Chapter 3 - Vincent’s Real Reason
The restaurant was surrounded by reporters.
Emily stopped on the sidewalk.
“Oh, God.”
Vincent stood beside her.
“We can leave.”
“No.”
“You don’t owe these people anything.”
“I know.”
“Then why go inside?”
“Because I owe myself something.”
“What?”
Emily straightened her uniform.
“To stop being ashamed.”
She walked forward.
Questions exploded.
“Emily!”
“Are you dating Vincent DeLuca?”
“Were you paid?”
“Was the kiss staged?”
Emily stopped.
Vincent’s security moved closer.
She raised one hand.
“Vincent didn’t pay me.”
Cameras flashed.
“He didn’t plan what happened. Neither did I.”
She glanced at Vincent.
“Although apparently he’s been drinking terrible coffee for almost a year because he was too stubborn to ask me out.”
Laughter erupted.
Vincent shook his head.
A reporter shouted, “Are you embarrassed by what Tyler said?”
Emily paused.
“I was.”
The crowd quieted.
“Then I realized something. Tyler spent years teaching me to hate myself because it made controlling me easier.”
Vincent’s eyes sharpened.
Emily continued.
“I’m not interested in learning that lesson anymore.”
She turned and entered the restaurant.
Vincent followed.
Inside, her manager rushed over.
“You’re trending everywhere.”
“I still have tables.”
“Emily—”
“Section?”
He blinked.
“Four.”
“Great.”
She picked up a tray.
Vincent caught her wrist lightly.
“Dinner.”
“What?”
“With me.”
Emily looked at him.
“Are you asking me on a date?”
“Yes.”
“You’re terrible at this.”
“I’m aware.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“I work until ten.”
“Ten fifteen.”
She smiled.
“Fine.”
A voice came from behind them.
“How touching.”
Emily froze.
Tyler stood near the bar.
Vanessa was beside him.
Vincent’s entire demeanor changed.
Emily stepped between them.
“No.”
Vincent looked at her.
“I said no.”
He nodded once.
Tyler laughed.
“She gives you orders?”
Vincent replied calmly, “She doesn’t need my permission to speak.”
Tyler looked at Emily.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“More than I expected.”
“You think he actually wants you?”
Emily inhaled.
Old Emily would have looked down.
Old Emily would have wondered whether Tyler was right.
This Emily didn’t.
“Why do you care?”
Tyler hesitated.
Emily stepped closer.
“You’re engaged.”
Vanessa’s expression changed.
Emily continued.
“You have the beautiful woman you told me I could never compete with. You supposedly have everything you wanted.”
She tilted her head.
“So why have you spent twenty-four hours talking about me?”
Tyler’s face reddened.
“Because this whole thing is ridiculous.”
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
Vanessa removed Tyler’s arm from around her waist.
“What’s ridiculous is that we got engaged yesterday and you’ve mentioned Emily more than you’ve mentioned our wedding.”
“Vanessa—”
“You brought me here because she worked here, didn’t you?”
Tyler went silent.
Vanessa stared.
“Oh my God.”
Emily understood at the same moment.
“You knew I’d be working.”
Tyler scoffed.
“So?”
“You planned it.”
“I wanted you to see I’d moved on.”
Vincent finally spoke.
“A man who has moved on doesn’t need an audience.”
Tyler looked at him.
“You stay out of this.”
Vincent’s expression remained calm.
“I tried.”
Vanessa pulled the engagement ring from her finger.
Tyler’s eyes widened.
“What are you doing?”
She placed it on the table.
“I’m not spending my marriage competing with your ex.”
“Vanessa.”
She walked away.
Tyler reached for her.
Emily stepped aside.
“Go.”
He glared at her.
“You did this.”
Emily shook her head.
“No, Tyler.”
She picked up her tray.
“You did.”
May you like
And for the first time since meeting him, she walked away without caring what he thought.
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