Page 51 of Fake Fiancée for Dad's Best Friend
Was I really with this woman for five fucking years?I open my mouth to remind her she was the one who changed her mind earlier, but I shake my head instead. “I don’t have the time.”
“Are you sure? It has something to do with your little secret.”
My pulse spikes and I want to strangle her. I take a few deep breaths to calm down. “Where do you want to go?”
“Take me to Gabriel’s,” she says with a conceited smile.
I sigh, walk her out of the building and call a taxi. As soon as we’re in the back of the cab, I ask her, “So what is it about?”
She smirks. “Since when have you become so impatient, Alex? You’ll find out in just a minute.”
I don’t want to spare that many minutes with her, so I continue to press her. “Does it have to do with Vivian?”
“Do you have other secrets I don’t know about?” she asks in a flirtatious manner.
I roll my eyes, guessing what she has done.
“The truth is,” she speaks a moment later. “I have a little talk with John.”
I cut my eyes at her. “You didn’t!”
“I did,” she says, still smiling. “That was why I didn’t expect Vivian to be with you tonight.”
I clench my teeth. “What did you tell him?”
She laughs. “Kidding! Calm down! I haven’t told him anything. I was just asking how he was doing at Fusion. I always like John, you know? He’s such a talented designer and a friendly guy. I wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings.”
My sixth sense tells me she’s up to something. Trisha has always been an ambitious woman and is aggressive to get what she wants. Before we were together, she had been with numerous influential people in the fashion industry, including head designers of famous brands and CEOs of successful retailers. She climbs up the ladder fairly quickly in the madly competitive trade not because she’s prettier or taller than other models but because of her determination. And I happen to admire the trait in a person. It was the main reason I hired her to be my model, and it was not a mistake. She did a good job for Trend. But it was a mistake to go beyond work relationship with her because she had nothing else but success in her eyes. Everything we did together was for her publicity. Most of our weekends were spent at fundraising galas.
It doesn’t take us long to reach Gabriel’s. Being a Saturday night, the place is crowded, and we have to wait for a table. Again, Trisha refuses to talk about it in the waiting area. Not until twenty minutes late do we finally get a table.
While waiting patiently for Trisha to place her order, I debate whether I should text Vivian and tell her I would be later than expected. I decide not to do it because I don’t plan to spend much time with Trisha and because I want Vivian to wait for me. Despite my annoyance, my lust for my fiancée hasn’t gone away.
After the waiter brings Trisha a glass of wine and she takes a sip, she speaks. “So, I spoke to Sam, and she told me Karen and Mike were coming here tomorrow.”
I nod. “They’re.”
“Is that why Vivian lied to her dad?”
I sigh. “Get to the point, Trisha. What do you want?”
“Shame on you, Alex,” she says. “Lying to your best friend and making his daughter do the same.”
Her words hit my sore spot, but I refuse to show regret in front of her. “It’s none of your business.”
“In fact, it is. Like I said, I respect John. It was difficult for me not to tell him the truth.”
I narrow my eyes on her. “You wouldn’t dare!”
She raises her chin and looks at me defiantly.
“I am planning to tell him,” I say.
“When?” she scoffs. “After Vivian leaves for Paris?”
I want nothing other than throttling this woman. Why does she still act like she owns me?
But I calm down. I remind myself what Vivian and I agreed upon regarding John. I won’t be telling him the truth anytime soon.
