The Enemy I Hate To Love

CHAPTER 7! Vanessa Cole

Emma's POV

After everything that had happened, I was finally beginning to relax-or at least that's what I kept telling myself. I sat at the living room, scrolling through the endless messages from people I'd never met, commenting on that ridiculous Instagram post Michelle had made. Sophia was across from me, happily glancing over my shoulder now and then, laughing at the more absurd comments.
"Look at this one," Sophia giggled, pointing at the screen. "Someone said, 'I wish Michelle Cole Roller would post me on his Insta. You're one lucky girl.'" She snorted. "Lucky? Seriously?"
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "This is a nightmare."
"No, it's hilarious," Sophia said, wiping a bit of sauce from her chin. "I mean, who knew you'd become an overnight sensation thanks to Mr. Grumpy Pants himself?"
I groaned. "I didn't ask for any of this, you know."
Sophia shrugged. "No, but it's not every day a super-rich, super-handsome guy-"
"Super-jerk, you mean," I corrected.
"-posts a cute candid photo of you on his account." She smirked, waggling her eyebrows. "He must be softening."
I shot her a glare. "He is not softening. This is Michelle we're talking about. He's probably doing this to mess with me. Maybe it's all some weird, egotistical game he's playing."
Sophia twirled her hair in the air. "Maybe. But I don't know. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who lets just anyone take up space on his profile."
I was about to argue when the doorbell rang. Both of us froze. I hadn't been expecting anyone, and after all the chaos of the day, I wasn't exactly in the mood for surprise visitors. But Sophia jumped up before I could protest.
"I'll get it!" she chirped, bouncing toward the door.
I quickly followed her, still clutching my phone as if it were some kind of shield. What now? Maybe it was Ryan, showing up to demand an explanation in person. Or worse-Michelle himself. My stomach did a little flip at the thought.
But when Sophia opened the door, it wasn't Ryan or Michelle. It was a tall, striking woman with hazel eyes and a wide, friendly smile. She was dressed in a sleek trench coat and holding a small bouquet of flowers.
"Hi!" she said brightly, her eyes immediately locking onto me. "You must be Emma!"
I blinked, completely taken aback. "Uh... yes? And you are...?"
The woman's smile widened, and she stepped forward as if we were old friends. "I'm Vanessa. Vanessa Cole. Michelle's sister!"
For a second, I just stood there, dumbstruck. Michelle's sister? Why was Michelle's sister standing at my doorstep, and why did she look so... excited?
Sophia, ever the one to embrace chaos, waved Vanessa inside as if this was the most normal thing in the world. "Come in, come in!
Vanessa laughed, stepping inside with an air of confidence. "hehe, thanks. I'm actually here to meet you, Emma."
I was still processing everything, trying to make sense of the situation. "Meet me? Why?"
Vanessa gave me a warm, conspiratorial smile. "Well, you know, it's not every day that Michelle posts about someone on his social media. Especially a girlfriend."
I nearly choked. "Girlfriend? Oh no, no, no! You've got the wrong idea!"
Sophia's eyes went wide, and she burst into laughter, practically doubling over. "Oh my God, she thinks you're dating Michelle! This is amazing!"
I glared at Sophia, my face heating up. "No, we're not dating! We barely even know each other! And honestly, he doesn't even like me."
Vanessa raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Well, he's certainly gone to a lot of trouble if he doesn't like you. Posting photos, stirring up all this online drama..."
I shook my head furiously. "It's all a misunderstanding. Trust me, I have no interest in Michelle, and he definitely has no interest in me."
Vanessa's smile softened, but she wasn't buying it. "I see. Still, I had to meet the girl who's managed to ruffle my brother's feathers like this. I can tell you, Michelle doesn't usually act this way around anyone."
Sophia, still giggling, nudged me with her elbow. "See? Even his sister thinks there's something going on."
I buried my face in my hands, groaning. "There's nothing going on! I swear!"
Vanessa laughed softly. "Relax, Emma. I'm not here to interrogate you. I just wanted to see for myself who had my brother in such a twist. And I have to say, I like you already."
I peeked through my fingers, utterly confused. "You... like me?"
"Of course!" Vanessa said, setting the bouquet on the kitchen counter. "Anyone who can stand up to Michelle's ridiculousness has to be a pretty strong person. Most people don't even try-they just let him steamroll them. But you? You've got guts."
"I'm pretty sure Michelle would disagree," I muttered, dropping my hands to my sides.
Vanessa chuckled. "Oh, he'll come around. Don't let his gruffness fool you. He's got a heart in there somewhere.
I was about to protest again, to insist that there was absolutely no romantic connection between Michelle and me, but Sophia interrupted, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "So, Vanessa, how did you even find Emma? I mean, it's not like she gave you her address."
Vanessa sighed dramatically, plopping down in one of the sofa. "Oh, it was an adventure, let me tell you. I tried calling Michelle first, but of course, he didn't answer. So, I had to ask one of his employees-Jared, I think his name was-if he could help. He's the one who cracked the phone code, so I figured he might have a way to track her down."
"You tracked me down?" I asked, horrified.
Vanessa waved a hand. "Oh, don't worry, nothing too invasive. Just some good old-fashioned detective work. Jared was... well, let's just say he's better with phones than directions. He led me on a wild goose chase halfway across the city before I finally managed to find the right address."
Sophia snorted. "This just keeps getting better."
I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. "So, you went through all that just to... meet me?"
Vanessa grinned. "Well, I was curious. Michelle's been so tight-lipped about everything lately, and then bam! A mystery girl on his Instagram. I just had to know what was going on."
"There's nothing going on," I repeated, feeling like a broken record.
Vanessa stood up, still smiling. "Okay, okay, I believe you... for now. But if you ever do decide to make my brother miserable for fun, call me. I'll gladly help."
Sophia burst out laughing again, and even I couldn't help but crack a small smile at Vanessa's playful tone. Despite the absolute chaos of the day, Vanessa was... nice. Way nicer than her brother, at least.
"Well, I should get going," Vanessa said, glancing at her watch. "But seriously, Emma, it was lovely to meet you. And if you ever need anything-whether it's dealing with Michelle or just girl talk-don't hesitate to reach out."
With that, she gave me a quick hug, grabbed her coat, and breezed out of the apartment as quickly as she had arrived.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Sophia turned to me, still grinning from ear to ear. "Well, that was something."
I slumped back into my chair, utterly exhausted. "This day has been a disaster."
"Are you kidding?" Sophia said, sitting down next to me. "This day has been amazing. You've gone viral, you've met Michelle's sister, and now you've got a direct line to the Cole family. You're practically a celebrity."
I groaned again, burying my face in my hands. "I just want my normal life back."
"Vanessa is awesome," she said, "You should've seen the way she looked at you. She totally thinks you're going to end up with Michelle."
I groaned, dropping my head on the table. "Can we please stop talking about Michelle for five minutes? I need to mentally prepare for the next wave of social media disasters."
Sophia laughed. "Oh, come on. It's not that bad. At least you're not in this alone. Now you've got Vanessa, who apparently ships you and her brother, and, most importantly, you've got me."
I peeked up from the sofa, managing a small smile. "You're right. It's just... overwhelming, you know? One day I'm trying to get through my normal life, and the next I'm caught in this weird love rumor with one of the richest, most arrogant men in the city."
Sophia grinned. "And you've handled it like a champ. I'm impressed."
I sat up, feeling the faintest bit of comfort. "Thanks, Sophia. You always know how to make things better."
Sophia winked. "That's what best friends are for." "So, what's the plan for the rest of the day? Hide under a blanket and pretend none of this is happening?"
I was about to answer when the doorbell rang again. I blinked, startled. "Is Vanessa back already?"
Sophia bolted up. "Let's find out."
This time, I beat her to the door. When I opened it, sure enough, Vanessa stood there, looking just as put-together as before but with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She had clearly returned for something.
"Vanessa?" I asked, confused but not surprised. "Did you forget something?"
Vanessa's smile grew, and she tilted her head playfully. "Nope. I just had an idea."
I stepped aside, letting her in. "Another idea? I'm almost afraid to ask."
Sophia, of course, was already on her feet, practically bouncing with curiosity. "What is it? Spill!"
Vanessa clasped her hands together as if she was announcing something grand. "I was thinking... you both look like you could use a little break from all the madness, and I know just the thing. Why don't we hit the club tonight? A little dancing, a few drinks, and we can forget all about the chaos for a few hours. What do you say?"
I blinked at her, stunned. "Wait... you want to take us clubbing?"
Vanessa nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! It'll be fun! We'll get all dressed up, go out, and just let loose for a while. Trust me, you both need it. After everything that's been going on, you deserve a night of fun."
Sophia, naturally, was already on board. "Oh, hell yes! I am so in."
I gaped at her. "Sophia!"
"What?!" She grinned. "We deserve this, Emma. Think about it. A night out with Vanessa Cole! We'll be the life of the party!"
I turned to Vanessa, still unsure. "I don't know if this is a good idea. After everything that's happened today, I'm not sure I want to go out and face more people."
Vanessa waved a hand dismissively. "That's exactly why you need this! You've been dealing with all this craziness, and what better way to shake it off than to go dancing? Besides, I have connections at the club. We'll be in VIP-no paparazzi, no stress. Just good music and good company."
Sophia was practically vibrating with excitement. "Emma, come on. When's the last time we went out? We need this. You need this."
I hesitated, biting my lip. The idea of a night out was tempting, especially with all the stress that had piled up. And Vanessa's infectious enthusiasm was hard to resist. Maybe a little fun was exactly what I needed. Just for one night.
"Fine," I said, throwing up my hands. "I'll go."
Sophia let out a whoop of excitement, and Vanessa clapped her hands together. "Yes! This is going to be so much fun. Trust me, Emma, you won't regret it."
I wasn't so sure about that, but it was too late to back out now

