Page 92 of Don't Date Your Nemesis

I headed down the stairs, smiling, and already imagining jumping him mid-workout. He looked ridiculously hot when he was sweaty.

Then I heard voices.

I paused on the stairs.

Xavier’s voice, tinny through the phone speaker, said, “You can end it after the Indian wedding like we planned.”

My hand gripped the railing.

“Yeah. Mission accomplished,” Liam replied, his voice casual.

My throat tightened.

“And the girl? Deepika?”

He took a long pause to reply while I held my breath, “What about her?”

Each of his words felt like a knife between my ribs.

“Come on. Don’t tell me you caught feelings. This was always business.”

I leaned closer to hear his reply, but after a pause, Liam laughed.

I froze, hearing his laugh.

“Relax, Xavier. I know what this is.”

I couldn’t breathe.

The world tilted sideways, everything going sharp and painful. My ears were ringing and my hands felt numb. The smell of his cologne from the jacket made me nauseous.

Everything he had said. The ‘I love you’s’ whispered against my skin and the way he had braided my hair last night while I talked about my dreams.

All of it was a lie.

For his benefit, his sponsors, and for his fucking image.

I had been there before with Yash. The man who used me, manipulated me, and destroyed me for his own gain.

And I fell for it again.

I was right to be cautious, as hysteria bubbled in my chest. I let myself believe in a fairytale, and reality came crashing down.

I’m always the consolation prize, never the choice.

My vision blurred, and I blinked, tears spilling over.

I wouldn’t give him the chance to drop me or throw me away. I would leave first and end it before he could destroy me the way Yash had.

I turned and ran up the stairs as quietly as possible, my heart hammering so loud I thought he might hear it.

I grabbed my duffel bag from the closet and started throwing things in without overthinking. I grabbed my clothes, a few toiletries, my laptop, and chargers. My hands shook so badly I could barely zip it closed.

I was reaching for my grandmother’s ring when I saw the receipt.

The ring sat in a small velvet box in his dresser drawer because I had taken it off earlier to shower.

Next to it was a jeweler’s receipt.