Page 7 of Taste of Addiction

I roll out of bed and make my way to the bathroom to do my morning routine. I guess not feeling forced to wear makeup or put on real clothes is, in a way, relaxing. I have zero people to impress right now, and my mind isn’t drowning in an endless list of to-do tasks.

I unplug my phone, see it is actually morning and not afternoon, and find a text from Claire.

Claire: Do not watch the local news or read the newspaper.

Umm, okay? That just makes me want to do both of those things now. And she has to realize that, otherwise she would have said nothing. Great. What bombshell am I going to see that will inevitably ruin my entire day?

I start by googling Graham’s name and look for the most recent articles—specifically with yesterday’s or today’s date.TheHeadlinersecures the top article for the search and features another interview by Violet Storm, a reporter who has been following Graham since he ventured into the business world. I read the title and snarl. Dammit!

Taking a Chance on Chantel

By Violet Storm - The Headliner Exclusive Interview

can we have a moment of silence while we mourn the loss of the chance to date the smokin’ no-longer-single, but still elusive graham “hot stuff” hoffman?

it surely feels like the world is playing a joke on all of us, right ladies? how can someone who has been on the dating market for so many years—never wanting to settle or let go of his bachelor title—finally get snagged by the supermodel with a heart of gold? needless to say, sophia chantel is one lucky woman. or perhaps it is graham who is the lucky one. pretty sure every twenty-something woman in the entire city of portland wants to be her right now. and the rock she is wearing on her left ring finger is enough to sink her to the bottom of the willamette. not like she would ever be found swimming in anything other than a luxury resort or private pool. being engaged to a man like hoffman can only bring every privilege and modern convenience to your doorstep. enjoy it, sophia! we are all living vicariously through you…

i caught up with the power couple and twisted their arms—in the most nonthreatening manner, of course—to tell me how it all went down. because if we are all going to move on from our fantasy world, we have to first find closure.

“sophia and i have an eventful past and now a professional working relationship, where she’s the signature model for my jewelry company called jealousy. it was only a matter of time before the attraction we feel toward one another became so potent that we wouldn’t be able to keep it under wraps,” graham explains, with a smirk that was enough to melt the panties right off my body.

and ladies, let me just say that the picture does not capture the enamored expression that was written all over his face in regard to chantel. the two are smitten with each other and about to conquer the world by storm with their business endeavors. who wouldn’t want to date their sexy boss? pretty sure this is the main ingredient in a recipe for romance. so, can we really be shocked? no. but still deeply sad? heck yes. so go through the phases of grief while we let this news settle into our brains.

while typically reserved in interviews, it was nice to see chantel open up about her love for hoffman. “graham has always been my first love,” she admits. her soft smile and gaze up at him said more than her simple words. “he proposed to me on the busy street in front of hoffman headquarters—the location where we first met. it was a beautiful day. definitely a memory i won’t ever forget.”

follow the enchanting couple on social media where you can get a glimpse into their daily life. and stay tuned for another follow-up article where i plan to take my stalking skills to the next level.

-V.S.

Damn them! I stare at the photo of Graham dipping Sophia back in the middle of the city street. I imagine traffic had to be stopped to capture such an image on such a busy section. I want to throw my phone across the room.

I scroll through the other links and then do an image search to see all of the engagement photos that were snapped. The Internet is saturated with the news, and it seems that it has even garnered national attention on some of the entertainment sites. Am I that naive to think that Graham isn’t a celebrity in the business world? There are even sites that are dedicated to predicting what Sophia and Graham’s future children will look like. I guess having future heirs and heiresses to his fortune has sparked an online frenzy within just hours of the engagement announcement.

While deep down, I know that Graham told me to trust him—repeatedly—I still can’t help but wonder if Sophia is pregnant. There is still a sliver of doubt. Maybe I am inadvertently fulfilling the role of “the other woman” and have yet to fully understand the implications.

A text notification from Claire flashes across the top of the screen and I click on the bar.

Claire: This is all a joke. Has to be. Some plan to keep you safe.

Angie: I may be physically safe. But my heart is still broken over seeing them together.

Claire: Ugh!

Angie: Even if this is a fake relationship, it still cuts me.

I hate this. I throw myself back on the bed and close my eyes while my thoughts settle. I decide that there is no way to know the circumstances until I ask Graham directly. I roll out of bed and get my iPad. I open the video chat app and find his name on the list. I hit the green button to start the call.

It doesn’t take long for Graham to answer—except he has muted his end of the call. I notice a wall of windows behind him and the backrest of a leather chair. He is wearing a suit and appears to be in the middle of a meeting, on a Saturday. So why did he answer if he is busy?

My phone buzzes with a text from him.

The Boyfriend: I can’t talk. But I still want to see you. Meeting is boring. But I have to be in it.

Angie: I cannot believe you think that being engaged to Sophia is healthy for our current relationship.

I glare into the webcam as I send my message. I watch as Graham reads it and frowns back at me. He then notices my shirt—his shirt—and breaks out into the sexiest smile. My phone buzzes with an incoming message.

The Boyfriend: Damn right you are mine.

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