Chapter 22

Amara’s POV:

By now, two weeks had passed since the incident—the violation of two people's privacy. It felt so wrong, but like I promised, I kept it to myself, though I had many questions. I noticed that whenever Arlo and Tessa were in the same room, there would be weird glances between the two, but every time, I just avoided them at all costs. In front of Zavier and the others, I only spoke to them when they asked or told me something.

Today was Saturday, meaning there was a family lunch party at Tiffany’s mansion. Sebastian was excited to go because Tiffany mentioned having a surprise for him. Usually, it was a toy or dessert specially made for him. When we arrived, I stepped out of the car, adjusted the blue floral maxi dress I wore, and then closed the door. Zavier had already helped Sebastian out of the car seat and put him on his own feet. Sebastian immediately ran to the gate, knowing we’d be in the backyard.

“Hey, buddy!” Charlotte said, surprised when she opened up the gate for him.

He ran into her and hugged her feet. “Auntie Charlie!”

“Missed me, buddy?” She hugged him, kissed the top of his head, and set him down.

“I did.” He smiled and ran off to greet his uncle, Aunt Tessa, and, finally, his grandmother.

“How are you two?” Charlotte asked us as we came closer to her.

“I’m good. We’re a little tired because a little someone had lots of sugar and didn’t want to go to sleep last night,” Zavier said, waiting till I got inside before closing the gates.

“Well, be ready for that to happen tonight again. Mom’s surprise is a sundae bar.” Charlotte laughed, leading the way to the others. I greeted them politely before taking a seat. I saw Tessa staring at me, making me a little uncomfortable.

“Hey, Ames, do you mind helping me with the French toast kabobs?” Tessa asked, catching me by surprise.

“Oh, uh, no,” I stuttered and got up. Zavier’s eyes were on me for a moment, but once we both disappeared inside the house, there was no one around to hear or see us, giving us some privacy—if that was what she wanted.

“Listen, we need to talk.” Tessa stopped in the kitchen, leaning her hand on the counter and facing me.

“I already told you; I saw nothing,” I replied, turning to face the cabinet as if it were interesting.

“Please…then why is everything awkward between us?” she said, stepping closer to me and forcing me to look at her. She was right. Things weren’t exactly normal between us.

“Fine, let’s talk about it.” I sighed.

“Arlo and I just want to take things slow—” she started, making me chuckle. She raised a brow at me.

“His hands were on your boobs, and yours were down his pants. Is that taking it slow?” I mumbled. I wasn’t judging her, but I was pointing out what I saw, which seemed a bit different from what she was saying.

“I thought you didn’t see anything.”

“Well, I still got scared,” I pointed out, laughing.

“Touché.” She chuckled too. “Okay, truth is: Zavier’s the reason we didn’t make this official." She gave in.

“How so? Won’t he be happy for you two?” I frowned. Why would he not be happy?

“Arlo’s his brother. I’m his best friend. Not to mention, Arlo has been told to never pursue a romantic relationship with me by Zavier,” she started to explain, occasionally looking over her shoulder to make sure we were alone in the room.

“Why would he do that?” I wondered. Obviously, there was so much more to the story.

“Sweetheart, if you were to Google Arlo, you won’t find the good work he has done. You’ll find the media dragging him for sleeping with so many people.” Tessa sat down on one of the chairs and pulled the one across from her out for me.

“So, Zavier just wants to protect you from his brother, who’s a player?” I frowned. It made some sense, but surely people changed, right? At least some of them.

“Basically, but Arlo and I really do like each other, and it seems serious,” she said a lot more softly as she leaned closer to me.

“How long have you known?” I asked curiously, knowing these two grew up together.

“I’ve honestly had a crush on him since I was, like, 15 or something,” she admitted, avoiding eye contact with me now.

“Oh, wow—” I said, surprised. I didn’t expect that.

“Exactly, and when I turned 18, he did confess he liked me. The only problem was that he's five years older, and after trying to date in secret for two months, he ended things because he didn’t want to be accused of being a pedo or groomer,” she started explaining. Everything made much more sense now, though the age difference confused me a little.

“Five years? There’s a whole eight years between Zavier and me,” I pointed out to her. Of course, I didn’t know his age at the time we got together. We were both consenting adults.

“That’s different. You were already 21 when you met him. For Arlo, it would’ve been different,” she mumbled and let out a sigh.

“I see, and I understand. I just don’t want to be involved in any drama.” I nodded, making it clear what I wanted from this.

“I wouldn’t want to drag you into any either. I just wanted to clear the air between us. I promise once we’re ready, we’ll tell Zavier.” Tessa rested her hand on my shoulder, squeezing it. She seemed sure about this, which was all I wanted.

