chapter 3

So he really was Rafael’s uncle?

The thought slipped out under my breath as my fingers tapped restlessly against my laptop’s trackpad. I couldn’t stop scrolling through image after image of Ram Jordan plastered across the internet.

“What are you looking at?”

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Claire, my cousin, spoke from behind me. I slammed the laptop shut and shot her a sharp look.

“Whatever I’m doing is none of your business, Claire,” I snapped, voice tight with irritation.

Honestly, I didn’t even know why I was doing this to myself. I should’ve been studying for my upcoming exam, not obsessively stalking pictures of my ex’s-ugh-uncle.

So he really is rich? Disgustingly rich?

I whispered the question again, ignoring how I sounded like a complete creep.

“What are you mumbling about now, Lex? Oh my God, have you completely lost it?”

Claire, being her usual dramatic self, rolled her eyes. I rolled mine right back.

“I’m fine, Claire. Just… leave me alone, okay?” I muttered, clearly done with the conversation.

“Well, I would, believe me but Grandpa asked for everyone to meet at the hotel. And by ‘everyone,’ that unfortunately includes you. So get your butt moving.”

She flipped her hair like she was strutting down a runway and turned to leave.

“Wait, why? What’s going on?”

She paused to shoot me a smug look over her shoulder.

“I don’t know if you’re emotionally stable enough for this, but Amanda and him are having a family meeting to-”

“Talk about the wedding,” I finished for her, my voice flat and devoid of emotion.

Could they be more eager to shove that pathetic wedding in my face?

“And why exactly do they think I’d want to be there?”

I scowled, glaring at Claire as if she’d personally invited me to my own humiliation.

“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I was just told to come get you.”

“Whatever. I’m not going.”

If stomping like a toddler would’ve helped, I probably would’ve done it. But somehow, despite all my protests, I still found myself walking reluctantly into a luxury hotel I had no business being in. This was for a “very important family meeting” with his family, my ex-fiancé Rafael and his bride-to-be. My cousin. The traitor. Amanda.

“Fix your face, Lexie. No one wants to see you looking like a thundercloud,” Claire said, giving me a once-over.

“Shut up, Claire.”

I wasn’t going to pretend everything was fine. My heart felt like someone had danced on it in stilettos. There was no way in hell I’d fake a smile through this circus act.

“Don’t tell me to shut up.”

“Claire, stop. You know exactly what happened between me and those two backstabbers. I’m sorry, but I’m allowed to be mad.”

I picked up my pace and walked ahead before she could say another word.

Just as I neared the meeting room, I stopped cold. There they were, my family, Amanda, and Rafael—laughing like they hadn’t torn my world apart only weeks ago.

I forced my face into a mask of indifference and walked forward.

The moment they saw me, the room went still. I didn’t flinch. I simply crossed over to the glass wall and sat down, deliberately choosing a seat far from them all.

“H-Hi, L-Lexie. H-how are you?” Amanda stammered.

I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. I glanced briefly at Rafael. His eyes were on me, concern etched into his stupidly handsome face.

For one fleeting second, I wanted to scream at him, maybe cry, maybe demand answers. But instead, I turned away and locked my gaze on Grandpa, who looked about as uncomfortable as I felt.

A smirk played on my lips.

Who gave them permission to pretend this was normal? Everyone in that room knew exactly what those two did to me. And yet, here we were, sitting like it was just another warm and fuzzy family reunion.

“So what?” I said flatly. “Are we going to sit here pretending this fucking wedding isn’t a complete joke, or are we actually going to talk about it?”

“Language, Lexie,” Grandpa warned in a stern tone.

I was far too annoyed to care.

“I don’t mean to be rude,” I continued, venom lining my voice, “but could everyone stop acting like nothing’s wrong?”

“We know, sweetheart,” Grandpa began gently, “but we-”

“Oh, come on, Grandpa. Let’s not do this. Amanda and Rafael clearly don’t want to talk about what they did.”

Amanda lowered her gaze, silent.

“If you can’t control yourself, maybe you should just leave,” she whispered.

My blood boiled.

“You think I want to be here? You think I showed up so you could humiliate me again?”

My voice shook, barely keeping my rage contained.

