Page 100 of The Enemy of My Enemy Is… My Fake Boyfriend?

"I hate him already. Worst eight hours of my life. Why the hell do I have to be the one to train him?"

"That's just cruel," I said.

"Well, maybe tomorrow will be better," Astrid chimed in with a hopeful voice. "Maybe he was just nervous and came across like an ass, you know, because of all the anxiety."

"He wasn't anxious at all. He was the most self-confident, braying asshole you could imagine. Despite the stupid mustache."

Astrid had nothing to say to that, which meant it truly was a lost cause if even she couldn't put a positive spin on it.

We were saved by the arrival of my parents, who were blissfully unaware of Annalise's job situation. For now. I had no idea how my sister was juggling her new identity and the constant switching back and forth. Just the thought of being in her shoes gave me massive anxiety.

Turning back to Ethan, I nestled into his side, watching him happily as he talked to my parents, relief flooding through me that there was no more subterfuge on our part. Everything was out in the open now, and in such a short time, Ethan had even helped me bond with my dad, the three of us working together on everything to do with Chase.

I'd never in my life felt so complete as I did right now, being madly in love, moving in with Ethan, and everything work-wise going so well. Even my name had been cleared.

Sometimes I felt a little bad being this happy when my ex was going through such hell. He was currently being investigated, my dad and Ethan, who had my blessing, working with the whistleblower to build an airtight case against Chase. The scandal was heaping way more negative attention on Chase than he'd ever want, one of those things that went viral when the public took a deep interest in him and his lies, loving to pile on someone on their way down.

Chase's company was hanging on by a thread. And I couldn't even imagine what he could possibly do next or who would ever want to work with him again.

Hannah had taken off and left him, livid that he'd cheated on her as well. Once a cheater, always a cheater…

She'd reached out to me, apologizing profusely for what she'd done, explaining how she'd been in a vulnerable place, leading her to make the biggest mistake of her life. I actually forgave her. We'd never be best friends, or even friends at all. But I refused to let hatred or revenge drag me back into my past.

I did laugh though when she got her own revenge on Chase, spilling about their sex life in gossipy articles about infamous men with small dicks who didn't know how to use them. I'd been asked to contribute as well but turned it down, moving on now to better things.

Oh, and there'd been word of not only a glitter bomb, but also a stink bomb going off in Empire Buzz's dying, decaying offices, Ethan cracking up laughing when he'd told me.

Although I kept up to date with it all, none of it was my problem anymore. Chase had made his nasty bed, and now he had to lie in it.

More friends arrived, and we all crowded around, eating small plates and drinking up a storm. That dopey grin I'd been accused of became a perma-grin because this was truly the first time Ethan had been around for a family occasion like this, and he fit in so effortlessly.

He talked to everyone, but never took over like Chase always had. He asked them questions too, took an interest in what everyone else was doing, while also propping me up in the meantime, bragging to my family about what a great job I'd done two nights ago at a spring charity event for the library.

He was my biggest fan, and it blew me away.

And not only that, he always encouraged me to shine, wear my highest heels and most sparkly outfits.

All the sudden, I felt like I was about to burst.

The bar was too crowded. The noise was too loud. All I wanted to do was go home to our new place and be alone with Ethan.

But I stuck it out. For family. For my sister who still seemed so ticked off. Astrid and I tried our best to help her shake it all off, plying her with drinks, including her favorite champagne, downing quite a bit ourselves.

And now, the music, constant chatter, and crowd didn't seem to bother me as much. Nothing bothered me anymore. And my sister even laughed a little when a birthday cake arrived at our table, courtesy of my mom of course, and we all sang loudly to embarrass her.

After stuffing myself with the delicious cake, I turned to Ethan, on a cloud, and kissed his cheek. "You know why I like you?" I asked.

He cocked a brow, an amused smile on his face. "Why?"

"Because you don't justletme sparkle. Youcelebratemy sparkle."

His grin grew, as did the grip he had on my thigh. "Sparkle away,darling," he said with a laugh.

"Don't be superfluous." Did I use that word correctly? I had no freaking clue.

Whether it was correct or not, Ethan didn't say anything, just smiled wider at me while I lusted after that devilishly handsome face.

God, I loved him.

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