The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

Chapter 76

I won’t let either of them see me upset. I dig my heels in, bite down the hurt and drag on that perfect mask of indifference. He wanders the last few feet to greet the opening doors, and I stiffen inside. I try to relax, try to make this look as natural as I can sitting here with my food. I channel hop to find something to watch, without any sort of attention or focus on the screen, laying my water on the table and pull over a cushion for my lap to cradle my plate.

I hear Natasha’s voice in the foyer with his, greeting him, and mumbling small talk. I refuse to look their way, even though my heart is hammering in my chest and just focus on the music at the start of the movie I randomly clicked on. I don’t want to see them embrace, kiss or whatever; he must be gone in the head to think this is anything but abnormal.

“Hi, Sophie. You look nice today.” Natasha’s silky sweet putrid voice sets my teeth on edge and I turn her way with a fake smile and catch Arrick giving me eye signals and frowns over her head as he stands behind her. I have to kill the urge to glare at him.

“Thanks, you too!” I try for sincere and just sound bored; seeing him give me another scalding frown and dismiss it.

Fuck off, Arrick.

“I hope you don’t mind me showing up like this while you two are obviously eating. I just needed some of my things, and I hoped to have a little time with Arrick.” She still seems to be talking at me, despite me pretending I am engrossed in the TV while stuffing Chow Mein in my mouth in a half-hearted way, not caring anymore if I’m hungry. It has all turned to cardboard in my mouth anyway. My insides are doing some sort of ‘cha cha’ and my temper has set up camp on my heart.

Arrick takes her jacket and bag and lays it over the nearby armchair while he avoids looking at me, so I get the impression she is staying.

would he think

me. She’s watching me and I notice the weird expression she seems to have on her face; all strangely doe-eyed and blinky and smiling at me with a painfully shy vibe.

It’s so very sophisticated, and your makeup is gorgeous. Maybe you could give me some tips with mine before I leave. You look so pulled together.” I almost blanch at her, screwing up my face, but she’s already looking towards the kitchen behind me for no apparent reason. I glance down at my fitted dress, another Louis Vuitton I picked up with Camilla, tailored knee-length shift dress. Dark purple and sleeveless and a little bit modest if I’m being honest. My

I realize he’s in the kitchen; he must have hightailed it and is holding up wine, hence why she’s been staring adoringly that way. Arrick rarely drinks the stuff, and only keeps it for social visits. I guess he suddenly feels he needs one right now, and Natasha looks equally surprised at his suggestion, I am too. It’s not like him to hit

probably because his life has never unraveled at his feet like mine has, because he

become my soul sister and

love of

sure.” She giggles nervously, and it’s only now I see she’s more dressed up than normal and definitely wearing heavier makeup. A peek at her shoes tells me she didn’t just pop by on the off chance to see him and is wearing something high and sexy that even I would approve of. She planned on coming

goes for, less flower and plainer, like something I would wear. A belt, finally, to cinch that tiny waist of hers and her makeup is smoky-eyed, only applied lightly, with a serious amount of plumping lipstick in rose. Definitely hustling for sex or a reunion, and I want to use my chopstick to poke her in the

but for some crazy reason, Natasha seems to have gravitated towards me even more. She seems to have some sort of girl hard-on and is practically

too weird for

that well, Sophie, and I figured maybe it’s time we tried.” She gives me more bunny eyes and

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