I don’t rise to it. “You should leave me alone.”
She steps closer. Close enough that I can smell her perfume.
“I tried,” she says quietly. “I honestly did. But then he revoked my access.” Her eyes glitter. “Did you know I used to sit right where you are? Every home game. For years.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, though I don’t know why I’m apologising.
Her laugh is cold. “No, you’re not.”
She circles me slowly, heels clicking against the floor. “Do you know how humiliating it is to be turned away? To be told you’re no longer welcome somewhere you helped make home?”
My chest tightens. “That’s between you and him.”
“Oh, it is,” she agrees. “But you made it personal the moment you crawled into his bed.”
Anger flares hot and sharp. “You don’t get to talk to me like that.”
Her eyes snap to mine. “I get to talk to you however I want. You’re the placeholder.”
“That’s not true.”
She stops directly in front of me. “Isn’t it?”
I hold her gaze, even though my hands are shaking. “He chose me.”
Her smile turns vicious. “He chose distraction. You’re convenient. Safe.” She leans in. “Temporary.”
Something inside me steadies. “No,” I say. “You don’t know what we are.”
“I know him,” she snaps. “I know his patterns. His guilt. His need to feel like the good guy.” Her voice drops. “Which is why you should ask him.”
A chill slides down my spine. “Ask him what?”
She smiles slowly. “What he’s hiding.”
My pulse thunders. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, you will.” Her gaze is gleeful now. “Ask him why he really came into your life. Ask him what happened before you met. Ask him why you, Rose. Because men like Callum don’t suddenly fall for girls like you without a reason.”
“Girls like me?” My voice shakes despite myself.
She looks me up and down again. “Normal. Invisible. Easy to adore without consequences.”
“That’s enough,” I say, my throat tight.
She steps even closer, voice dropping to a whisper. “When this blows up, and it will, you’ll realise I was trying to warn you. He’ll get bored. Or the guilt will get too much for him to carry. He’ll get scared he’s made the wrong decision… again. And you’ll be the one left wondering how you didn’t see it coming.”
My eyes burn. “You’re cruel,” I whisper.
“Yes,” she says calmly. “Because I loved him. And he humiliated me for you.”
“I didn’t ask for this,” I declare.
“No,” she agrees. “But you’re enjoying it anyway.”
Footsteps approach, voices murmuring.
Talia straightens, mask sliding back into place. “Enjoy the rest of the game,” she says sweetly. “While it lasts.”
