any denying the story with the damning pictures. My heart sank as I read through the article a second time. The first time, it had been a bit of a blur. It was overwhelming. I couldn’t explain the hurt I felt. It was different than the hurt I felt when he walked away from me. I felt betrayed. Very publicly betrayed.
“Harper has always been the one for me,” I read the quote attributed to Chase aloud. “We parted ways, but she was always the one I knew I wanted to be with. Fate brought us back together. We’ve rekindled our love for one another and we are planning our future together. I feel very lucky to have her in my life. I couldn’t imagine my life without her.”
He was laying it on pretty thick. It was over a week since Angela interviewed us. A week ago, we were just starting the no-strings things. I never told him I loved him and he sure as hell never said it to me. It was just sex. Reading the article, it sounded like we were headed down the aisle next week. It was misleading and a load of shit.
Was tonight part of his fake relationship? Would a reporter happen to get a picture of us sharing an intimate dinner? I couldn’t help but feel used. He played me, and I was so fucking stupid I fell for it. My eyes slid over to the teddy bear he won for me a few hours ago. It was sitting on my bed, resting between the pillows.
It was all bullshit. I would not be surprised to learn there were photographers at the event who were told to get pictures of us together to keep the story alive. I saw the photographers and knew they were there, but it was supposed to be publicity for the hotel and Chase’s brand. I did not want to be a part of the story. My life wasn’t a story to be consumed by others. It was my private life and he was turning it into a sideshow.
I closed the laptop, unable to look at the words another second. I wasn’t even angry. Well, I was, but it was more of a devastation I felt. This afternoon, I was certain I was in love with him. I believed he was the man he portrayed himself to be. Looking back, I could see I was a means to an end. He needed an angle—or as Angela called it, a unique angle—to sell his resort.
It was an old trick. It was something celebrities did all the time. People loved fairytales. Chase cooked up a plan to use me as a way to write his own fairytale that would appeal to the masses. He put on this big show pretending to be this kind, caring gentleman. He was a user. I was used. What was his long-term plan, I wondered?
Was he planning to dump me as soon as my contract was up and he got the boost in publicity he needed? Was that why he was introducing me to the other business owners? He was trying to assuage his guilt by getting me set up with a job when he kicked me to the curb.
“You conniving prick!”
I couldn’t stand to be in the hotel another second. I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t want to be anywhere near the place when that article hit the publications.
Chase was one of the most eligible bachelors and I was certain it would be picked up by the gossip columns as well. The wheels of the publicity machine would keep on spinning until I was chewed up and spit out.
I grabbed my suitcase and threw it on the bed. I was going to break my employment contract. Chase could have the salary back. I didn’t want it. I wanted nothing from him. Ever. I was done with him. I would not be used.
I started tossing my stuff into my suitcase. It was becoming a bit of a habit for me. This time, I was leaving though. There was nothing he could say to stop me. There was nothing to keep me there.
I did a quick search for vacation rentals. I didn’t dare rent a hotel room. He would find me. I didn’t want to be found. I wasn’t sure when the story was being published but I planned on going to ground for a while until it all blew over. I was not going to give interviews