Page 20 of Beyond the Red Carpet

Lauren’s perfect eyebrows arched. “Oh? And what would you call these recent headlines?” Her gaze cut to Kate, sharp as a blade. “Didn’t take you long, did it?”

“You want to do this here?” She lifted her chin. “Fine. But let’s be clear, you checked out of our relationship long before the photos with Ruby hit the press.”

Lauren scoffed. “That’s not-”

“We should have ended this months ago. Maybe even years.” The words tasted like acid on Vanessa’s tongue. “I just wish you had the decency to say something. To tell me you weren’t happyanymore. Instead, I had to find out with the rest of the world that you were seeing someone else.” She shook her head. “Do you know what that felt like? Seeing those photos?”

Lauren’s perfect composure cracked, just for a moment.

Vanessa steadied her breathing. The familiar ache of betrayal threatened to overwhelm her, but she refused to give Lauren the satisfaction of seeing her pain.

“The air is cleared, Lauren. You made your choice.” Vanessa glanced at Kate. “And I’ve made mine.”

Ten years of memories flashed through her mind.

How had she missed the signs? The last year had been full of them. The late nights, the canceled plans, the growing distance. She’d thought it was due to their busy schedules, to the natural ebb and flow of a long-term relationship, but the truth had been far simpler, and far more devastating.

Kate stepped forward, her voice carrying a quiet authority. “I think you should leave now. You’ve said what you came to say.”

Lauren’s mouth opened, then closed. For once, she seemed at a loss for words.

Vanessa watched as Lauren’s back disappeared into the crowd, the contact of Kate’s fingers laced with hers grounding her. She became aware of the hum of the room around them: the clinking of glasses, the low hum of conversations, the laughter. It was like the world had started moving again after pausing for their tense exchange. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling Kate’s steady presence by her side.

Kate studied her. “You okay?”

Vanessa nodded, squeezing Kate’s hand. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling—relief, regret, anger. It was a mess of emotions swirling inside her.

She took another sip of her drink, realizing her hand was shaking slightly. She searched Kate’s eyes for any sign ofjudgment, but found only understanding and concern. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Kate tugged at her hand. “Let’s get some air. The terrace should be quiet.”

Vanessa followed Kate through the French doors onto the terrace, her legs unsteady. The chilly night breeze hit her face as they stepped outside, clearing some of the fog from her mind. String lights twinkled above, casting a soft glow across the empty terrace.

Kate released her hand and leaned against the railing. Vanessa missed the contact immediately. She pressed her palms against the cool metal, focusing on the fact that she hadn’t let Lauren see how much she’d hurt her.

The distant sound of traffic rose from below, mingling with the muted music and chatter from inside. Out here, away from prying eyes and expectations, Vanessa let herself relax a little, and the weight of Lauren’s words, of their confrontation, began to lift.

Vanessa pressed her lips together. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

Kate turned toward her, and Vanessa caught the gentle concern in her eyes.

“This is what we agreed to, remember?”

“I know, but-”

“You were incredible in there. I don’t know how you kept your composure.” Kate’s blue eyes searched her face. “If someone had hurt me like that, I wouldn’t have been half as dignified.”

Vanessa couldn’t miss the genuine admiration in Kate’s voice. “I’m not really sure how I did,” she said with a lopsided smile.

Kate’s eyes found hers in the dim light of the terrace. “Would you like to leave?”

“Yes.” The word came easier than Vanessa expected.

Kate extended her hand, and Vanessa took it, their fingers sliding together. The contact steadied her, grounding her after the confrontation with Lauren. They stepped back inside, the warmth and noise enveloping them.

Kate guided them through the crowd with practiced ease. Vanessa kept her chin high, aware of the eyes following their progress across the room.

They wound their way past clusters of Hollywood elite, the faces blurring together. Vanessa focused on Kate’s back, on the way her dress caught the light, on anything except the lingering echo of Lauren’s words.

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