Facade of Love

Chapter 312 Illusion

Being too close made me feel awkward, so I took a step back and pulled myself together enough to mumble, ‘thanks‘.

I reached up to swipe at my face once more. He let out a gentle laugh, his gaze sincere and open. “No worries, I’ve got the picture. You should head home. It’s getting late.”

He gave a laid–back wave, signaling the driver, and off they went.

I was totally baffled by his reaction, and for a second, I was convinced I had something smeared on my cheek. I touched my face without thinking and started walking toward the yard. I had not made it very far when something made me freeze in my tracks.

The dim light of a streetlamp cast a soft glow over the yard, where a man’s figure lingered next to a shiny black Bugatti. Squinting a little, I could make out the frustration and confusion that seemed to be playing across his face. Our gazes met, and for a heartbeat, I felt like I had been busted, like I was the star of some gossip–worthy–drama. That weird guilty buzz faded fast, however. After all, Idris and I had signed the papers, so we were nothing more than two strangers now. Swallowing the mess of feelings inside, I squared my shoulders and asked him, a bit unsure, “Did you want to talk about something?”

The guy took what felt like forever to finally say something, his voice all rough and low, “Are you two… together now?”

Us?

Suddenly, it clicked that he was talking about Charlie and me. I could not help but frown, and I almost started to set the record straight, but then I thought, why bother? I switched it up, “Do you need something?”

mouth shut, going back to his

he did not add anything else, I spun on my heel to leave. Far had I not made it when he snagged my wrist, his voice tight with emotion,

weird little jump, and there was this ache in my chest that I could not explain. I took a deep breath, feeling as though I was about to give in to something I was not sure about, and started, “Idris, we… uh…” Then, his lips were on mine. My breath hitched, and I could not even think. While I was still reeling, he softly ran his fingers over my lips. I tried to push him back, but he was not having it. His arms wrapped around me in a vice grip, pulling me

swallow me whole.

a blur. My head was spinning, my thoughts wiped clean, and for a second, it was like I

of it and pushed him off with all the

flew out, striking his face.

a glare that could melt steel, my heart hammering in my chest. How dare

his tongue over the sting and met my gaze, his eyes like stormy seas. We were

a word.

a pair of statues, each marinating in a cocktail of anger and frustration.

last, I could not take the silence. My voice came out gravelly. “Idris, I really don’t want this to

fixed on me. It felt like forever before he shattered the quiet, his voice a low,

my arms buzzing and my heart throbbing, my

could not deny it: my heart had already done a somersault for him. My

squeezing my chest, inhaled a shaky breath, and managed to say, “I