Betty’s POV
I arrived at the café early, my heart pounding with a strange mix of nervousness and hope. The encounter with Stacey had left me wondering about Marcus’s true intentions. If what she’d said was true, and Marcus had been planning to ask me to be his girlfriend, maybe this meeting was our moment for closure—or a new beginning.
I sat by the window, nursing a latte as I stared out at the street. When the bell above the door jingled and Marcus walked in, I felt an involuntary rush of relief and something more—something I wasn’t ready to name. But my relief was short-lived.
Bianca walked in behind him.
Her laugh was loud, drawing the attention of nearly everyone in the café. Her long, glossy hair swung as she followed Marcus with the kind of confidence only someone born with a silver spoon could carry. The infamous Bianca, Stacey had called her. Nepo baby, mayor’s daughter, Drama Club founder—she had a résumé built for attention.
My chest tightened as Marcus spotted me and waved, Bianca trailing behind him.
“Betty,” he said, smiling as he slid into the seat across from me.
I forced a smile, glancing at Bianca, who was busy ordering at the counter. “What’s she doing here?” I asked quietly.
Marcus leaned back, nonchalant. “I wanted to introduce you two. She’s looking for a story to feature in their first theater play, and she’s interested in yours.”
My brow furrowed. “And you’re just helping her?”
His expression shifted, a touch of hesitation breaking through his cool demeanor. “No, I’m also seeing her. If you say yes to this, it gives me better chances of making her my girlfriend. It’ll be good for me—and my family would definitely love her, being ‘royal blood’ and all.”
My stomach sank. “Good for you,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended, “but what’s in it for me?”
Marcus didn’t flinch. “Bianca’s family is famous. If your story becomes a theater play, big people, big names, will watch it.”
I stared at him for a long moment, trying to parse his words. Was this really what we’d come to? After everything?
“Fine,” I said finally, my voice flat. “I’ll do it.”
Marcus smiled and stood, pulling me into a hug. It was too warm, too familiar, and all I could think about was the girl across the room who had already replaced me.