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I must not look as cheerful as I sound because Lucy frowns. “Thanks. You, too.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. Me, too? For what?”
“Your engagement,” she says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
I guess it is. Or it would be—if Mikhail and I were actually engaged. He didn’t even organize a sham proposal to accompany our sham engagement. I still don’t have a ring on my finger.
I chuckle. “Oh. Right. Yes. Of course.”
“It’s probably a lot to keep track of,” she says softly.
My brows pinch together. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
She glances over at Geoff and Mikhail. Both of them are busy assuming they are the center of the universe, so they aren’t paying any attention.
Lucy looks back to me and leans in. “It’s probably hard to keep track of your engagements. You’ve had so many.”
I pull back and her expression is neutral, but I feel the venom from her words.
“Oh. I don’t—That wasn’t—” I fumble for something to say, but I don’t know how to recover from this. Or how to explain the last few weeks of my life. Instead, I blow out a breath. “How old are you?”
Her brow arches sharply. “Old enough to know you’re a fucking idiot.”
I blink at her, stunned. She glances at Geoff. When he looks over, she smiles pleasantly. But the moment he looks away, her gaze snaps back to me. “No person in their right mind would give up Ivan Pushkin. You’re the dumbest woman alive.”
There are a million things I should say, but all I can manage is, “I didn’t give him up.”
Her eyes narrow further. “Then you weren’t worth his time. Which makes you the most pitiful woman alive. Have fun with that.”
Bitch.
I tell myself to give her grace. She’s young, probably being manipulated by this douchebag named Geoff, and has been brainwashed to think that her only worth comes from marrying someone with money.
But I can’t say any of that. Not right now. Not when Mikhail is standing two feet away. Not when I’m supposed to be playing my role to perfection.
Instead, I smile at her and turn to the side. “And you have fun being repeatedly cheated on by a man namedGeofffor the rest of your life.”
Her mouth falls open, but before she can say anything, I lay a hand on Mikhail’s arm. “Excuse me—I’m going to the restroom.”
His eyes flare. He doesn’t want me out of sight, but he can’t say that in front of his acquaintances.
His teeth clench as he grimaces. “Hurry back. Our food will be here soon.”
I slip away and move towards the back of the restaurant. I feel eyes on me as I walk, but I don’t stop and talk to anyone. Mikhail’s goal in bringing me here was for the two of us to be seen. And we’ve been seen. Goal accomplished. Now, I need five minutes in a quiet room to decompress.
The women’s bathroom is a right turn and a long hallway away from the dining area. Just turning the corner takes some of the weight off. I sag into my bones, dropping the facade I’ve been clinging to for dear life all morning.
When I step into the restroom and bolt the door behind me, I release a soul-deep sigh.
Whatever plan Ivan is working on, he better make it happen fast. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.
The fake smiles. The fake people. The metaphorical knife twisting in my ribs.
Mikhail is content just to trot me out like a show pony—for now. But it won’t be long before he tries to corner me again. Before he wants way,waymore than I’m willing to give.
I won’t be able to fake a smile throughthat.
No, if Mikhail tries to touch me again… I’ll kill him before I give myself over.
