Page 25 of The Enemy of My Enemy Is… My Fake Boyfriend?

"I guess they thought a month was enough time."

"I guess. We'll see how it plays out, though. A guy coming out of a two-year relationship and engagement being with someone just a few weeks later?" David made a face, his features scrunched together in distaste.

Honestly, he was right. With most people, that would probably backfire. But we were talking about Chase here, a guy who had painted himself as such a victim that I had this sick feeling his new relationship would be one-hundred percent embraced. The asshole.

Shaking my head at David, I sighed. "Unfortunately, I can already predict that they'll all fawn over him and Hannah. I'd bet you a million dollars he's got something in the works about how she nursed his poor little broken heart after Aria destroyed it. This morning was their soft launch, then some kind of article that'll test out the public's perception."

"And if that goes well, a hard launch at some upcoming event."

"Exactly."

"And no, I will not take you up on that million dollar bet because I know you're right," he added.

"Smart man."

An alert sounded on my phone, and I grabbed it off my desk. "Holy shit," I mumbled to myself. "That was fast."

"What?" David asked. "What was fast?"

"I have my notifications set up for any new articles on Chase," I began, "and one just popped up."

He leaned in closer. "What does it say?"

From Heartbreak to Happily Ever After: Chase Harrington Bounces Back with Assistant-Turned-Love After Aria Stratton's Betrayal

"What the hell?" he blurted out.

Fury burned inside me just at the headline, and I hadn't even gotten to the article yet. I rage skimmed it, the first half rehashing all the same old lies about how Aria had cheated on Chase and treated him like garbage throughout their relationship. Then more lies about how depressed and down in the dumps Chase was, how his life had been destroyed by Aria and how he thought he'd never be happy again, destined to live the rest of his life alone and miserable.

My whole body tense, I read the final bit about how Chase had risen from the ashes of Aria's betrayal, how he'd found new love right in front of him, in the arms of his sweet and wholesome assistant who showed him how "people could be good and kind and decent." A fucking quote from a source close to the happy new couple, of course.

I had to stop myself from throwing my phone.

A timer went off and David cleared his throat. "The meeting."

"Cancel it," I growled, turning on him, red flooding my vision. I blew out a breath. "Or just take my place. I don't care. I just can't do it right now."

I needed to do something about this. I could no longer sit still and watch this play out the way it had been. The Stratton family was too good, too golden, and if they wouldn't get dirty, then I would.

"Got it, boss." David stood up and headed for the door. "Let me know if I can do anything."

I gave him a terse nod before he left, closing the door behind him. For weeks, I'd thought about it, but reading this article had been the final straw. Aria and Chase's breakup had consumed me way more than it should. I was a man obsessed.

Chase had been a thorn in my side for years. Fucking years. And I'd had enough.

Grabbing my phone, I rang through to my assistant, Louise. "I need to speak to the head of security at The Manhattan Royale."

"Okay. I'll get right on it."

Pacing my office while I waited, I had the unusual feeling of being caged in, like the large room had suddenly shrunk, the walls closing in. This whole situation was getting out of hand, and I'd let it. I should have acted sooner, with or without Aria's blessing.

I didn't need her help to deal with Chase.

My phone buzzed on my desk, and I rushed to it, ready to finally get this thing going.

Glancing at the number, though, I saw it wasn't the security person like I'd expected. It took a second for it to register... who it actually was.

Aria fucking Stratton.

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