Chapter 275: A Game We Both Played

Holly’s POV

For exactly three seconds, I just stood there… blinking like my brain had lagged.

Then my body rebooted.

Oh.

Okay.

Right.

Tyler wasn’t naked. That helped. Barely. He was fully clothed. So was she. Which meant—

Nothing serious.

Nothing real.

Just two people kissing. People kiss all the time right?

Relax.

I swallowed hard, squared my shoulders, and told myself the truth…my truth.

I didn’t have anything serious with Tyler. We weren’t exclusive. We weren’t defined. I had absolutely no claim here. If anything, I’d been stupidly entitled for even feeling that sharp little twist in my chest that I called hurt.

God, Holly. Get a grip.

I almost face-palmed myself.

“I—” I cleared my throat, instantly hating how small my voice sounded. I forced a breath and tried again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were… with someone.”

The woman’s eyes flicked to me slowly like she was determining if I was worth her time. The kind of look that starts at your shoes and ends at your face like it’s judging every decision you’ve ever made.

She didn’t move away from Tyler. Didn’t even loosen her grip.

I’m not worried,” the woman said coolly, not even bothering to step away from Tyler. Her manicured fingers stayed curled into his collar like she’d paid for him.

Then she looked me up and down again. But this time, she made sure to add all the necessary extra dramas in her expression.

“Ty,” she drawled, lips curling, “is this who’s been keeping you busy all this while?”

Her eyes flicked back to my face. “Come on,” she added, almost bored. “You could have done better. An actress or a governor’s daughter would have been better.”

Oh.

I smiled. Not sweet…just strategic.

“Better?” I echoed lightly. “That’s subjective. Personally, I think he downgraded today.”

Tyler groaned. “Okay—”

“Relax,” I said, cutting him off without looking at him. My eyes stayed on her. “If he wanted a personality, he clearly came to the right place.”

Her brows arched. “Excuse me?”

“I said what I said.”

She laughed. A sharp, humorless sound that made me want to punch her across the nose. “That confidence is adorable. Truly. I almost respect it.”

“Don’t strain yourself, darling,” I replied. “Respect takes effort.”

Tyler stepped between us slightly. “Can we all calm down for a second?”

I leaned to the side so she could still see me. “Why? I’m having fun with whoever this is.”

She scoffed. “Tyler, are you seriously letting her talk to me like this?”

I tilted my head again. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did you need subtitles?”

Her lips thinned. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

I crossed my arms. “Someone who doesn’t insult strangers while clinging to a man for validation.”

That one landed.

Her eyes flashed, and she looked like she was about to throw a comeback at me. But she didn’t. Instead, she exhaled and placed a slightly crooked smile on her face. “Baby, can you introduce me to your… poor companion?” she snapped at Tyler. “And make it quick.”

I laughed in the most mocking manner ever without holding back.

“Excuse me?” I said. “Who the fuck are you calling poor?”

Her chin lifted like she’d been waiting her whole life to introduce herself like this in front of another girl. “Seraphina Whitmore. The only child and sole heiress to the Whitmore Industries.”

She paused like she was savoring the way it sounded. “My family practically owns half of the continent.”

I blinked. “…Wow,” I said slowly. “What a beautiful achievement. You must’ve worked so hard being born.”

She groaned angrily like she was about to explode, but Tyler interrupted as he muttered, “Jesus Christ…”

Seraphina’s smile twitched angrily. “You’re simply rude.”

“And you’re unimpressive, baby,” I shot back. “We all have flaws.”

She stepped closer. “I can’t even believe I’m talking to you right now. Girls like you don’t last in our world.”

I leaned in too, matching her energy. “Funny. Men like him don’t either. You want details?”

Her eyes shot daggers at me as she bit back a response.

Tyler dragged a hand down his face. “Jesus Christ, can you two just stop for a second?”

Seraphina’s jaw tightened before she pouted like a spoiled brat. “Why aren’t you introducing me to her as your fiancée, Tyler?”

I froze. “…Fiancée?” I repeated slowly.

