𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄 ~ | 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘓𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘤

XXV

Chapter Twenty-Five:

~ I came, I saw, I left ~

Evie's POV:

'You can't tell anyone what's really going on. If this gets out it will ruin us all.'

Amelia's words echoed in my mind. She had made us both promise to never tell another living soul what we had agreed on in the room.

I understood that it would be a PR nightmare if people found out about this, and it would ruin my reputation and his. His is didn't care so much about. In fact he always found a way to do a good job of ruining it all by himself.

But there were some people in my life that I cared about, people who I couldn't risk getting hurt because of this charade. I owed it to them, to be honest but...I had sworn I wouldn't tell anyone. And besides, I could handle this. I had handled worse in the past.

I'll survive.

Somehow I always do.

I am an incredible liar. I've had years of practice, after all. I've perfected the art of weaving webs of deceit so intricate, so convincing, that even I sometimes forget which end is up. I can look someone straight in the eye and tell them the most outrageous lie, and they'll believe it without question.

The problem was, that there were exactly three people who could always see through my various masks. It was almost impossible for me to lie to them. And something this big? It might just be the one time I couldn't afford to.

But Max...he was my brother. And I didn't want to hurt him any more than I already had. I knew that once he found out the truth, he would be pissed. He liked Charles as a friend or a rival, but as a love interest for me? He might not take it so well. 

And I couldn't blame him.

Charles's record did not suggest that he was the type of man who would be faithful to anyone, let alone me. I had known him for years, and I swear every time I saw him, there was a new girl at his side... 

or on his lap... 

or in his bed.

He was a playboy. A notorious one. And despite all his charms, all his successes, all his wealth... he was still just a man. 

A man who cared nothing for the feelings of others. A man who would use and discard women like old toys, only to move on to the next conquest.

A long time ago I had vowed to myself that I would never become one of his playthings. But somehow he had managed to find a way to play with my mind and not just my body. He had found a way to make me want him even when I knew better.

But that was over now.

He had caught me in a moment of weakness. Twice.

But it would never happen again.

I would never let myself fall for his pretty words, his smooth lies, his charming smile. Not again. Not this time. He had kissed me twice now, and I had let him. Twice.

But I wasn't the same fool I was... uh... two days ago.

I knew the type of man he was, and I knew better. He was a player, a manipulator. He had no regard for anyone's feelings but his own. He had never been serious about anyone before, and I doubted that he would start with me.

So why did I still find myself thinking about that kiss?

No, I wouldn't let myself. Not again.