Surprise! I came home early. Where are you? Been trying to reach you all day. Getting worried.
My heart pounds as I sit up, clutching the sheet to my chest. “Olivia’s back. She’s at home right now.”
Hunter sits up beside me, immediately alert. “You can’t go back there.”
“But if I don’t, she’ll really worry,” I say, panic rising. “I can’t exactly tell her I’m hiding out with her fiancé.”
“If Jax has men watching your estate, you’ll be walking right into danger.”
I stare at my phone, Olivia’s text glowing accusingly. The perfect bubble we’d been in just seconds ago has shattered completely. I have no explanation for where I’ve been, no way to return home safely, and no idea how to respond to my sister without lying even more.
Hunter’s brow furrows in thought as he watches me stare at my phone. “Tell her you’re at your father’s estate. Say you needed space, time to think after your mother’s anniversary.”
I look up at him, my fingers still hovering over the keyboard. It’s not a terrible idea. I have disappeared to the cliff house before when things got overwhelming.
“I don’t know if that will work,” I say, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth. “If I tell her I’m here, she might drive out to join me. Olivia hates being alone at the apartment.”
Hunter’s expression shifts. His hand slides up my bare back, warm and steady against my skin.
“Maybe that would be perfect,” he says, his voice low. “If she comes out here, we could talk to her together. Put our plan to her about ending the engagement.”
I pull away slightly, staring at him. “You want to tell her about us? Here? Now?”
“Think about it, Aurora.” Hunter sits up fully, the sheet pooling around his waist. “It’s neutral ground. If she reacts badly, she can have space immediately.”
My heart races at the thought. I’d imagined having this conversation with Olivia alone first, softening the blow before introducing Hunter into the equation.
“Don’t you think it would be better if I spoke to her one-on-one initially? This is going to be a shock no matter what, but both of us confronting her at once feels...”
“Honest,” Hunter finishes for me. “Direct. No more secrets or manipulation.”
I run a hand through my tangled hair. “She’s going to hate me.”
“She already told you she doesn’t love me,” Hunter reminds me. “That this was just business for her.”
“There’s a difference between not loving your fiancé and finding out he’s sleeping with your sister,” I counter.
I stare at my phone, heart hammering against my ribs as I type a response to Olivia.
I’m at Dad’s cliff house. Needed some space after Mom’s anniversary. Just taking some time to clear my head.
My thumb hovers over the send button for a few seconds before I finally press it. The message disappears with a swoosh, and I exhale shakily.
“Do you think she’ll believe me?” I ask Hunter, who’s watching me intently from his position beside me on the bed.
“It’s the truth, partially,” he says. “The best lies always are.”
I set my phone down on the nightstand, but keep glancing at it every few seconds. The three dots appear almost immediately, showing Olivia is typing a response. They disappear, then reappear again. My stomach twists with anxiety.
“She’s typing something... deleting it... typing again,” I narrate to Hunter, who places a reassuring hand on my thigh over the sheets.
Finally, my phone buzzes with her reply.
Poor thing! I’m coming out there right now. Don’t want you to be alone with your thoughts. I’ll bring wine and those pastries you like from Bellini’s.
My pulse quickens. “She’s coming here. Right now.” I turn to Hunter, panic rising in my chest. “What do we do? What do I say to her?”
Hunter remains calm, his expression unreadable as he takes my phone and reads Olivia’s message. “It’s for the best. We need to deal with this situation head-on.”
