I Pretended To Be His Crush For Three Years Chapter 04

I Pretended To Be His Crush For Three Years Chapter 04

Nora was quiet for a long moment. Then she nodded. “Okay. That’s fair.”

Reid seemed caught off guard. Like he’d expected her to fight back.

“Nora, you…” He said her name again.

She waited for him to continue. He didn’t.

After a few seconds, he asked, “Is there anything you want? Consider it… my way of making it up to you.”

She laughed softly. “Reid, you didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t owe me anything.”

If anything, she owed him more than she could ever repay.

She didn’t say that part. Even now, she couldn’t bear to see disgust in his eyes. That dream had haunted her for three years. She’d had enough.

He was quiet again. She could hear him breathing—heavier than usual, like he was holding something back.

Finally he said, “Take care of yourself, then.”

“Okay.”

She hung up first.

About half an hour later, her phone buzzed with a notification.

Reid had posted.

Clean. Diplomatic. The standard celebrity breakup statement.

“Thank you all for your concern. After mutual discussion, @Nora and I have decided to go our separate ways. We wish each other well and ask for privacy during this time. Thank you.”

Two lines. No reason given. No mention of Nyssa.

The comments exploded anyway. “Finally!” “He’s come to his senses!” “She was never good enough.” “Only me wondering why he’s not following Nyssa? Maybe don’t jump to conclusions?”

She scrolled for a bit, then closed the app.

No point reading them. They were saying the same things she’d been telling herself for years. She’d been her own harshest critic long before they started.

After getting up, Nora spent a long time thinking. She finally settled on Milan. Artists’ Mecca. Also far enough from Reid that, with any luck, they’d never cross paths again.

She was making a list of what she’d need when Hailey’s message came through.

“Nora, do you remember Mr. Atlas? The gallery owner who wanted to sign you exclusively? He’s hosting an annual art industry cocktail party at the InterContinental tonight. He specifically invited you. Want to go?”

Nora stared at the screen. She remembered Mr. Atlas. He had connections in Milan. Might be helpful later.

She replied: “Yes.”

Hailey sent the time and address.

That night, the InterContinental was all crystal chandeliers and bright lights. Nora arrived early. Mr. Atlas was warm, introducing her to collectors, praising her as “a rising star.”

She smiled, said all the right things. Years of attending events with Reid had taught her how to move through a room like this.

The doors opened. She looked up without meaning to.

And there they were. Reid and Nyssa.

A musical dynasty heiress and a rock star. The two of them together looked too beautiful to be real.

Her heart stopped for a beat, then started pounding in uneven rhythm.

Why were they here?

Someone approached Reid to greet him. He responded politely, his gaze drifting across the crowd. Then it stopped on her.

Across the ballroom, she saw his smile freeze for just a second.

She looked down, turned away, kept making conversation.

Footsteps approached behind her. A woman’s voice: “Ms. Nora? Could we talk for a moment?”

Nora turned. Nyssa stood there, champagne in hand, her expression neutral.