Page 144 of Wardrobe Malfunction

It is. It’s all my fault. But I don’t bother arguing with him. I know Nick will never see the bad in me. Just like I never would in him.

After Vaughn walked out on me, I was left there in his hotel suite with Jack and Alex. Uncomfortable didn’t even cut it. So, I walked out without a word to either of them and came to my hotel.

The room was too silent, so I made the stupid mistake of putting the TV on. The first thing that came on was E! News, and the presenters were discussing Vaughn and me. The moment I heard the word cheater, I switched it off and rang Nick.

“Are they still out there?” I ask.

“The press? Yeah, there’s a bunch of them hanging around the front of our building.”

I cover my face with my hand. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“It’s gonna be fine, gorgeous.”

“No, it’s not!” I cry. “The whole world thinks I’m a cheating whore. The press is camped outside our building, hounding you. And Vaughn hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you.”

“You didn’t see the way he looked at me right before he left.”

“You’re impossible to hate.”

“Stop trying to make me feel better.”

“You want me to make you feel worse? Homewrecker. Is that better?”

“A little.” I sigh. “What are we going to do, Nick?”

“Right now, we are going to do nothing.”

“But what about immigration? They’ll know what’s happened with Vaughn. Everyone knows.”

“I’m a US resident now, Charly. As far as immigration is concerned, you had an affair. Even if we get divorced, it won’t change anything to do with my residency. We only stayed married to make it seem real. You having an affair seems real enough.” He chuckles.

“Not funny.”

“Sorry.”

I let out a sad sigh, picking at the hem of my top. “He’s never going to forgive me.”

“Vaughn? He will when you tell him the truth.”

“I was going to. I just didn’t get the chance.”

“You should have talked to me, Charly. Told me how serious it was getting between the two of you. I would have encouraged you to tell him about you and me. We could have started the divorce proceedings.”

“I know. I fucked up. Big time. I’m sorry.” I feel like that’s all I’ve been saying. “I should have discussed it with you first before considering telling Vaughn. But the decision was taken out of my hands.”

“Do you trust Vaughn?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation.

“Then, I trust him, too. Go see him, and tell him everything. He’s gotta be hurting a hell of a lot right now. The very least he deserves is to know that what the press is saying isn’t exactly the truth.”

“But I don’t know where he is, Nick. He left hours ago, and he hasn’t been back since. Alex says he doesn’t know where he is, that he can’t get ahold of him. Not that he would tell me even if he did know where he was.”

“I’m guessing he wants to be alone right now. Do you know of any places where he would go to do that?”

I don’t even need to think about it. “He’d go home.”