Page 47 of Fractured Faceoff

Jared. It had to be him.

I wasn’t sure what to think about it except that I liked them. They were unexpected, a splash of color in my otherwise orderly world.

Just as I reached out to touch one of the roses, there was a knock on my open door. Paige Adams stood there, her usual warm smile in place. Paige was the kind of person who could light up any room she walked into. Her blondehair framed her face in soft waves, and her blue eyes sparkled with an empathy that seemed boundless.

“Hey, Isla,” she said, stepping through the doorway. “I hope I’m not interrupting?”

“No, not at all,” I replied, my fingers still hovering near the flowers. “Come on in.”

Paige’s gaze drifted to the bouquet. “Those are beautiful,” she remarked. “Special occasion?”

“Not exactly,” I said, finally pulling my hand back and leaning against my desk. “Just a surprise from... someone.”

Paige raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. Instead, she walked over and took a closer look at the flowers. “Roses and wildflowers—a bit unconventional but charming,” she observed.

“Yeah,” I agreed, feeling a strange mix of emotions swirling inside me.

Paige turned her attention back to me. “How are you holding up? I know things have been... intense lately.”

I shrugged, trying to keep my expression neutral. “You know me—just taking it one day at a time.”

She nodded sympathetically. “If you ever need to talk or just vent, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks, Paige,” I said sincerely. Her offer meant more than she probably realized.

With one last glance at the bouquet, Paige gave me another smile and headed for the door. “I’ll let you get back to it then.”

As she left, I found myself staring at the flowers again,

I sat back in my chair, chewing on my bottom lip as I mulled over Paige’s words. If anyone understood what I was going through, it would be her. Not because Paige had been cheated on—though she mighthave been, I didn't know her that well, unfortunately—but because she had started dating Ryker Kane officially last month.

Maybe she could offer some advice.

But then again, this wasn’t real. This whole thing with Jared was just a charade, a means to an end. The fewer people who knew about it, the easier it would be to manage. Letting Paige in on the secret seemed risky.

I leaned forward and rested my elbows on the desk, staring at the flowers as if they held the answers to my dilemma. The vibrant colors blurred together as my mind raced.

Wasn't the whole point of this scheme for people to know about us? To make Brody and Ava see what they’d lost? If no one believed Jared and I were together, then this whole thing would fall apart before it even began.

But trusting someone else with this secret made me uneasy. Vulnerability wasn’t something I did well—if at all. I’d spent years keeping people at arm's length, except a select few like Autumn and Brody. And look how my relationship with Brody turned out.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling up inside me. This was exactly why I avoided messy personal entanglements. They complicated everything and made it harder to keep control.

Just as I was lost in thought, my cell phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID. It was Ava.

Ava calling me out of the blue? That was unexpected. I answered, trying to keep my voice neutral. "Hey."

"Hey, Isla!" Ava's voice was bright and cheerful, as always. "I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing."

"Good, good," I replied, though it felt like a lie. "Congrats again on the engagement. You and Kash must be over the moon."

"Thanks! We really are," she said with a giggle that sounded almost rehearsed. "Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you."

I braced myself. "What is it?"

"Would you be my maid of honor?" Her voice softened, and I could picture her hopeful expression on the other end of the line.

I hesitated for a split second before answering. "Of course, Ava. I'd be honored." The words felt heavy with guilt.

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