“I think you should. He’s your best friend, after all,” I pointed out, resting my hand over hers and squeezing it before letting go.

“Thank you.” She sighed, a small smile on her lips as if she had been waiting to get this off of her chest.

“Of course. Now, let’s go bring out those French toast kabobs.” I smiled, getting up and grabbing the dishes.

We went back outside with the dishes and set them down on the big table. I somehow got dragged into a game of catch, and everything went well. Tiffany and I still barely talked, but it was better than her usual judgmental remarks on what I did or said. Everyone ate the delicious lunch she ordered, and, of course, we then had the sundaes we got to decorate ourselves. Tiffany banned us from bringing our own food—not even a cake. She said this was her thing, where she got to spoil her kids and grandchildren. Zavier explained this was the one time she got to make food and snacks like her own mother would make for her.

I looked over at Arlo. His eyes were mostly focused on Tessa. I did plan on keeping their secret; in fact, I’d pretend I didn’t know anything at all. All I was wondering was how would this work? From what I heard, he seemed to be a ladies' man, so wouldn’t they wonder why he didn’t have one on his arm?

“Mommy, Mommy, look!” Sebastian called me, standing between my legs and showing me his car toy. It was a vintage blue one.

“Wow, that’s cool, buddy. Where did you get this?” I asked, looking at the car he showed me as he put it on my leg and let it ride on my skin.

“Auntie Charlie.” He pointed to her and waved at her.

“That’s so sweet of her. Did you thank her?” I ruffled his hair, placing the strands behind his ears. He hummed and ran off to show Zavier what he had gotten.

I knew this life we were living was fake. At least, some parts of it were, yet I found myself enjoying this a little too much. I tried reminding myself none of this was permanent, but I failed to remember that.

After staying for two more hours, Sebastian was finally ready to go home. The rest of our Saturday went as usual: bathing Sebastian together, having dinner together, and cuddling on the couch to watch a movie together.

I had to admit I was excited for tomorrow. Zavier said we’d be going out again. For us, this was just two friends hanging out, but for the public, we were a couple going out. Little by little, I started believing the latter more than the former.

When tomorrow came, I got Sebastian ready. Amelia and Ivan would have Ivan’s brother over at their place. He and his family were visiting town for the week, and they had a son around Sebastian’s age, so he loved spending time with them. I was assuming today’s date would be a movie. I mean, he did ask what my favorite movie was.

I decided to switch shampoo and conditioner today. This time, I’d be using a coconut and aloe vera one. Nicole recommended it to me. It smelled good and added volume and shine to her hair, so I was hoping it would do the same for mine. When I stepped out, I immediately started getting ready. For once, I already knew what I’d wear. After putting in some heat protection product, I blow-dried my hair and finally added the hair moisturizer from the same brand. I applied some light make-up and went to the closet. I put on my peacock-colored satin tank top and tucked half of it into some dark-wash jeans. Next, I put on a golden-buckled belt that would match my earrings and bracelet. I knew I'd get cold if we were going to the movies, so I took a knitted beige sweater with me in case.

Just as I stepped out the door, I saw Zavier coming out too, once again dressed so handsomely, and all he wore were some jeans and a hoodie. How could someone look so good when he was dressed in just his casual wear?

“Are you ready, dearest?” Zavier asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. I just smiled for a moment.

“Where are we going tonight?” I asked, following him down the stairs. By now, I was used to our arms linking as we walked.

“I rented out a movie theater for us. We’ll be watching your favorite movie, and there will be blankets, your favorite snacks, and drinks,” he told me, smiling. I could tell he was proud of himself, like it was his mission to make sure I would have a good time.

“Wow, that sounds so amazing,” I said, surprised and already excited.

"I’m glad you like the idea.” Zavier grinned, looking at me. The grin on his face made him look so adorable.

“You always make sure I’m having a good time, but what about you?” I asked curiously, looking up at him. It would feel wrong to be the only one to enjoy this. He was a busy man, yet he made time for all this. I turned to face him when we got to the car.

“I’m great as long as you’re happy. That’s my main priority right now—and Sebastian, of course,” Zavier responded, gently brushing a strand of my hair over my shoulder and smiling at me.

“That’s really sweet.” I could practically melt at his words. The more time we spent together, the sweeter he had become.

“Of course, I am. Come on.” He winked at me, opening the door for me to get in.

When we got to the theater, we were led to our room. There were lots of people looking, and somehow, for the first time, I truly didn’t care. This was inevitable, so it was best to get used to it. When we got to the room he rented out, I noticed it was guarded much better than the other rooms.

When we walked through the doors, a man stood there and led us to some carts full of different snacks. There were so many options to choose from, but I kept it simple and only took salted popcorn, gummies, and a bar of chocolate. Zavier took some snacks for himself and then led me to our seats. The seats in the middle had thick, comfy blankets for us. This would truly be a nice experience.

