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“No?”

Her sweet voice drops an octave like she’s unfurling a big mystery. “Turns out, he sent his best friend, I can’t remember the name, in his place too, for the same reason I sent you.”

“Kingston.”

“Yes!”

A sardonic and hollow laugh slips past my lips as I process everything Tina has revealed. She’s too tipsy to ask me how I know.

In this entire ordeal,I’mthe one who got played, not him.

Oh, how smug he must be!

I can’t believe he’s been lying to me all this time under false pretenses. Was it to teach me a lesson? Did I bruise his ego by pulling the wool over his eyes? Was everything a game? Did he plan a ruse to steal my heart and then stomp all over it for acting like a bitch on our first date? For rejecting him after the kiss?

More importantly, just who is he?

Numbness slowly sinks into my pores as I stare blankly at the wall. I’ve never felt more betrayed even though I have no right. I mean, I conned him too.

Nonetheless, the difference is I had no ill intention and I didn’t string him along.

He had so many chances to reveal his identity.

Yet he didn’t.

God! I can’t believe I was about to give him a chance.

Tina continues chattering, unaware of how badly I’m shaking from the shock of Kingston’s betrayal. “Anyways, I dodged a bullet either way because he is rude as hell and I hate his guts. The fucker cockblocked me by calling me his fiancée. It’s a damn shame too, because he’s smoking hot enough to make a nun wet. Until he opens his mouth, at least.”

“Do you have his picture or his full name?” I ask past the tightness in my throat. I need proof before I confront Kingston, which I wish I didn’t have to do half naked while wearing his clothes.

Just a few minutes ago, his scent calmed me, and now it just makes me want to cry. The saddest part is that despite the anger coursing through my veins, I still can’t find myself to hate him.

The only thing I’m destined for is a broken fairy tale.

“Julian Kashyap,” answers Tina. “As for his picture, just search him online. He’s some hotshot sports agent here in New York.”

At least, Kingston made his bed of lies based on a few truths.

With each second, I get more and more pissed.

“Look, Tink, I gotta go,” she mumbles in a rush. “We’re about to enter a club. Come back soon. I love you.”

My first instinct is to tell her the truth, but I don’t want to ruin her night. So, I say, “Love you too.”

As soon as she hangs up, I open a search engine and look for the real Julian instead of the one masquerading as him. I find him on the first attempt, instantly recognizing him as Josh from the picture on Kingston’s office desk.

Except, he’s the real Julian.

I’m freaking impressed at Kingston’s selection of the fake name for his friend. He was prepared for everything.

My heart breaks into pieces when in one of the pictures, I see him and Kingston smiling together side by side.

A part of me wishes for it to all be a big misunderstanding.

Every single word he said, and the promises he made, all turn poisonous.

I am a fool who fell for them.