Undercover Love

Chapter Three: Let Me Bleach My Mind, Please

I shove the door open, ready to confront Ace about our earlier argument, but my heart drops when I realize what I've just walked into.

Ace is in the room, and not alone. My breath catches in my throat as I see him sprawled across the bed, tangled up with a girl who's completely oblivious to my presence. The sound of her moans fills the air, a mix of pleasure and intimacy that feels like a dagger to my gut. Ace's name escapes her lips, but it's not just that; I hear him groan her name in response, and it's like the floor drops out from under me.

I feel my face go pale, and I can barely process the shock. I slam the door shut, my heart racing, a mix of anger and betrayal surging through me. My stomach churns, and I can't tell if I want to throw up the sandwich I just ate or punch something—maybe him.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I whisper to myself, pacing frantically down the hall. My mind races, thinking of all the emotions swirling inside me, the frustration, the hurt, the confusion. I can't stay here; I can't stand the thought of facing him again after that.

I sprint down the stairs, the hotel lobby blurring past me. Each step I take feels like a tiny rebellion against the mess of feelings inside me. At least I'm being productive—running away from the painful reality of my situation.

I push through the lobby doors, stepping into the warmth of the California evening. The air is thick with the scent of blooming flowers and the distant hum of chatter from nearby cafes. I need to think, to process, to do anything but sit in that room and feel like a fool.

I want to scream, to let my frustration out in a way that doesn't involve confrontation or heartache. Instead, I jog around the block, trying to outrun the image of Ace with that girl, the sound of their moans echoing in my ears.

With each stride, I feel my body working hard, my muscles burning. It's liberating in a way, feeling productive while also drowning out the thoughts that threaten to consume me. Maybe I can burn off this hurt and anger. Maybe I can turn this twisted mess of emotions into something tangible, something I can control.

As I round the corner of the block, I catch a glimpse of the setting sun painting the sky in hues of pink and orange. It's beautiful, but it feels completely disconnected from the chaos in my mind. I stop for a moment, leaning against a lamppost, trying to steady my breath.

"Get it together, Adriana," I say, shaking my head at myself. "You're better than this."

But it's hard to convince myself when my heart is still in turmoil. I remember Ace's eyes, the way he looked at me, the moments we shared. And here I am, running away while he's in that room with someone else, laughing and sharing something I thought we had.

I push off the lamppost and start walking again, trying to clear my head. "Focus on something else," I tell myself. "Anything else."

I find a small park nearby, the grass green and inviting, and I settle on a bench. My thoughts swirl like leaves caught in a breeze. I could text him, tell him off, confront him about what I just saw, but what good would that do? Would he even care?

"Ugh!" I groan out loud, frustration bubbling up again. I bury my face in my hands, my heart racing as I replay the moment in my head. "Why does he have to make this so complicated?"

I know I have feelings for him, despite everything that's happened between us. But seeing him with someone else feels like a betrayal I didn't sign up for.

After what feels like an eternity of sitting there, I take a deep breath and pull my phone out, staring at the screen. I could call someone, maybe Ava or Cassie, but do I really want to drag them into this?