Page 97 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince

“No way,” I whispered.

She smiled. “And I filed that away as a just-in-case. And it’s good I did.” She pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and waved it in front of me.

I was ready to jump out of my seat and demand she end my misery. I had to know what she found.

Stella unlocked her phone and swiped until she found her camera app. After flipping through a few pictures, she handed me her phone. I zoomed in on a short email from Simone to Elaine.

“Holy shit!Simonestole the designs?”

Stella nodded her head vigorously. “I bet it was that night Dean found her in his office.”

“Oh, wow.” My head was spinning. “She’s such a bitch.”

“Yeah, I can see why she’s falling out of favor as America’s Sweetheart.”

“I also emailed it to myself. Once mother realizes that, I don’t think I’ll be welcomed back there.”

“Stella, you didn’t have to do that.”

“I’m tired of her pushing you around, Ash, and I’m done with her dictating our lives.”

She was right. Yet, I knew this decision wasn’t made lightly. Walking away from her mother meant she started to let go of the person she wished Elaine had been.

I leaned forward and hugged her. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks,” she sniffed.

Stella let out a heavy sigh, “Enough about me. Let’s get back to you. What can we do with this proof?”

“I wish I could show, Dean. While I know this picture and email isn’t going to be able to do much, it would show him I’m innocent. Maybe he would stop hating me even just a little.”

“Why don’t we show him then?”

“Stella, I can’t even get into Prince Industries anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“The cleaning company called to tell me my services were no longer needed. And that I was advised not to enter the building or security would be forced to physically remove me from the premises.”

“What a jerk!”

I shrugged. “Yeah, but he’s not wrong in doing that. He thinks I stole from the company.”

Even after everything, I still defended him.

“No, he’s a stupid jerk. He knows you, and therefore he should know you’d never pull shit like that.”

Stella rarely swore, so it always sounded a little funny coming from her. “He realized that something happened that night, and I admitted I took one picture but couldn’t go through with it.”

“Why would you admit to that if you’d been the one to take it? See, stupid jerk.”

“I won’t completely disagree with your assessment of him.”

My sister’s eyes narrowed.

“Let’s go, Ash.” She stood abruptly and yanked me off the couch.

“Go where?” What was she doing?