Page 30 of Julian's Curse

I didn’t have anything in particular to share, so I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to reply. What could she be hinting at?

Almost at the same time, another message arrived.Are you sure you’re over Bradley? The photos say otherwise.

It didn’t take long for me to connect the dots. Shit, we hadn’t been discreet during dinner, and someone from the media had probably caught a glimpse of us. Bracing myself for the worst, I typed my name into the search bar. I’d been right with my assumption—our seemingly friendly outing had spiraled into an online disaster.

Love Triangle: Lucie Benton Moves On with Young Hot Mechanic While Ex-Boyfriend Tours the Middle East

Shit, shit, shit. The story was going viral, with pictures of me next to Bradley’s motorcycle. They even got a few shots where our faces were uncomfortably close. I’d have to explain to Valentina that isolated photos didn’t exactly tell a thousand words. I’d also need to explain it to the world now.

I ran into him while driving to Hillcrest. We went to grab sushi and catch up. I summarized. It annoyed me that she, of all people, would suspect me of being unfaithful to Julian.

Sorry I don’t believe you, she retorted.He told me that he couldn’t get dinner the same evening, Lucie.

Come on, Val. I suddenly felt terrible.I am happily engaged. This doesn’t have to turn into animosity between us. You know I would never betray you or him.

She didn’t say anything after that, so I kept searching online to gauge the damage. What if my grandma saw it? I needed to call her and explain my side before it all blew up in my face. I quickly skimmed the content of the articles, as my anger with them grew progressively worse.

San Diego–In a surprising twist, social media sensation Lucie Benton has been spotted getting cozy with a young mechanic, sparking rumors of a blossoming romance. Thiscomes just as her ex-boyfriend embarks on a tour of the Middle East, leaving many questioning the timing of these new developments.

Witnesses report that Lucie and her new companion have been seen enjoying intimate outings around town, fueling speculation that she’s ready to move on from her past. Meanwhile, her ex, currently navigating the bustling streets of the Middle East, may be left wondering what could have been.

It’s no secret that Lucie Benton spent two weeks in Hawaii with the mechanic last year when her relationship with the billionaire hit a rocky patch.

What about Julian? Would he be angry? But I hadn’t done anything wrong, so he shouldn’t feel betrayed.

In panic mode, I dialed his number just minutes after our text conversation. I didn’t want him to feel hurt, and he deserved at least an explanation. His phone rang several times before going to voicemail. My anxiety spiked as I quickly tried again, but this time, it went straight to voicemail. Damn it, he’d seemingly rejected my call, a sign that he’d most likely just found out and got pissed.

I shouldn’t have felt embarrassed about my deep friendship with Bradley, but I did. Still, I wasn’t willing to give it up to please anyone. Just then, Bradley’s name popped up on my screen—he was calling me now as if he had read my mind. “Hey,” I answered. At least we could sort this out together.

“You okay, Lucie?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

My heart was still throbbing in my chest, my life exposed again in ways I didn’t appreciate. “Not really. Valentina is agitated. And Julian hasn’t picked up my calls.” I sighed. “I planned to get a lot of work done today, but instead, I think I need to figure out how to stop this PR disaster.” The media sure knew how to turn my life into hell.

“Breathe, Lucie,” he reminded me, his voice steady. “I’m sorry how this turned out. I should’ve considered the possibility that the press might be lurking. You’re a lot more well-known now than when I left.”

“It’s not your fault,” I exhaled, trying to calm the nerves that still jittered beneath the surface. “Besides, I wouldn’t take it back now. Aki’s salmon roll was out of this world.” I let a hint of humor slip back into my voice, grasping at something light-hearted to hold onto. What I really wanted to say was that seeing him again after his long stay in Kauai meant more than I could express, and I had every right to spend time with him as a friend, no matter the complications.

I heard him laugh just a little bit. “I’ll talk to Val.”

“She really likes you,” I remarked, feeling the weight of the truth in my words. “I meant to tell you the other day, but I think she has stars in her eyes whenever she talks about you.” I cleared my throat. “Maybe take her out to dinner.”

A quiet moment hung in the air.

“I know.” He acknowledged.

It further confirmed my feelings—he wasn’t looking for anything serious right now. I understood that much.

“You worry about taking care of Julian,” he said, shifting the topic.

“Yeah,” part of me felt incredibly frustrated that they had to stir up rumors that could hurt him.

“I gotta go now, Lucie,” Bradley continued, his voice softer. “I’m trying to make a deadline for the truck I’m rebuilding. I mainly wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Of course,” I murmured.

“If there is anything I can do to help all this, let me know. I figured if a reporter approaches me I should say nothing?”

“Yeah, that’s the stance of most PR departments,” I sighed. “Bradley?” I blurted out before he had the chance to kill the call.

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