Stardust and Kisses

Playing with Fire

Heather

I spent the next few hours running errands, but my mind was more focused on Veronica than on what I needed to get done. I hit every local café, bar, and boutique that might have heard a whisper about her. I needed dirt—anything that would confirm my suspicions. I even tried digging through social media, but it was like trying to catch smoke with my bare hands. Nothing.

After a fruitless afternoon, I finally decided to head back to the café. As I walked up, I spotted Aaron exiting, his expression a mix of confusion and frustration. I could read him like an open book; whatever had happened inside hadn’t gone as planned.

“Hey,” I called out, approaching him. “How did it go?”

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. “Not great. She was playing it cool, acting like everything was fine. But there was something off, you know? And then I told her about the wedding.”

My stomach dropped. “you did?” I asked.

“Because you told me to!” He shot back, exasperation in his voice. “You wanted me to rattle her. But now it just feels like I put my foot in my mouth.”

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my voice steady. “You were supposed to check if she was lying about the pregnancy. If she flipped at the mention of the wedding, it would’ve been a huge red flag.”

“Are you serious right now?” he snapped. “What if she decides to go to the press with this? This isn’t just a game, Heather. I can’t just drag someone into a f*****g lie, especially not you.”

“Look, I get it, okay?” I said, trying to reign in my frustration. “But we need to know if she’s the one behind the leak to the publication. If she is, then we have to be prepared for the fallout.”

“By lying? You think that’s going to solve anything?” His voice was strained, and I could see the conflict in his eyes.

I took a step closer, lowering my voice. “Listen to me. I thought if you could throw a big bomb like that out there, it would expose her. If she’s as manipulative as I think she is, she won’t be able to resist trying to use that information against you. And then we’ll have something concrete to go on.”

He stared at me, frustration battling with understanding. “So, you’re saying you want her to tip her hand, and the wedding news will be the bait?”

“Exactly,” I said, trying to keep my tone calm. “If she’s behind the tip-off, she’ll react to the wedding like it’s the end of the world. But if she’s really just playing the victim, it won’t faze her at all.”

He ran a hand over his face, the weight of it all clearly bearing down on him. “This feels like a lot of pressure, and it’s not just for me. We’re dealing with someone who’s already shown she can manipulate situations.”

I took a deep breath, wanting to reach out and reassure him, but knowing it wouldn’t help. “I know it’s risky, Aaron. But we’re in a situation that demands risk. If we don’t figure out what’s going on with her, it’s going to come back to bite us in the ass. You have to trust me on this.”

He sighed, the fight slowly fading from his expression. “Okay, but what if she just brushes it off? What then?”

“Then we’ll have to find another way to get to her. I won’t let this slide, not when there’s so much at stake. But I think you need to keep playing your part for now. Let her think she’s in control, and we’ll watch for any cracks.”

Aaron nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Fine. But I don’t like this. Not one bit.”

“I don’t either,” I admitted. “But we’re in this together, right? Just keep your head up and don’t let her see you sweat.”

As we walked away from the café, I could feel the tension in the air, like a storm brewing just out of sight. I knew we were walking a tightrope, and one misstep could lead to disaster. But as long as we were careful, I was determined to expose the truth behind Veronica’s game—whatever it took.