Chapter Five

Valentine 

Valentine barely made it through the front door before kicking off her heels.

The silence of the house wrapped around her like a heavy blanket.

She dropped her handbag onto the console table and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes.

Today had been exhausting, seeing Adrian again, pretending they had never met

Watching him shake her hand as though he hadn't kissed those same fingers barely Twenty four hours earlier, It had taken everything she had not to fall apart.

"Well," a familiar voice called from the living room, "judging by that face, I would say the fitting didn't go well."

Valentine opened her eyes and smiled weakly.

"You let yourself in again?"

"I have a spare key."

"And yet you abuse the privilege every time."

"I prefer to think of it as being a supportive best friend."

Sienna emerged carrying two mugs of coffee and one was immediately handed to Valentine.

"I figured you would need this."

"I definitely do."

The two women settled onto the couch.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Sienna simply watched her.

"What happened?"

Valentine stared into her mug.

"I did something stupid."

Sienna arched an eyebrow.

"How stupid are we talking?"

"The kind of stupid you only read about in romance novels."

"Oh, now I'm interested."

Valentine laughed softly before the smile disappeared.

"I slept with someone."

Sienna nearly dropped her coffee.

"You what?"

"The night Dominic cheated on me."

"Honestly?" Sienna reached over and squeezed her hand. "Good for you girl."

Valentine blinked. "What?"

"I'm serious, that man shattered your heart. If one night helped you breathe again, I'm not judging you."

"It wasn't like that."

"No?"

Valentine slowly shook her head.

"He was kind."

The word surprised even her.

"He didn't know anything about me."

"But he listened."

"He made me laugh."

Sienna smiled knowingly.

"So that's why you are smiling now."

Valentine's smile vanished.

"It gets worse."

Sienna's expression immediately changed.

"Worse?"

Valentine nodded.

"The man I spent the night with."

She swallowed, "is my fiancé's younger brother."

The room fell deathly quiet and Sienna stared at her then blinked.

"I'm sorry."

Another blink.

"Come again?"

Valentine let out a humorless laugh.

"I met him in a bar."

"I lied about my name."

"We spent the night together."

"And today"

She buried her face in her hands. "I found out he is Adrian Knight."

"My fiancé's brother."

Sienna remained frozen for several seconds.

"Okay."

Valentine looked up, "Okay?"

"I'm trying very hard not to scream."

"You can scream."

"I might."

Instead, Sienna stood and began pacing the room.

"No."

"No."

"No." 

She pointed dramatically at Valentine.

"Only you could accidentally sleep with your future brother in law."

"I know."

"What are the odds?"

"I don't know!"

Sienna stopped pacing.

"Does Alexander know?"

"No."

"Does Adrian?"

"He knows who I am now."

"And?"

"He agreed we should keep it a secret."

Sienna studied her friend carefully.

"And how do you feel about that?"

Valentine looked away.

"I think that's for the best."

"Is it?" 

"It has to be."

She drew in a slow breath.

"I have never been the kind of girl who dreamed about Prince Charming." she started, "I never imagined some grand love story. My father always used to say that life isn't a fairy tale and I believed him."

She looked down at the engagement ring resting on her finger.

"I accepted that one day I would probably marry the man who made the most sense."

"The man who could offer stability."

"The man my family needed me to marry."

Sienna's heart ached listening to her.

"But now" Valentine whispered.

She stopped and Sienna waited.

"Now what?"

Valentine shook her head.

"Nothing."

"No, finish that sentence."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because it doesn't matter."

The words came out almost broken.

"I'm marrying Alexander in three weeks and if I don't" She closed her eyes.

"My family's company dies. My father's legacy dies.bHundreds of people lose their jobs. I don't get to be selfish."

A heavy silence settled between them before there is a knock at the door. .

"That must be Aunt Grace."

She set her mug down and walked toward the front door.

As soon as she opened it, she was shocked to find Adrian standing on the doorstep.

His tie had been loosened and his hands were tucked into his pockets.

He looked just as surprised to see her as she was to see him.

For a long second neither of them spoke.

"What are you doing here?" Valentine finally asked.

"I'm sorry for showing up unannounced."

She folded her arms.

"How did you find my address?"

"Your aunt gave it to me."

"My aunt?"

He nodded.

"Alexander was called away for an urgent business trip this afternoon."

She frowned.

"What does that have to do with you?"

"My grandfather insists someone from the Knight family attends every wedding meeting."

Understanding slowly dawned on her face.

"No"

Adrian let out a weary sigh.

"I argued."

"I lost."

"So"

He offered her a small, apologetic smile.

"It looks like I will be taking my brother's place until he gets back."

Valentine stared at him.

Somewhere behind her, Sienna quietly peeked around the corner before her eyes widened in curiosity.

Neither Adrian nor Valentine noticed.

All either of them could think was the same terrifying thought.

Keeping their secret had just become infinitely more dangerous and hard.