Chapter Twenty Four

Amelia's POV

The next day, the internet was full of pictures of Julian and I during our date. Pictures of us laughing and talking with each other. Who took these pictures, and when? It was most likely the other people who had been in the restaurant with us, or even the staff, that took the pictures and released them online.

It was not that I minded. Actually, I liked it.

I had been counting on people finding out about our date, because it would make them assume that we were together.

I knew a lot of celebrities who had gotten together thanks to a few nudges from the public.

I was lying in bed that fine morning, scrolling through the comments with a big smile on my face. There were a few people saying mean things about how I was destined for disappointment and how dare the man-eater have the nerve to go for their precious Julian Lake. I rolled my eyes and ignored them, choosing to focus instead on the ones that were joyfully rooting for our romance and wishing us a happy ending. They were calling it a love between "a woman that knows her way around a man's heart and a man that has closed his heart to every woman", and were seriously eating it up like some cheesy romcom.

Either way, I was calling it a victory.

I was still basking in the pleasure of a plan that was going right when Ray called.

"You liar!" she yelled as soon as I picked. She sounded like she was crying, which wasn't surprising. "You said you weren't going to go after him, Isabella, you promised!"

My first instinct was to apologize, and explain to her that I wasn't dating him. She would listen if I told her that we were just discussing business or having a thank you dinner or something, and that people were reading too much meaning into it.

But there was no use in lying to her like that. I was going to get together with Julian, anyway, so it would be pointless to pretend otherwise. Thankfully, Isabella Domitia was a famously spoilt heartbreaker.

"Come on, Ray," I said. "It's not like you wrote your name on Julian's forehead. Just because you like him doesn't make him your property. And since you weren't actually dating him, common sense says he's fair game."

I could tell that I had shocked her into speechlessness. She spluttered for a moment, casting about for something to say.

"I can't believe you!" she yelled. "I knew I should have listened to Jackie. You're never going to change, Isabella. You're going to remain a selfish liar until you get what you deserve—"

"If I wanted to know my future, I would have bought tarot cards," I cut in. "I have things to do, Ray. We'll talk about this later."

She started to yell something else, but I ended the call and tossed my phone on the bed.

'This is the exact kind of drama I've spent my life avoiding,' I grumbled.

Wait, if Ray had seen the pictures and the speculations already, there was someone else who had most likely seen them as well. I dived for my phone and called Julian immediately.

"Hey," I said, "I'm sorry for calling you so early in the morning."

"I'm guessing you've seen the pictures online?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied, trying to decide if his voice sounded offended or not.

"Sorry about that," I added, just to be safe.

"It's not your fault," he replied. "Such a thing was bound to happen. Goldcrest City loves gossip, after all. At least I'll be wooed less, now that they think I'm taken."

"So… you're not mad at me?" I asked.

"Of course I'm not mad at you," he replied, sounding surprised. "Why would I be?"

"Because… it wouldn't have happened if not for the deal I offered you?" I said.

"It was my choice to accept that deal, in case you didn't notice," he replied. "Besides, we were sitting together throughout the dinner, and I didn't see you taking pictures of us, or putting it on the internet, for that matter. So no, this isn't happening because of you."

It made me feel better to hear him say that.

"So… are you still up for the other two dates?" I asked, just to make sure.

"Of course," he replied. "Have you picked a location yet?"

"Not yet," I said. "I woke up to see these pictures, and it sort of skipped my mind. But I'll get right to finding it, and it's not going to be like anything you could have imagined. Prepare to be surprised."

I heard a smile in his voice when he answered.

"I'm counting on it."

……

Jessica's POV

I was sitting at the balcony of my mansion, sipping champagne from a tall glass and watching the sunrise with a satisfied smile on my face.

This had been my life since I divorced Julian. Days filled with all the luxury money could buy, everything I wanted right at my fingertips. But that was before I started losing money. When I moved out of Goldcrest City to this one, it had been with half of Julian's wealth thanks to the divorce. I had expanded my fashion company till it had a branch in every city.

But everything was falling apart now, since a rival company took over the markets. Soon enough, I would no longer be able to afford this lifestyle.

"Miss Blake," Miriam, my secretary, called, "you need to see this."

Miriam was my most trusted worker. Back when I was still married to Julian, she was the one who had helped me hide my affair from him for so long.

She handed me an iPad, and I glanced at the screen. It was a picture of two people, a man and a woman. They were laughing over dinner, and her hand was on his arm.

Clearly a date.

"Julian," I muttered. "And… the Domitia heiress?"