We both got comfortable, and once we were ready, the man started the movie and left us alone. At some point during the movie, without thinking, I rested my head on his shoulder and looked at the screen in front of us. Because of how close we were, my hand rested right between us, and his arm went around me, pulling me closer to him.

“Did you use a different hair product?” he asked, making me look up at him. How did he know?

“Oh yeah. How’d you know?” I frowned, wondering what gave it away.

“Your hair smells different—in a good way,” he replied, shrugging. I never realized he’d remember something like that. I didn't know if it was creepy or just sweet. He always seemed to remember the tiniest things.

“The other one was good, but this one is supposed to add some volume and shine,” I explained, focusing on him rather than the movie. Of course, he’d have my fullest attention when I needed to watch a movie.

“Oh, okay,” Zavier mumbled, his other hand stroking my cheek and pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. “God, you’re so beautiful,” he murmured.

I stared into his deep green eyes, opening my mouth to say something, then closing it again. I just rested my hand over his, still gazing into his eyes before I leaned closer to him. Our lips brushed together, then locked together, and I kissed him. He never pulled back. Instead, he moved his hand to the back of my neck and pulled me closer as I stroked his cheek.

Once I came back to my senses, I realized what I was doing and pulled away, my heart racing faster than it should. “I’m sorry.”

Zavier stared at me, surprised, and opened his mouth to say something. But then, he just nodded and turned back to watch the movie.

~~~

Zavier’s POV:

A week had passed since we shared that kiss at the theater. Honestly, I was surprised at first, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying it. The more time we spent together, the more I realized that I liked Amara a lot. I should’ve said something when she kissed me; I should’ve kissed her back better. That might’ve been my only chance.

Ever since I had accused her of lying, she never gave me a chance to start something romantic. Everything we did was as friends besides when it was for the media. Then, we were pretend boyfriend and girlfriend, but I wanted it to be more than just a lie—I wanted it to be true. I’d tell her tonight. It was her birthday, and of course, there was something planned.

And tonight was the night I'd be telling her about my feelings. Besides a dress, heels, and earrings, Sebastian and I got her a very special gift. We also got her the pots and pans she had been wanting. I didn’t get what was so special about them, but she was talking about them on the phone with her sister, and I happened to hear, so I made sure I got her the correct ones by asking Amelia first. What was important was that she loved the collection. The dress was my personal design, so it needed to be made. Luckily, it was completed on time.

I decided to shower at work and get ready. I still had some work to do, but I took half the day off. After the shower, I looked through the clothing options I had. There weren’t that many. I picked out a dark pair of pants and planned on wearing the forest green dress shirt. I tucked it in perfectly, then put on my belt, rolled up the sleeves, and put on my watch. I figured we’d be taking pictures, so I’d be matching with Amara. She asked me my opinion on clothing. I picked one of the emerald dresses. The silk material fit her so perfectly, not to mention that it seemed tighter in some areas, and, of course, there was the slit on one side. The last time she was dressed in a dress like that, she looked stunning, which she’d be this time, no doubt.

Once I got to the house, I noticed many cars here already, and I could see Charlotte and Nicole coming behind me from the rearview mirror. I stepped out of the car, waited for them, and greeted them before leading the way to the back, where the party would be held. When I got through the door, I saw Sebastian sitting on his grandmother’s lap, and they were chatting about something. Tessa and Caro sat together and seemed to be talking about something. Ivan, Amelia, and Arlo sat at one table and seemed to be getting along. I let Nicole and Charlotte say happy birthday to Amara first and hand her a gift. Once the two left her side, I walked up to her and kissed her cheek.

“As expected, you look stunning,” I said, smiling as I looked at Amara from head to toe. She was wearing the necklace I had gifted her. It suited her perfectly.

“Well, it’s from this brand, Fuentes. I don’t know if you've heard of it,” she replied in a joking tone, smiling too.

“Oh, wow, whoever the designer is is quite incredible.” I winked and cocked my head to the side. By my body language, I asked for her to follow me, which she did.

“Yeah, he’s not too bad,” she mumbled, following me to the living room.

“Stay right here. I’ll go get your gifts,” I told her, getting excited to give them to her.

“I thought it was the cooking collection, wasn't it?” Amara asked, a little confused. She had assumed that was all she’d be getting.

“That was Sebastian’s gift to you.” I shrugged and smiled.

“Ohhhh, riiight.” She nodded, then rolled her eyes playfully.

