Page 225 of Modern Romance January 2025 1-4

‘And you still don’t,’ he said softly. ‘You’re still playing your part. Bulletproof, brave Elodie. So self-sacrificing.’

She wasn’t. She was selfish. She’d wanted Ramon. She’d wanted this affair with him. She still did. In fact, she wantedmore. But he was furious and pushing her away so quickly, so easily—and that told her everything.

‘I’m used to betrayal, Elodie. And I knew you played games. But I thought that at least inbedyou were honest with me.’

Shehadbeen honest with him there—she hadn’t heldanythingback. It had been impossible to. Couldn’t he feel that? Defensive, she pushed back hard because this was just hurt pride for him. ‘Does it make you feel guilty to know I wasn’t as sexually experienced as you thought? Because don’t. It was good, Ramon.’

‘You don’t need to pacify me with half-truths Elodie. I’m not him. You don’t need to protectmyfeelings.’

Because he didn’t really care? Right. ‘You think I was lying about that just then?’

‘It’s what you do.’ He nodded.

He didn’t believe her. Wouldn’t ever.

‘You pretend to be something you’re not and fool everyone around you in some sort of warped protection mode so you can escape any possible threat,’ he said.

‘While you’re perfect?’ she flung back at him, so hurt she sought to wound with her words. ‘A workaholic who can’t stand emotional intimacy. Who basically uses bodyguards and assistants as human shields so no one can possibly get close. You’ve virtually shut yourself in a panic room because you’re afraid of getting close to people and you don’t evenwantto escape.’

He turned white. ‘At last I know what you really think of me.’

Because of course he believedthat—the worst thing she could think to throw at him in the fury of her hurt. ‘No, you have no idea.None.’

Because it was only coming to her now—belatedly and disastrously. Because facing his anger like this was the last thing she ever wanted. Because she couldn’t stand to feel as if she were less than in his eyes. To have him lose faith in her. But the three feet between them was an insurmountable gulf. And this had become so much more than a game to her. This had becomeeverything. At the worst possible moment she realised how deeply she’d fallen in love with him. Panicked—lost in a maze of her own making—shewas the one locked in a room from which there was no escape. Not without pain. Not without leaving her heart behind.

Ramon had prised her open so effortlessly, yet how could she tell him that now? He wasn’t going to believe her. And more than that, he didn’twantit.

The last month had meant little to him. He’d probably only taken her with him on that trip because he’d not trusted her to stay home alone, not because he’d really wanted her there with him. She’d been such a fool. It had always and only been a hot affair for him—nothing more.

‘Yet you’ve nothing else to add?’ he asked heavily. ‘Okay, Elodie. You win.’

She stared. Unmoving. Uncomprehending.

‘You’ve secured Ashleigh’s freedom but at heart you’ve always wanted your own. You have it. Immediately.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Go home. It’s over.’

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THEREWERETIMESin life when a girl really needed her friends and Elodie was fortunate enough to have really good friends. She’d escaped the house the second after Ramon had stormed out of the kitchen. She’d hailed a cab and gone to Phoebe’s. Phoebe had bitten back the billion questions Elodie knew she wanted to ask. She’d just led Elodie to Bethan’s empty room and tucked her into bed.

The next morning she’d messaged Piotr who’d taken pity on her. Or maybe he was just following orders because he’d packed her and Ashleigh’s things and dropped them at the escape room at a time when Elodie could avoid him. She’d moved back to her own tiny apartment in North London and then Ashleigh had returned from her trip with Bethan. She’d sat next to her on the sofa and they’d binge-watched a serial killer series. They were at the penultimate episode when to their mutual astonishment theirmotherhad shown up. She’d been wary and tearful and apologetic and told them that she didn’t want to lose both daughters, that she’d asked their father to sell the hotel, that she was sorry for never standing up for them...

Ashleigh had been amazed. Elodie had been too shell-shocked to even take it in. But Ashleigh had opted to go stay with her mother at a hotel in the city for a while. The moment they left Phoebe and Bethan had arrived with three tubs of Elodie’s favourite brand of ice cream.

‘I never even got to ask how Italy was,’ Elodie apologised to Phoebe. ‘Was it amazing?’

‘It was.’ Phoebe smiled.

‘Yeah?’ Elodie nudged her with a grin. Phoebe did still have a post-holiday radiance about her even though it was a few weeks now since she’d got back. ‘And the new job’s going well?’

‘It’s full-on.’ Phoebe nodded. ‘There’s a rumour that it’s a takeover target.’

‘Oh, no—’

‘I’ll befine.’ Phoebe chuckled. ‘Don’t worry about me, we’re here foryou.’

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