All Chapters of Pretend to be mine : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Diana checked her watch for what felt like the hundredth time, tapping her foot impatiently on the pavement. She was waiting at the curb outside the airport, scanning the crowds of people streaming out of the terminal for a glimpse of lucia’s familiar smile.As she waited, Lucia’s mind wandered back to their last conversation. Lucia had sounded distant, preoccupied, and Diana couldn't shake the feeling that something was bothering her friend.Just as Diana was starting to worry that Lucia’s flight had been delayed, she spotted a familiar figure emerging from the crowd. Lucia looked tired but relieved as she made her way towards Diana, towing a small suitcase behind her.Diana grinned, feeling a surge of excitement and affection as she opened her arms for a hug. "Hey, girl!" she exclaimed, squeezing Lucia tightly. "Welcome back!"Diana took a long look at her face when she got in the passenger seat.“First: are we going to your house or my house?”Lucia considered as Diana drove out of

After work Avon went home and changed into his running clothes. He ran on the beach for ten miles, trying to exhaust himself so much he didn’t think about Lucia, and how he should be on a plane to go see her at that very moment. It didn’t work.The shameful thing was that he’d already bought a ticket to fly up there that weekend. He’d bought it the day before she flew in for the July weekend, and he hadn’t canceled it yet. He kept thinking he’d hear from her; he’d feel his phone vibrate in his pocket and it would be a text from her. She’d say she was wrong to leave, she’d missed the hell out of him all week just like he’d missed her. And then he would fly up there this weekend, and . . . but that hadn’t happened.So he’d canceled his flight right before leaving the office, and now he was even grumpier than he’d been all week. Now it truly felt over.He climbed up the stairs to his apartment after his run, hot and sweaty and irritable, but no longer in the kind of mood where he would

Lucia’s body shook with sobs as she confronted the pain of her past. She wiped her tears with the hem of her tank top, her eyes fixed on Olivia."I'm so sorry, Carolyn ," Lucia whispered, her voice cracking. "I've regretted my actions for years, but I've been too ashamed to apologize."Carolyn’s expression softened, her eyes brimming with compassion. "Lulu, you've been there for me during my toughest moments," she said gently. "Like when I needed help moving out of that awful apartment in New York after the breakup."Lucia’s guilt resurfaced, but Carolyn’s words offered a glimmer of hope. "I know I wasn't perfect, Carolyn ," Lucia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I hurt you, and I'm deeply sorry. This program was my attempt to make amends, but I realize now that I needed to apologize in person, regardless of the outcome."Carolyn’s face reflected a mix of sadness and understanding. "I appreciate your honesty, Lulu," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "Your apology me

Avon.Her mind went blank. What was he doing here? She hadn't told him about the meeting, and she certainly hadn't invited him. A flutter of surprise mixed with a dash of anxiety stirred in her chest.How did he even know about this meeting? Lucia's thoughts whirled as she struggled to maintain her composure. She couldn't let her emotions get the better of her, not now, not when she was so close to achieving her goal.But Avon’s presence threw her off balance. She felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Why had he come? Was he here to support her, or to sabotage her efforts?Lucia's eyes locked onto Avon’s , and for a moment, they just stared at each other. The room around her melted away, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a sea of uncertainty.There was something in his eyes, something that looked almost like... longing. Lucia's heart skipped a beat. No, she must be imagining things. Avon had made it clear he wasn't interested in her, not in that way.But as she looked into

“Why can’t James meet us at the restaurant?” Lucia said walked into the Lacoste , almost a year and three months after they’d met there. James and Lucas were in town and were staying there for some reason, instead of one of the more convenient hotels downtown. Avon had insisted on meeting them in their room, instead of at the restaurant where they were having dinner. Lucia was trying not to complain about it, but it was a Thursday night at eight , she’d had a long day, and she was ready for a cocktail and an enormous plate of French fries.“He needs your opinion on his outfit. I don’t know.” Avon had been distracted their whole drive there and kept checking his phone. She knew he had a few patients he was worried about, but this was unusual for him.She pressed the button for the elevator and looked up at him and smiled, ready to reminisce about their elevator, but he wasn’t looking at her; he was looking off in the distance. Okay. She tried not to take it personally.In the past ye