I turn off my phone completely before he can respond, before I have to see his reaction or answer any more questions.
Then I lie down on top of my covers and stare at the ceiling, watching the shadows shift as dawn gradually breaks through my windows, painting the room in shades of gray and gold. I don't sleep at all.
At six-thirty in the morning, there's a soft knock on my door.
"Li?" Gia's voice comes through, tentative. "You awake?"
"Come in," I call out.
She opens the door carefully, already dressed for the day in casual clothes. She takes one look at my face—at the darkcircles under my eyes, at my exhausted expression—and closes the door firmly behind her for privacy.
"You didn't sleep at all," she observes, sitting on the edge of my bed.
"Not really. Couldn't stop thinking."
She waits patiently, giving me space to speak when I'm ready. "What happened last night?"
"I tracked him down. I interrupted his poker game with some very dangerous men. Important business associates." I pull the covers up higher, seeking comfort. "Sat in his lap in front of everyone. Caused a scene that I'm sure everyone will be talking about. Then we had sex in his sports car."
Gia's eyes go wide with shock. "You what?"
"You heard me correctly the first time."
"Liana—" She starts, concern clear in her voice. “This isn’t like you at all. You’re never this impulsive.”
"It was just physical," I say quickly, defensively, needing her to understand. "It doesn't change anything about the plan. It doesn't mean anything."
"Are you sure about that?" Her tone suggests she doesn't believe me.
"Yes. Completely sure." I sit up, meeting her eyes. "It was just sex. People have sex all the time without it meaning anything deeper. It was physical release, nothing more."
"You had sex with your fiancé in his car and you're telling me it doesn't mean anything?"
"Exactly. That's exactly what I'm saying."
She's quiet for a long moment, studying my face. "Did he want you to go home with him after? To his apartment?"
"Yes," I admit.
"And you didn’t?"
"I have to volunteer this morning. You know Dorothy gets genuinely upset if I'm late or don't show up." It's a weak excuse, but it's the one I gave.
"Liana." Gia's voice is gentle but firm. "That's not why you said no. We both know that."
I don't answer, because she's right and we both know it.
"You said no because you're scared," she continues, hitting exactly what I don't want to acknowledge. "Because if you went home with him, if you stayed the night, it would mean something real. It would cross a line you're not ready to cross. It would make this whole situation more complicated than you can handle."
"I'm not scared," I protest automatically.
"You're terrified," she corrects softly.
"I'm committed to the plan," I insist, clinging to what I know. "There's a significant difference between fear and strategic thinking."
"Is there?" She stands and walks to my window, looking out at the estate grounds. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're running. You slept with him and then fled before it could mean anything, before he could make you feel anything more."
"That's the smart move strategically."
