The room explodes with noise — gasps, whispers, shocked laughter and even some cheering. I feel like I’m floating, disconnected from reality, as the stranger takes my hand.
His touch is warm, steady, grounding me even as everything else spins out of control. Who is this guy? Why would he do this? I don’t know whether to pull away or hold on tighter.
But when I glance down at Alex and see the fury twisting his features, my resolve hardens. If this man wants to play hero, who am I to stop him?
The stranger leans in close, his lips brushing my ear as he speaks, low and smooth. “Don’t look so scared. I’m not planning to hurt you.”
I blink, caught off guard. “Then what are you planning?”
He straightens up, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and something darker. “To make your ex very, very uncomfortable.”
I can barely think straight, but a small part of me wants to laugh. I glance at Alex again, and he’s seething, fists clenched at his sides. Eliza stands beside him, her expression frozen in a mix of shock and horror.
That’s when I realize…maybe this could work. Maybe this could be my way out…of everything. My mom’s medical bills, the humiliation Alex caused me by dumping me.