Page 137 of My Big, Fat, Fake Billionaire Wedding

“Would it be worse thanwalking away without ever knowing?”

The question lands like a stone in still water, rippling through me.

“The contract may have an expiration date,” Lucy says gently, “but that doesn’t mean your relationship has to end with it.”

I shake my head stubbornly. “You don’t understand him. This contract... like I already told you, it’s whathewanted.”

“Maybe it’s what he thought he wanted,” Lucy corrects. “People change, Ava. Even billionaires with trust issues.”

Takes one damaged person to know another, I guess.

Lucy looks me in the eye. “By the way, youarehaving sex now, right?”

“Unfortunately,” I tell her.

She nods. “That could explain the emotional attachment.”

“It doesn’t help,” I agree. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this sooner. Like I said, I was too afraid.”

Lucy squeezes my hand. “I get it. I’m not happy about being kept in the dark, but I get it.”

Relief washes through me, unexpected and profound. “So you don’t hate me?”

“Please.” She rolls her eyes. “You’re the only person who will sit through my three-hour rants about supply chain disruptions in commercial real estate. I’m not about to throw that away.”

I laugh, feeling lighter than I have in weeks. “Your weird obsession with HVAC systems in office buildings is truly the foundation of our friendship.”

“As is your ability to make even the most boring building sketches look like art.” She smiles, then grows serious again. “What are you going to do?”

I push a stray strand of hair away from my eyes. “I don’t know. Probably what I always do. You know, overthink, panic, make questionable decisions, then paint aboutit afterward.”

“A solid strategy,” Lucy nods solemnly, then breaks into a grin. “Or... you could just talk to him.”

“Yeah, that’s not terrifying at all.”

“Scarier than letting him go without ever knowing?”

Low blow, Hammond. Low blow.

“I’ll think about it,” I concede, which is as close to a commitment as I can manage right now.

“Well, whatever you decide, I’m here for you. Even if your taste in men runs to complicated billionaires with intimacy issues.”

“Says the woman who dated twins without telling them about each other,” I counter.

“That was one time!” she protests, laughing. “And technically, they knew about each other. They just didn’t know they were both dating me.”

We finally leave the restroom. Both of us aren’t feeling very hungry anymore, so we forgo lunch and instead pay for the drinks. We’re still laughing as we gather our things. Outside the restaurant, Lucy pulls me into a tight hug as Diana and Michael watch.

“For what it’s worth,” she whispers, “I think you’d be making a mistake to let this end without fighting for it.”

I hug her back, grateful for her friendship despite my deception. “What if I fight and lose anyway?”

She pulls back, holding me by the shoulders. “Then at least you’ll know you tried. And I’ll be waiting with ice cream and terrible movies to help you through it.”

As we part ways on the sidewalk, Lucy heading back to her office and me toward the piano-black SUV of my security detail, I feel both lighter and heavier. The relief of unburdening myselfis real, but so is the weight of the decision now looming before me.

Fight for something that was never supposed to be real in the first place, or walk away with my dignity and heart intact?

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