21 - THE TEXT

21 - THE TEXT
AIDEN’S POV

The roar of paparazzi made me turn instinctively, my curiosity piqued. It wasn’t unusual for these events to get loud, but the sudden eruption had an edge to it, a frenzy that caught my attention. I scanned the crowd, trying to figure out what the ruckus was about—and that’s when I saw her.

Cheryl.

And not just Cheryl. Cheryl pressed against that guy she’d been gushing about for days, her lips locked with his in what could only be described as a very public display of affection. Damon Bass.

For a second, my brain short-circuited. It wasn’t supposed to affect me. It’s Cheryl, I told myself. The same Cheryl I shared an apartment with, the same girl I used to torment in high school because she was ditsy and awkward and too easy to tease. She wasn’t supposed to matter like this.

But she did.

My jaw tightened as I watched them. Something twisted in my chest, unfamiliar and unwelcome. Why the hell did it feel weird watching her kiss that guy? Was she trying to make me jealous? If that was her plan, she’d succeeded. I hated how well it was working.

“Never imagined seeing Cheryl kissing a man on the red carpet,” Anika’s voice cut through my thoughts as her hand curled possessively around my arm, pulling me forward into the ceremony. Her tone dripped with mockery, and I wasn’t sure if it was directed at Cheryl or me.

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. Not when I risked one last look over my shoulder, only to find Cheryl’s eyes locked on mine.

Her gaze hit me like a punch to the gut. There was something defiant in it, something daring me to react. But before I could process it, Anika tugged me through the doors, her voice a distant hum as my mind spun in circles.

By the time we were inside, I needed a drink—badly. No, I needed to get drunk. Fast.

I grabbed a glass of whiskey off a tray and downed it in one go, relishing the burn as it slid down my throat. The buzz wasn’t immediate, so I grabbed another, drinking it just as quickly.

“Are you on a mission to get wasted tonight?” Anika’s voice had a sharp edge, her perfectly arched brow lifting as she watched me.

“What’s it to you?” I snapped before I could stop myself. The bitterness in my tone wasn’t meant for her, but she bore the brunt of it anyway.

Her eyes narrowed, but her lips curled into a sly smile. “Just trying to match your energy tonight, Aiden. What do you say? We both get blind drunk, and then we head back to my place?” She winked, her fingers trailing suggestively down my arm.

I should’ve been interested. A few weeks ago, I would’ve been all over that invitation. Anika was gorgeous, sultry, and more than willing to share her bed with me. But tonight? The thought left me cold.

“I think I’ll pass,” I said, my voice clipped. “Got an early morning tomorrow.”

She frowned but didn’t push. “Suit yourself. I’ll go mingle. Don’t wait too long to change your mind.” She flashed me a knowing smile before slinking off into the crowd, leaving behind the faint scent of her expensive perfume.

The moment she was gone, I grabbed another drink. I wasn’t mingling. I wasn’t “changing my mind.” I was looking for Cheryl.

I spotted her almost immediately. She’d just walked in with Damon, his hand on her lower back like he owned her. My teeth clenched involuntarily as I watched them. Cheryl looked… stunning. Even with the chaos of the cameras earlier, she’d managed to keep herself composed. That black dress hugged her in all the right places, and her hair framed her face like a halo.

I rolled my eyes, annoyed at myself for noticing.

While I kept an eye on her, a few guests came over to greet me. I smiled, nodded, made small talk—none of it mattered. None of them mattered. My attention kept drifting back to Cheryl, and the moment I saw her alone, sipping wine in a corner, I didn’t hesitate.

I made my way over, grabbing a glass from a passing tray as I approached.

“Wild night, huh?” I said, stepping up behind her.

She turned, her eyes widening slightly before she masked her surprise. “Is there a problem?”

I smirked, leaning casually against the wall. “He seems boring,” I said, nodding toward Damon, who was thankfully nowhere in sight. “The kind of guy to talk your ear off. When you told me about your date, I wasn’t exactly picturing a benefit and a red carpet.”

Her lips curved into a sneaky smile, mirroring my earlier words. “Wild night, huh?”

I couldn’t help but smile back. Cheryl had a way of disarming me, of making me forget what I was supposed to say. But then the words came out before I could stop them.

“So, are you going to have sex with him tonight?”

She froze, caught off guard, but quickly recovered. “Not that it’s any of your business,” she said, her tone clipped, “but I’m not closed off to the idea.”

I clicked my tongue, shaking my head. “You’re supposed to make him chase you. Don’t you listen to anything I say?”

Her eyes flared with defiance. “You get to have sex with Anika tonight. Why do I have to go to bed alone?”

The jab hit harder than I expected. For a second, I didn’t know what to say. I raised my hands in surrender, backing off, but the tension between us lingered, thick and charged.

I turned to leave, needing to clear my head, but the buzz of my phone stopped me in my tracks. I pulled it out of my pocket, glancing at the screen—and froze.

The blood drained from my face, my chest tightening as I stared at the name flashing on the screen.

Cheryl noticed instantly. “Aiden? What is it?”

I looked up at her, my movements stiff, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. The words slipped out before I could stop them.

“It’s my mother. Evelyn. She reached out”