Chapter Forty

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Alexa stood in front of the bathroom mirror, a frown of concentration creasing her brow as she carefully applied her makeup

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Alexa stood in front of the bathroom mirror, a frown of concentration creasing her brow as she carefully applied her makeup. She moved with the precision of someone who had done this a thousand times before, but tonight, there was a subtle tremor in her hands that she couldn't quite shake off.

After she finished blending the last of her eyeshadow, Alexa stepped back to survey her work.

The reflection staring back at her was one she recognized-sharp, polished, in control.

But beneath the layers of foundation and mascara, she could still feel the unease swirling in her gut, a dull ache that refused to go away.

She exhaled slowly, reaching for her lipstick.

As she applied the deep red shade, her thoughts wandered to the events of the past few days-her tense meeting with the producers, the dinner date with Jude, the way he had kissed her like she was the only thing in his world.

But underneath it all, there was Diego.

The memory of his words, the feel of his hands on her, still lingered like a dark cloud on the horizon.

Why couldn't she just shake it off? Why did the thought of him still have this power over her?

With a determined shake of her head, Alexa finished her makeup, pushing the dark thoughts aside.

Tonight was supposed to be fun.

A night out with her friends, a chance to let loose and forget about everything that had happened.

And she was determined to do just that.

She left the bathroom and made her way to her bedroom, pulling open her closet and rifling through the hangers. After a few minutes of deliberation, she settled on a sleek, form-fitting black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places.

It was simple, elegant, and just daring enough to make her feel a little more confident.

Once she was dressed, Alexa slipped into a pair of heels, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door. She wrote a quick message to Jude, letting him know that she headed out in the exact moment.

Diva💅🎀
I'm going now.
I'Il miss you sooo much tonight.

His answer arrived immediately, Alexa already knew he was waiting for her message. She chuckled.

Cocky Athlete ⚽️
I'm sure you'Il survive🤣
Have fun baby, ily.

Diva💅🎀
Ily too, xoxo💋

The drive to Lydia's place was short, the familiar route giving her a sense of comfort. Lydia's parties were always a blast-filled with laughter, good music, and an endless supply of drinks.

As she pulled up outside Lydia's house, Alexa could already hear the thumping bass of the music vibrating through the walls. She smiled to herself, her mood lifting slightly as she stepped out of the car and made her way to the front door.

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