~~~

Amara’s POV

This day had been so wonderful so far. Every meal served was made by me. Amelia and Tessa surprised me with the cake, cupcakes, cookies, and even donuts! The treat table sure was looking good! As for Zavier, I kept getting these mixed signals. He disappointed me initially, but with all this fake dating, I was lowkey looking forward to it being real. I’d confront him, perhaps, but not right now. I watched as he walked in with three gifts wrapped up in iridescent paper with purple ties. Now, I didn’t want to open them because they looked so adorable.

“Happy birthday, girlfriend,” he said in a joking tone, handing me one of the gifts.

“Thank you, boyfriend.” I blew him a kiss as I took the first gift.

I opened up the first present to see a red box with “Fuentes” written in cursive letters. I opened the box and saw a pair of block high heels. They were the kind that laced up.

“I love these! I own a similar pair, but in black,” I said in awe as I admired them. I was not sure when I’d find the perfect occasion to wear them, but I'd make sure there was one, so I could put them on.

“I’m glad you love them. Open this one next.” Zavier smiled, handing me another gift.

“Okay.” I nodded, put the shoes aside, and opened the one he pointed to. I gently tore the paper open and took out the lilac dress. It was a satin slip dress with thin straps that crisscrossed down the back.

“Zavier—” I muttered, running my fingers over the soft material.

“Do you like it? It was a rushed drawing, but I can make a new one if you don’t like it,” he rambled on, a little unsure. My reaction wasn’t readable to him.

“Like it? Zavier, this is a masterpiece,” I exclaimed, holding the dress up.

“Oh, you had me thinking you didn’t like it for a moment.” He let out a long sigh as if he had been holding in his breath.

“No! I love it,” I assured him.

“I know you won’t accept this one, but I think you still deserve it,” Zavier said as I put the dress to the side and took the last gift, removing the wrapping paper.

I frowned and looked at the smaller square box. What could this be? I opened it and saw it was a blue velvet box. Dammit, did he get me jewelry? I loved jewelry, but this man bought expensive stuff and made me feel bad for accepting it all. I opened the box and saw a pair of diamond earrings; they’d go perfectly with my necklace, but I couldn’t accept this.

“Zavier, this is too much.” My brows furrowed as I looked up at him and held them up to him.

“Nonsense. You can’t just walk around with an incomplete set,” he responded, pushing them back to me gently.

“When will I ever wear these things?” I looked down at the earrings. They were so beautiful.

“If there’s no occasion, I’ll make sure there will be one, so you can still dress up,” he assured me, closing the box and setting it aside. He pulled me closer to him and cupped my cheek. I looked up at him, my eyes moving from his green ones and down to his lips, watching as they parted. Just as I was about to lean closer, I heard Sebastian calling me.

“Yes, dear?” I turned around and leaned down to pick him up.

“Auntie Melia is calling you,” he informed me, and I nodded and walked away, only looking over once at Zavier to see him just nod and smile.

~~~

Almost everyone had left, but Tiffany was still around. She just wanted to put Sebastian to bed before leaving. I walked to my room, took off the necklace, and set it down on my vanity. I heard some voices outside. The balcony door was left open, and right underneath it was the patio. I walked a little closer and could hear Tiffany and Zavier talking. I normally wouldn’t eavesdrop, but I heard a mention of my name, so it caught my interest.

“When will you leave Amara?” I heard Tiffany ask, taking me a little by surprise.

“What do you mean, Ma?” Zavier asked. I stood still by the door and listened further. I knew it was wrong, but for some reason, I felt this pain in my chest.

“Well, the deal’s pretty much sealed, right?” she then asked, clearly determined to have something her way.

“Not officially. Plus, we decided on some extra time so that things would seem normal,” I heard Zavier answer. I bit down on my lip as I tried to follow along.

“And afterward, you’ll be leaving her, right?” I let out a quiet sigh at Tiffany’s question. What about me made her hate me so much?

“Why are you so keen on me leaving her? You do know she’s still Sebastian’s mother?” Zavier replied, his voice slightly louder, and I could tell by his tone that he was growing annoyed with his mother.

“Is that what you’re worried about? We can get you the best lawyers, and you’ll get full custody,” Tiffany said in a reassuring tone. My blood was boiling at this point. How dare she think she could take Sebastian from me like this!

“What is your problem?” he then asked.

“Grace. I miss her. She was a much better girlfriend for you. Don’t tell me you are actually over her,” Tiffany pointed out. Of course…I did some reading online, and Grace was his ex-fiancée. He broke things off with her a few months before we hooked up at that party.

I truly believed something was happening between Zavier and me, but it appeared I had mistaken his acts of kindness for something else. It explained why he wasn’t so responsive when I kissed him that night, and afterward, he didn’t once mention it. Maybe he really wasn’t over his ex, and I was just standing in his way. I decided I had heard enough, and left the balcony and went straight to the bathroom.