Page 100 of Sinful Lies

Wait… had he just insinuated that Istank?

Chapter

Twenty-Five

“A friend may be nature’s most magnificent creation.”

?Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jade

“He called me dramatic and theatrical! Can you believe that? Honestly, that boar had one job, and it failed spectacularly.”

Sofiya practically cackled, her laughter echoing through the call. “He said that?”

“Yes!” I waved my hands like a lunatic. “He’s absolutelyinsane. I gathered what little energy I had left, called a taxi, and went straight home. And then—get this—he still sent me a text, demanding I take the rest of the week off until the big exhibition on Saturday. Like he’s doing me some kind of favor!”

“Jadie—”

“Oh, and healsohad the audacity to insinuate thatI stank! Me! The woman who carries six different perfumes, two deodorants, and enough scented creams to moisturize an army!”

Still fuming, I shot up from the couch, snatching my phone as I stormed to the fridge.

A bottle of wine practically threw itself into my hand. I poured a glass so full it was practically obscene, then took a long, satisfying sip.

Not only had this man turned me into a petty, vengeful little devilish monster, but he was also going to turn me into a full-blown alcoholic.

For the past three days, I’d been stuck at home, lying low and letting my head heal. The bandage had come off this morning, revealing a tiny, barely-there scar. No stitches, thank God.

Physically, I was as good as new.

Mentally? A disaster.

Now that I felt somewhat human again, I avoided my home office like it was cursed—a haunting reminder of my three-day tantrum. Every photo of Lazzio I’d ever printed had been vandalized with devil horns, absurd mustaches, and captions likeNot Even That HotorOverbearing Boss of the Year.

Today, I doubled down on my childish antics, burying myself in Twilight marathons and inhaling enough takeout to make my delivery guy assume I was running a one-woman pity party.

But now? Now I was ready to rejoin society.

Back to work. Back to throwing verbal darts at Lazzio’s perfectly chiseled face.

This whole fever dream of wanting to seduce him just to ruin him more?

It was over—or at least, that’s what I told myself.

I’d stick to the destroying part; there was no need to have him buried between my legs.

Sofiya snorted. “Wow, someone’s extra salty today.”

I groaned, grabbing my wine glass and collapsing onto the couch like the drama queen I apparently was. “I am! I mean,sure, IknowI’ve got issues. Maybe I shouldn’t poke the bear or, I don’t know, strip naked in front of him, but still?—”

“You didwhat?”

The glass froze halfway to my mouth as my brain short-circuited.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

Jade, you absolute idiot!

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