She smiled and deliberately laced her fingers through his. “That’s right. Fiancée.”

I finally really looked at her then.

Perfect hair. Perfect skin. Designer everything. The kind of girl raised in penthouses and power lunches. Spoiled, polished, entitled…confidence baked in since birth.

She leaned forward slightly. “This whole situation wouldn’t make sense to you. You weren’t born into our world. But there’s something we like to call spoiled rebellion.”

Her eyes never left mine.

“It’s when we try another path different from the one our parents carved for us. Tyler thought he could walk away from the life arranged for him since childhood. His father’s empire. My family’s legacy. Our union.”

She scoffed as she squeezed his hand again. “He just wanted to taste freedom. That was why he left everything behind.”

I nodded. “Cute.”

But she continued before I could say anything else, “And my poor baby Ty got upset when I left to model abroad. So he threw a tantrum. Sent me pictures of the two of you…trying to make me jealous.”

I glanced at Tyler sharply in surprise. He simply looked… ashamed.

Her lips curved as she continued. “I got the message and didn’t waste any second. Playtime’s over, baby. I’m here to reclaim my man.”

I stood there, stunned.

Not angry. Just… processing.

Because, annoyingly, I understood spoiled rebellion.

I’d done it myself. Last year. Told Ava I was quitting everything to become my own boss. Lasted one week before I panicked and crawled back.

I exhaled and turned to Tyler.

He wouldn’t meet my eyes. Guilt and shame were all over his face.

“Holly, I—”

I lifted a hand. “Stop.”

I wasn’t upset. I was… disappointed.

Turns out that we were literally using each other…so why did he make me feel like crap thinking I was being thoughtless?

I’d spent days feeling guilty, thinking he was hurting himself just to play along as my fake boyfriend, not knowing he had his own agenda the whole time.

And those mixed green signals he kept throwing at me…what the hell were those?

Was he just playing his role? Or was he playing it too well?

“You could’ve told me,” I said quietly. “I could’ve played my part better to make her come to you sooner.”

He was still…like someone hit a pause button on him. I chuckled, shaking my head, then turned to her and held out my hand.

“Let me formally introduce myself. I’m Holly Rodriguez. And I have no feelings whatsoever toward your man. This was mostly a cover. I used him the same way he used me.”

Tyler grabbed my arm, pulling me back. “Hey…Hols. What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” I said calmly. “I don’t like making enemies with women. I prefer clarity.”

“Give us a second, Phina,” Tyler told Seraphina.

She folded her arms. “And leave you alone with her? I’m not going anywhere.”

“Please,” he said. “It won’t take long.”

She huffed, stomped once like an actual child. “Don’t try anything funny,” she snapped at me before storming out and the door slammed behind her.

Tyler immediately grabbed both my arms. “I can explain.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” I said gently. “You just… could’ve told me. Instead of letting me feel guilty. Those mixed signals? That was cruel Tyler.”

He sighed. “I wasn’t pretending one bit. I really liked you. From the first moment that I saw you. I wanted it to be real after we struck that deal.”

My chest tightened.

“But,” he continued, voice breaking, “you’re obsessed with David. I saw you looking at him throughout dinner last night. You’d never see me like that. And besides, I can’t really escape my family the way I thought I could. So I knew I would be going back sooner than later.”

I exhaled with a little laugh. “I actually came here to vent about something and now this…” I stopped and shook my head. “Never mind.”

“Are you okay? What happened?” he asked softly.

“Nothing. I am fine,” I smiled. “Not your business anymore.” I hesitated. “Do you love her?”

He shook his head. “It’s not about love. It's my duty. We grew up together. So we can tolerate each other.”

“Then don’t just tolerate her,” I said firmly. “Try to understand her. Love her. Make it work. If you didn’t care about her, why send her pictures to make her jealous?”

He looked down. “Seeing you with David… I wanted someone for myself too. And she’s the only person who’s always been there.”

We exhaled together and then laughed.

I held out my hand. “Friends?”

He took it and pulled me into a hug.

And that’s when the door opened again.

Seraphina stood there.

Tears streaming down her face.