knows? You might end up on a magical island,” she says with a shrug.

“Magical island? What have you been watching,Moana?” I laugh.

As we head out, Elliot is waiting by the limo, holding the door open for us. His gentlemanly gesture doesn’t go unnoticed by Julia, who kisses his cheek with a smile. “You know, you might just be a prince after all, El.”

His smile is tight, his nod quick, and just as I’m about to follow her into the car, he holds me back. I glance between his hand on my arm and his face, confused.

“We’re running late, remember?” I remind him.

He nods but doesn’t let go. “I just wanted to tell you that you look... breathtaking. I should’ve said it earlier.”

The air leaves my lungs. My heart pounds in my chest. “You didn’t even look at me for more than a second,” I mumble, turning away before he can see the flush creeping up my neck.

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