Page 130 of Pretend To Be Mine

“That’s not true. We’ll fix this.”

“How?” I looked up at him. I hated how broken I sounded. “You’re Adrian Blackwell. You have lawyers, PR firms, and a team of damage-control specialists. You have a family name that’s survived scandals before. You have endless opportunities to redeem yourself. You’ll be given a chance to tell your story. But me? I’m nobody. This was my one shot, Adrian. My one chance to prove I belonged in this world. And now everyone thinks I’m a fraud who slept her way to a job offer.”

“You didn’t.”

“But that’s what they think!” I was crying now, angry tears that I couldn’t stop. “I’m the one whose reputation is destroyed. You’ll all be fine. The Blackwell name will survive this. But me? I’m done.”

“Elizabeth, please just stop. Give me a minute to figure this out.”

“I need to leave.” I grabbed my bag and pushed past him toward the door. “I need to get out of here.”

“Where are you going?”

“Back to the villa. Back to New York. I don’t know.” I couldn’t look at him. If I looked at him, I’d fall apart completely. “I just need to not be here while the whole wide world is trashing me.”

“Let me come with you.”

“No.” The word came out way harsher than I intended. “You need to stay. Do damage control. Protect your family’s company. That’s what matters, right? That’s what’s always mattered.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Nothing about this is fair!” I finally looked at him, and the pain in his eyes almost broke my resolve. Almost.

I walked out before he could respond, before I could see whatever expression was on his face, before I could let him talk me into staying.

Mimi was in the hallway, along with the other three brothers. They all turned when I appeared, concern and sympathy on their faces. Great. An audience for my humiliation.

“Elizabeth,” Sebastian started.

“I need to go.” I kept walking, and thankfully none of them tried to stop me. “I’m sorry. For all of this. For the disruption. I hope Fashion of Love Week ends well. It’s been amazing.”

Adrian caught up to me at the stage door exit. “At least let me get you back safely. My car is out front.”

“I can get a taxi.”

“Elizabeth, please. Let me do this one thing.”

I was too tired to argue. Too emotionally drained to fight anymore. Plus, my Italian was terrible. I didn’t know if I could even talk to a cab driver. So, I nodded and allowed him to guide me through the backstage area to a private exit where his car was waiting.

The driver opened the door, and I slid inside. Adrian leaned in, his hand on the door frame.

“I’m going to fix this,” he said quietly. “I don’t know how yet, but I will.”

“You need to stay,” I said, not meeting his eyes. “Your brothers need you. The show needs you. I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll catch a ride with one of them.” He looked like he wanted to say more, like there were a thousand words fighting to get out. “Just… please don’t make any decisions tonight. Give me time to figure this out.”

I didn’t promise him anything. I just nodded. He closed the door.

As the car pulled away, I looked back through the rear window. Adrian stood there watching, looking more lost than I’d ever seen him. His brothers emerged from the building, Sebastian’s hand on his shoulder, saying something I couldn’t hear.

And then we turned a corner, and they were gone.

The drive back to the villa felt endless. Milan’s beautiful streets blurred past the window, all that history and art and culture that I’d been so excited to experience just days ago. Now it all felt meaningless. I’d come here with such hope and dreams. And I was leaving destroyed.

My phone buzzed in my bag. Then again. And again.

I knew it was Adrian. Probably Annika too. Maybe even Mimi. I couldn’t face them. Couldn’t face any of it. Maybe I would ask Adrian to use his little plane to fly me to a deserted island and then leave.