From Lies To Love

Chapter14

Emily was still curled up on the couch, sipping from her glass as Gina leaned back, eyeing her with amusement.

“So, let me get this straight,” Gina said, swirling her drink lazily. “You my best friend, the same one who swore on everything holy that you’d rather eat glass than see Ryan Blackwood again are now fake dating him?”

Emily groaned, rubbing her forehead. “It’s complicated, Gina.”

“Clearly.” Gina scoffed. “And here I thought your life was boring.”

Before Emily could respond, her phone vibrated on the table. She glanced at the screen and immediately sighed.

Mom.

Gina, already tipsy, smirked. “That sigh tells me this call is gonna be a mess. Should I get popcorn?”

Emily shot her a look before answering. “Hey, Mom.”

“Emily,” Stella Daniels' voice came through sharp and impatient. “I’ve been calling. Why didn’t you pick up?”

Emily exhaled, already bracing herself. “I was busy, Mom. What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” her mother scoffed. “Your younger brother needs school fees, that’s what’s wrong. Do you think money falls from the sky? You should have sent something by now.”

Emily’s grip on her phone tightened. “I told you I’d send money when I could. Things are tight right now.”

“Tight?” Stella snapped. “You have a rich boyfriend, Emily! What’s the point of dating a man like that if you’re still struggling? You should be asking him for help. Or are you just wasting this opportunity?”

Emily’s stomach twisted. Gina, still sipping her drink, gave her a knowing look.

“Mom, I told you not to count on Ryan’s money,” Emily said, lowering her voice. “That’s not how this works.”

Her mother let out a sharp laugh. “Then what is the point, Emily? You know how hard things are for us. Your father isn’t getting any younger, and Evans has his future ahead of him. If you won’t take care of your family, then who will?”

Emily shut her eyes, inhaling deeply. The guilt her mother laid on her was nothing new, but it still weighed on her.

“I’ll send what I can,” she said quietly.

“That’s not good enough,” Stella huffed. “You need to start thinking about securing your future, Emily. And by ‘your future,’ I mean this family’s future. Ryan Blackwood is a golden opportunity. You better not mess this up.”

Emily clenched her jaw. “Mom, I have to go.”

“Emily”

She ended the call before her mother could continue, throwing her phone onto the couch with a frustrated sigh.

Gina, who had been silently watching, finally spoke.

“So. That was a whole lot of toxic nonsense.”

Emily leaned back, rubbing her temples. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Gina tilted her head, scrutinizing her. “But we are going to talk about it.” She sat up straighter. “Emily, your mom is literally pimping you out for financial security. And instead of telling her where to shove it, you just” She made an exasperated gesture. “Take it.”

Emily sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “It’s not that simple, Gina. It’s my family. Evans needs me.”

Gina shook her head. “Girl, I get it. But your mother? She’s acting like you owe them your entire life.” She paused, narrowing her eyes. “Wait. You haven’t told Ryan about this, have you?”

Emily stiffened. “No. And I won’t.”

Gina groaned dramatically. “Ugh. You are killing me, Em. Killing me.”

Emily just shook her head, staring at the ceiling. How did her life get so complicated?

Gina let out a long sigh, shaking her head as she poured herself another drink. “So, let me get this straight. You’re fake dating one of the richest, most powerful men in the city, and instead of taking advantage of it, you’re out here suffering because your mother thinks you’re some kind of personal ATM?”

Emily groaned. “It’s not that simple, Gina.”

Gina raised an eyebrow. “Oh, it’s exactly that simple. Your mom is a gold digger, Em. A shameless one at that.”

“Gina!”

“What?” Gina sipped her drink, unfazed. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

Emily didn’t respond. Instead, she leaned back against the couch, her arms crossed over her chest.

Gina rolled her eyes. “You need to grow a spine when it comes to her. I love you, but you let that woman walk all over you. And now she wants you to trap Ryan?”

Emily flinched. “She didn’t say trap.”

Gina gave her a pointed look. “She basically did.”

Emily groaned, rubbing her temples. “I hate this. I hate that she makes me feel like I have no choice.”

Gina exhaled, setting her glass down. “You do have a choice. And honestly? Ryan doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’d appreciate being used. Even fake used.”

Emily scoffed. “As if Ryan Blackwood can be used.”

Gina smirked. “True. That man is dangerous. And not just in the ‘I have money and power’ way he’s hot dangerous. You sure you don’t like him?”

Emily immediately sat up. “Gina.”

“What?” Gina grinned. “You work for him, you fake date him, you spend time with him don’t tell me you don’t think about it. About him.”

Emily refused to answer, but her face betrayed her.

Gina gasped. “Oh my God. You do!”

Emily groaned. “I do not.”

“You so do,” Gina teased. “Is it the way he looks at you? Like he’s constantly undressing you with his eyes?”

“Gina, shut up.”

Gina only laughed. “Or is it the fact that he’s a control freak? You always did like a challenge.”

Emily shot her a glare. “I hate you.”

“You love me,” Gina said smugly. Then, after a beat, she added, “But seriously, be careful, Em. Ryan’s not the kind of guy you play with. If you’re not careful, he’ll be the one playing you.”