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“My arranged marriage, Paige,” I corrected, grabbing the article out of her hands.
The headline read, “Tristian Hawkins finally settles down with none other than Belle Montgomery.”
“Ugh…” I grabbed my stomach. “I’m going to be sick.” I continued reading out loud. “For generations, there has been an ongoing rivalry between his family and hers, but today marks the first time they’ll be joining forces. Tristian’s publicist confirms our suspicions that their love affair began when they were only teenagers.”
“Oh my God! His team released a statement? Why wasn’t I told he was going to talk to the press?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Do you want me to find out?”
“It’s too late now. The damage is done.” Proceeding, I recited, “Tristian has declared that Belle has always been the love of his life. He confirms she was the one who got away, but now he’s making sure she is his forever.”
“Awe,” Paige chimed in. That’s so romantic.”
I frowned. “Whose side are you on?”
“I’m always on your side, Belle, but come on, you have to admit … it’s kind of romantic.”
Paige wasn’t just my executive assistant who’d been working for me for the last five years, but she was also one of my closest friends now, and now she was my maid of honor.
“He’s playing a part, Paige.”
“I don’t think he’s faking anything.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me?”
“I see how he looks at you. There’s love in his eyes.”
“It’s not love you’re seeing, it’s control. Tristian thrives on. I’m just another conquest for him, so please don’t let him fool you.”
“Alright, but what happened between the two of you anyway? You’ve never talked about him before.”
“It’s not important.”
“It’s obviously important to you, or why else would you be holding a grudge against him?”
“You think I’m holding a grudge?”
“Aren’t you?”
“I… I… I don’t know anymore. It’s not like I ever expected him to come back into my life.”
“Do you love him?”
“Absolutely not!”
“Did you?”
“I was sixteen, Paige. I also loved N’SYNC back then too.”
“Eh.” She shrugged again. “I was more of a Backstreet Boys kind of girl.”
I laughed, feeling grateful I still could at a time like this. I opened my mouth to reply, but my grandmother and mom walked in.
“Oh, sweetheart!” Mom greeted, walking toward me with my grandmother beside her. “You look perfect! Absolutely perfect!”
“Wow,” Grandmother breathed out, taking in my wedding gown. “You’re stunning, Belle. Pictures aren’t going to do you justice. That dress on you… Tristian is going to lose his mind when he sees you.”
“Are you only saying this in hopes that I’ll be happy about this arranged marriage of convenience?”
