MELISSA'S POV
The sun had barely settled into its afternoon glow when Marco texted us, inviting Xavier and me for lunch. It wasn’t unusual—he liked to keep things casual, loved talking shop over pasta or sushi. But today felt different. The moment I saw his name flash across my phone, my chest tightened slightly. Maybe it was the tone of his message. Or maybe it was the lingering thoughts from last night.
The entire internet was still going wild over our fake relationship. Our photos from Mexico had crossed over a million likes, and overnight, both our modelling accounts had been verified. Just like that.
"Welcome to the blue tick club," Marco had texted with laughing emojis. "You two are on fire."
But something in me wasn’t laughing. Not today.
I showed up at the venue—an upscale gla
