Chapter 86

Eleanor's POV

Then he leaned over, and they were kissing. Not the hesitant, scotch-flavored kiss from last night. This was familiar, practiced - the kiss of people who knew exactly what they were doing.

Something in my chest cracked. I must have made a sound, because they suddenly broke apart, the woman's eyes wide as she spotted me.

"Eleanor?" Jace's voice held none of last night's warmth. "What are you doing out here so late?"

I stepped forward, grateful for the darkness hiding my expression. "I could ask you the same thing."

The woman was already gathering her things, mumbling something about calling an Uber. Jace didn't stop her as she slipped out of the car.

"Go home," he said once we were alone. "You're too young to understand-"

"Too young?" My voice came out steadier than I felt. "I was old enough last night when you kissed me."

He ran a hand through his hair - a gesture I'd always found endearing before. Now it just looked rehearsed. "I had too much to drink. Let's just forget about it."

"You weren't drunk." The words felt like glass in my throat. "I tasted the scotch, but you weren't drunk."

I know his alcohol tolerance better than anyone. He never drinks enough to get drunk, precisely because he can't handle alcohol well.

"Fine, I admit I wasn't drunk." His eyes meet mine as I stand there crying like a fool, and there isn't even a flicker of sympathy in his gaze. "I'm 22, a grown man. It's hard to reject any woman who throws herself at me. Just forget about it."

Forget about it? Any woman?

The pain cuts deep into my chest. Through my tears, I manage to whisper, "That was my first kiss."

"Sorry," he says, his voice devoid of any real remorse.

My heart pounds against my ribs as I gather every ounce of courage I have. "Don't you like me?" I ask, unable to hide the desperate hope in my voice.

"No." He doesn't hesitate, his words falling like ice. "Never have, since we were kids. I just had to keep smiling since I was living under your family's roof."

Never liked me... just because he lived under our roof.

All this time, I've been fooling myself.

His dislike was real. His kindness was fake. I find myself laughing through my tears. Laughing at my own naivety. Laughing at how I could still hope for anything from Jace.

The spotlights burned into my skin as I walked down the runway, each step measured and precise despite the exhaustion seeping into my bones. Years in the industry had taught me how to keep smiling even when my face felt like cracking.

"Simply stunning!" The announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, but I barely registered it. My mind was elsewhere, trapped in a loop of memories I couldn't shake.

Backstage was organized chaos - makeup artists rushing between models, photographers snapping last-minute shots, stylists frantically adjusting outfits for the final group photo. I found my way to my designated corner, where my makeup artist was waiting.

"Touch-ups for the interviews?" she asked, already reaching for her brush.

I nodded, catching my reflection in the mirror. The woman staring back at me looked flawless - not a single hair out of place, makeup still camera-ready.

"Eleanor!" The host from the Fashion Gala approached with her microphone and camera crew in tow. "You absolutely owned that runway! How does it feel to be the face of Vanguard's spring collection?"

My lips curved into the practiced smile I'd perfected over the years. "I'm honored to represent Vanguard. Their vision for fashion has always been revolutionary, and this collection particularly speaks to the modern woman's strength and elegance."

The words flowed automatically, my media training kicking in without conscious thought. But behind my professional facade, another voice echoed from the past:

*"That was my first kiss."*

*"Sorry."*

*"Don't you like me?"*

*"No. Never did. But when you're living under someone's roof, you learn to smile."*

"Eleanor?" The host's voice snapped me back to the present. "You seemed lost in thought there for a moment."

"Just overwhelmed by the amazing energy to - ," I recovered smoothly, but before I could respond, chaos erupted at the exit. A swarm of reporters pushed through security, their cameras flashing like strobe lights.

"Eleanor Yates! Can you comment on the photos released tonight?"

"Is it true about your relationship with-"

"Sources claim he's been funding your career-"

The questions hit like bullets, each one aimed to draw blood. Through the chaos, I caught Evelyn's satisfied smile as she stepped back into the shadows.