“I’m not saying that, just please calm down. Rafael’s parents are here-”

“Oh, I’m sure they know exactly what you two did. And if they don’t, maybe I should enlighten them. After everything, you expect me to sit here and act ‘formal’? Are you serious right now?”

“Lex, please… that’s enough,” one of my other cousins interrupted quietly.

“No. This is enough.” I stood so quickly my chair scraped the floor. “You want to get married? Fine. But don’t drag me into your fairytale bullshit.”

I turned to storm off when Amanda suddenly grabbed my arm. I froze and turned to her with a glare.

“I-I’m sorry, Lex. I’m sorry for everything. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I feel terrible, I really do.”

I stared at her and let out a bitter laugh.

“Wow. Best Actress award goes to you.”

“Please, you never let me or Rafael explain—”

“Explain?” I scoffed. “Amanda, you used me. You were my cousin. Rafael was your best friend. I trusted you. I had to convince myself that I was just paranoid, that what I was seeing couldn’t possibly be true. But it was, wasn’t it?”

Amanda didn’t look up. She said nothing.

“And now you want to play the victim? It wasn’t enough that you slept with my fiancé, you had to flaunt it too? Rafael may have destroyed our relationship, but you… you were a woman. You should’ve known better.”

I drew in a shaky breath, blinking rapidly to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

“You stole something from me. Like a petty thief. And now I’m the one expected to smile and pretend everything’s okay?”

I yanked my arm free from her grip.

“Don’t you dare come to me for forgiveness. You traitorous bitch.”

Then I turned to Rafael.

“And you? I swear to God, both of you will regret this.”

Without another word, I turned and walked out.

Tears blurred my vision as I stormed down the hallway, furiously wiping them away. Even when I heard Claire calling after me, I didn’t stop. I only walked faster.

“Ouch!”

I crashed hard into someone and landed right on the hotel’s cold marble floor.

“Oh shit! I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” a man’s voice said, offering his hand as he helped me up.

I looked up, and my breath caught.

Ram Jordan.

The Ram Jordan. The man I had just been stalking online.

“Ram Jordan?” I blurted.

“Lexie?”

We said each other’s names at the same time.

“I’m really sorry, did I hurt you?” he asked, still holding me.

“N-No, I mean… I should be the one apologizing. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

I bit my lip, struggling to look away from him.

Damn… he looked good in photos, but in person? Unreal.

My eyes dropped to his chest partially hidden under a fitted black blazer, but I could tell he was built like a Greek god.

“What are you doing here?” he asked gently.

I quickly looked away, praying he hadn’t caught me checking him out.

“Oh- uh, I’m just… staying here. For a few days. You?”

He smiled.

“Remember the nephew I mentioned at the bar? I’m here to meet his bride.”

Seriously? Even he’s a part of this nightmare?

“Oh. I see. Well… you’re probably late. I was just leaving anyway.”

I gave him a fake smile and walked off.

But I didn’t leave. Not really. I ended up trailing after him like some shady stalker, pretending I didn’t know why I was doing it—but deep down, I knew exactly why.

They were really going through with this wedding. They were actually serious.

I clenched my fists as I saw Amanda practically glued to Rafael’s side. Everyone around them was laughing, completely ignoring the fact that I had been emotionally gutted just minutes earlier.

“Seriously? He’s not even that great,” I muttered under my breath.

I ducked behind a pillar just as Ram looked around the room.

You are so going to regret this, I whispered to myself.

Then I saw it—Amanda kissed Rafael. Right there. In public.

My blood boiled.

“Uncle, huh?” I muttered, eyes shifting back to Ram. “Ram Jordan… Rafael’s uncle… What could I possibly gain from you?”

I studied him, a smirk slowly curving my lips.

“Maybe I can use you,” I whispered. “Use you against your stupid nephew.”

“Lexie?”

I jumped, startled. Claire had caught up to me.

“I thought you left,” she said, confused.

“Shut up. You see that hot guy over there?”

She followed my gaze to Ram.

“Your ex’s uncle? Yeah. Why?”

“I know him. And I’m going to use him against Rafael.”

Claire’s eyes widened. “How exactly?”

I didn’t bother answering. I just shrugged.

Before I slipped away, I gave her only one instruction.

“Don’t tell anyone I’m still here.”