A few hours later, I found myself standing in front of my mirror, staring at the reflection of a girl who barely looked like me. Sophia had insisted on helping me get ready, which meant I was now wearing a black dress that hugged my curves in a way I wasn't entirely comfortable with and heels that made me feel like a newborn giraffe.
"You look hot," Sophia declared, giving my hair a final fluff. "Vanessa's going to be impressed."
I glanced at my reflection again, feeling awkward. "I look... different."
"Different in a good way," she said, grabbing her own lipstick from the counter. "Come on, Emma. We're going to have fun tonight. Loosen up a little!"
I tried to relax, but my nerves were creeping back in. I wasn't exactly the clubbing type, and the idea of stepping into a crowded, noisy place made my stomach churn. But Sophia was right about one thing-I needed to loosen up.
When Vanessa showed up to pick us up, she whistled approvingly. "You two look incredible! This is going to be a night to remember."
I forced a smile. "Let's hope that's in a good way."
Vanessa laughed. "Don't worry, Emma. I've got everything under control.
The club was exactly what I had imagined: loud, flashy, and full of people. But true to Vanessa's word, we were whisked into the VIP section before I could even blink, and suddenly we were sitting on plush couches with drinks in hand. The music pulsed through the air, and Sophia was already bobbing her head to the beat.
Vanessa leaned over, shouting over the music. "You doing okay?"
I gave her a thumbs-up, even though I wasn't sure if "okay" was the right word. My eyes kept darting around, half-expecting some new social media catastrophe to explode. But for now, everything seemed fine. Sophia, of course, was loving every second of it.