Chapter 0443

“Hi, Piper!” Susie said, suddenly rushing past me. “Bye, Piper!” She took the stairs of the stage.

Bridget’s gaze never left mine. She didn’t say anything more, just winked at me, then turned to follow Susie up the stairs.

I stared after her for a few long moments, shaken inside and out. Just what had Bridget meant by that? A true kiss of passion, she’d said. With Nicholas?

No. I couldn’t believe it. Nicholas had said he won’t kiss anyone he didn’t want to, and I couldn’t let Bridget’s words shake my faith and trust in him.

But what if Bridget was someone he wanted to kiss. The lights of the stage could be intoxicating, and Bridget was a good actress. If anyone could convince a man to kiss her, it would be Bridget.

My stomach twisted into tight knots. Maybe I shouldn’t watch at all. Maybe I should just return to the sitting room with Elva and wait for Susie to tell me what happened.

Yes, that was what I would do. Decided, I turned away from the stairs, only to notice a figure lingering at the other side of the backstage, half in shadow. No one really went to that side, since this side was far more convenient.

Yet I recognized that shadvenient

Julian.

My worries dimmed a little under the wave of determination that rolled over me now. I still needed to talk to him, and here he was. We could speak privately there, and an escape would not be easy for him.

Resolved, I started toward him.

Onstage, the scene began, with Bridget talking to Susie. Susie delivered her one line. Her voice trembled with obvious fear, yet she still managed to say the words. I was proud of her. I would tell her later. But for now…

“Julian, we need to talk,” I said.

Julian didn’t even glance at me. His eyes were glued to the stage.

said,

Did he just shush

of the stage. Face blank, he simply leaned

Or was this way of dealing with

way, if this was what he felt he needed.

+15 BONUS

past him to try to sneak away again. So I reached out and clenched his wrist in a vice grip.

had climbed through the makeshift window and was sharing romantic words with Bridget. The scene made my stomach clench no matter how many times I witnessed it.

Julian beside me. His blank expression had not changed. Suddenly, I began to worry about him even more than before. It wasn’t like

but I would want to anyway. Even if I didn’t want the truth about what happened last night, I would still want to talk

“Julian…” I whispered.

Piper,” he said, still not looking at

really did want to torture himself.

guessed that meant I had to be

attention to the stage, it was time for the kiss. Beside me, Julian tensed. I tensed too, holding onto his

only Bridget’s. She looked up at him with such pure devotion in her eyes. She was a great actress, but I

so slowly, they leaned in toward

caught in my throat.

No.

his head and kissed

rush of relief pushed

grabbed Nicholas’s face to center him, pressed herself up onto her toes, and

to wildly cheer. So much for

Julian sighed. He gently placed his hand over mine, and I realized how tightly

like a statue, unmoving. When Bridget pulled back, smiling, he knocked away her hands then stormed

But then she corrected herself. She smiled as she turned toward the

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255