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He gripped her hand—-
She froze.
—-and flung it away.
“Thanks—-” Vassi smiled tightly. “But no thanks.”
Ah.
Seri watched him walk away.
I love you, Vassi.
And because she loved him, she had to be the kind of girl he would never ever care to defend.
Chapter Eight
Vassi was about to step inside the elevator when he heard a familiar voice call out, “Wait up, Grachyov.” Continuing inside, he automatically pressed the hold button, and a second later Daniela appeared beside him, looking out of breath.
“Thanks.” She flashed him a grateful smile as the doors closed on them.
He eyed her curiously, taking note of her strangely unkempt appearance. Her shirt looked like she had slept in it for a week, and her face was unusually free of makeup. “Hangover.”
Her smile became brittle. “You can say that.” She combed her hair with one hand, and that was when he saw it.
He took hold of her wrist and, ignoring her cry of protest, he turned it around, palm out, and his gaze narrowed when his suspicions were proven true. There were bruises around her wrist, the kind that only someone cruelly manhandled could get.
“Who did this, D?”
She snatched her hand away. “None of your business.”
“Surely you can’t be that stupid,” he said sharply, “ to think being treated this way is—-”
Daniela snapped, “As stupid as falling for one’s stepsister, you think?”
Vassi’s lips tightened.
Daniela’s face suddenly crumpled. “I’m sorry.” Furiously wiping her eyes, she said unevenly, “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to take my anger out on you.”
“You’re forgiven,” he said easily, “but say something like that again and I will sue you for defamation of character and slander.” He paused. “Among other things.”
“I got it the first time, okay? It won’t happen again.”
He didn’t answer.
Daniela exhaled. “Again, I’m sorry. I’ve had a really bad time, and yes, I know it’s no excuse, but that’s what it is.” Looking down on her bruised wrist, she muttered, “It’s my boyfriend who did this.”
“The rocker?” With the other guy being famous and his fangirls preferring him single, his relationship with Daniela had been kept under wraps from the start. The only reason he knew about it was because Daniela had entrusted him with her secret.
Daniela gave him a small nod. “He promised me that he’d stay clean, but last night I caught him snorting whatever the newest thing is. I told him I’m leaving, and that’s when this happened. I managed to get away, but he’s been harassing me ever since, texting and calling.” She showed him her phone.
Taking it, Vassi scrolled through her messages and shook his head at the threats the rocker had been sending to Daniela. As the elevator’s doors opened to their floor, he gave Daniela her phone back, saying quietly, “You should sue him for this.”
As they walked side by side, she muttered, “I know I should. But I won’t.”
He glanced at her in exasperation. “Because you love him?”
“Yes.” He saw her unconsciously rub her bruised wrist as she spoke, almost as if she was trying to convince herself the damage wasn’t that bad.
Daniela entered the recording studio first, and following her inside, the first thing he saw was, of course, Seri. Even after everything, the way he sensed her presence first and before everything else hadn’t changed, and for one moment he allowed himself the bittersweet pleasure of gazing at her.
It had been almost a week since he had left her at Davey’s place, and a part of him had foolishly hoped that by the time they met again, he would see her with eyes that were no longer blinded by the past.
But it wasn’t to be.
She was still the most beautiful girl in his eyes, and he despised her as much as he still—-
Vassi deliberately cut the thought off.
Move on, Grachyov.
No matter how much he wished, Seri was not the kind of girl he thought she was.
As he and Daniela headed to their positions, the other actors started grinning and elbowing each other.
“Did you two come to work together?”
Daniela blinked. “What?” Then, as if realizing what their colleagues were hinting at, she gasped, “No.” When everyone kept grinning, she rolled her eyes, saying, “Oh, please. Grachyov’s not my type.”
“Oh, please, back,” Malinda, the actress voicing the main female protagonist, scoffed. “Vassi Grachyov is every girl’s type.” She then added, “I’m a lesbian, and even I know that,” which caused everyone to laugh.
As Vassi took his place beside Seri, he told Daniela solemnly, “Why don’t you just admit it? You’ve got the hots for me.”
“Pleeeease.” Tiptoeing to catch Seri’s eye over Vassi’s shoulder, Daniela pleaded, “Tell me you’re siding with me on this.”
Vassi heard Seri say sweetly, “I can’t. He’s my favorite brother, after all.” And then Seri was peering at him, asking, “Right?”
They stared at each other.
Seri struggled not to lose her smile. Seeing Vassi and Daniela arrive together was like a slap to the face, and even now, the pain lingered inside her, making it hard to breathe and think beyond the words she was doing her best not to cry out.
