CHAPTER 43

The rest of the evening passed in a haze. I stayed close to Thiago, playing the role he expected of me—his arm candy, the woman by his side. But inside, my thoughts were spiraling.

Every time Mathias or Julia came over to chat, my stomach churned. I couldn’t shake the image of Thiago sealing a deal that could ruin my father. The fact that he’d orchestrated this entire evening to meet with Mathias, all while pretending it was just a wedding invitation, made me feel used. Yet, I stayed. I stayed because walking away now felt impossible.

As the evening wore on, Thiago excused himself to take a call. It left me alone at the table, sipping champagne while watching the other guests mingle. I glanced at the bride and groom across the room, laughing together with a group of friends. It was hard to imagine them divorced from other people, only to find their way back to each other.

“Bridgette, right?” a voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up to see Julia standing beside me, her smile warm