đź’śNicole
"Don't come in!" I yelled at the door, the moment I heard the familiar soft tap. I knew it was Grace. I was still in Marco's borrowed shirt but now home in my room, wrapped in a ridiculously huge bath towel, and actively mourning the death of my neon pink dress and my dignity.
The door clicked open anyway. Of course it did. Grace, never listening even if I want to be left alone. She sat on the floor, cross-legged, near the edge of my bed.
I took a deep, shaky breath. The confrontation was coming. Whatever had happened in the kitchen, the public humiliation, the sheer obvious fire between Leonardo and me, it must have given Grace clues. She probably figured out I liked him, that I wanted him to notice me, which was a terrifying thought.
Grace took a deep breath, looking at the water-logged mess that was my hair was.
"Nicole," she began, her voice soft. "Are you sure you hate Leonardo?" she asked.
I braced myself, ready to launch into a clumsy, pre-emptive apology. I'm sorry, Gracie, I don't know what came over me, I didn't mean to flirt with your fiancé, I'm possessed....
"I… I'm sorry," I stammered, feeling the heat rise in my face. "I honestly don't even know how it happened."
Grace burst out laughing. It wasn't mocking; it was light and genuine. "I knew it! That's why he asked to invite you! Because you both are actually cool. I'm not mad honestly, you should have just told me you both sorted your differences. I think you both make the best brother and sister-in-law combo!"
I blinked slowly, the tension in my shoulders dissolving into pure disbelief. She was utterly, blessedly clueless. The pool incident, the furious jealousy I had displayed, the blatant physical rage, Grace interpreted it as a sign of friendship? Or she was just playing dumb?
I flopped backward onto my mattress, exhaling a long, dramatic sigh of relief and despair.
Grace continued talking, cheerfully unaware of the emotional train wreck she was sitting next to. She was already looking forward to the wedding, excited that Leonardo had such a strong, fiery personality. She even said she found the whole thing; Leonardo throwing me into the pool hot.
And there it was. The moment I realized I was a terrible person.
A crush on my sister's fiancé was crazy. But it wasn't just any crush; it was a full-blown, catastrophic attraction to Leonardo Greco. He was everything I despised; Controlling, arrogant, and terrifying but the chemistry was a live wire. It felt like standing in a lightning storm, and I couldn't look away.
I turned over and buried my head in my pillow. It felt so wrong. I had only ever been in love once, with some harmless college boy, and now I didn't even think that was real love. It was probably just some childish, first-relationship drama. And the second time I felt this consuming, terrifying emotion, it had to be for the man who was legally obligated to marry my sister.
Grace's voice became a dull roar in my ears. All I could truly hear were my own thoughts. His whispering voice in the church hallway, his low chuckle, the look of amused, lethal challenge in those stormy grey eyes.
Maybe he even hated me. That was the logical conclusion. Grace was the calm, beautiful, diplomatic one. She was the one he preferred. It wasn't even a competition, Nicole. And here I was, feeling like the world was ending just because a man looked that good and, briefly, publicly, acted possessive over me. People stand up for people all the time, right? It wasn't a rare, century-defining event.
Oh God... Why couldn't I just get him out of my head?
Grace tapped my shoulder and I reluctantly lifted my head.
"What's wrong, Nicole? You have tears in your eyes."
I sniffed, wiping the wetness away angrily.
Are you actually crying over this, Nicole? Be serious! Over a guy who doesn't even feel the same way? The shame was immediate.
I managed a choked, thin lie. "I feel sick. That alcohol must be telling on me."
Grace instantly started to hurry up. "I'll go tell Papa! He'll call the doctor."
I grabbed her arm, holding her back. "No! Don't bother him. Honestly, a cup of hot tea made by you would do."
I knew it was a cheap trick. I just wanted her to leave me alone, even if it was just for a few minutes, without directly telling her to get out.
♣♪
Grace returned moments later with a steaming mug of tea. I took a few sips, the warmth doing nothing to calm the internal inferno.
"How do you feel now?" Grace asked.
"Fine," I lied, laying back down. "I just need to rest."
I closed my eyes, letting the decision solidify in my mind. The line between heartbreak and Grace's peace was crystal clear now. I was a threat to her happiness and, potentially, the stability of the entire Ferraro family if this alliance goes wrong because of me.
I opened my eyes and looked at Grace.
"Grace, I won't be coming down for the engagement party tomorrow."
"What? Why?"
"I need to rest. I'm not sure I'll be fine by tomorrow morning."
Grace looked disappointed but understanding. "Okay. You definitely rest, then. I'll tell Papa you're sick."
I nodded, closing my eyes again. It's final. I was going to stay the hell away from Leonardo Greco from now on, no matter how much my ridiculous heart craved him. This attraction was a calamity, and I had to shut it down.