Just Until Tomorrow, My Love

Just as I'd expected. This was playing out exactly as it had in my past life.

Even the single, perfect tear trembling on her eyelash was the same.

In my past life, this damsel-in-distress act was precisely how she had Griffin wrapped around her little finger.

I came from a world where marriages were business arrangements; I never expected to find love in one.

Skylar's arrival was a nuisance, an embarrassment, but it wasn't enough to make me lose my composure.

When Griffin first tried to break the engagement, I hadn't cried or thrown a tantrum. For the sake of our families' long friendship, I simply offered him some practical advice.

"Look, Skylar is an intern with no connections. Even if you two are serious... Augustus will never approve. You'll just be putting her in an impossible position.

"Griffin, be smart. Set her up in an apartment for now. Keep things quiet, and later... once you're CEO, you'll have the power to do whatever you want."

Just those few sentences.

Those words saved Skylar, but they sealed my doom.

...

In my past life, the moment Skylar began to apologize, I had rushed forward to help her up.

This time, I watched her, my expression unreadable. When I didn't move, she began to sway, teetering on a knife's edge of embarrassment and humiliation.

My best friend tugged at my sleeve.

The room was full of guests, and every eye was on us.

I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

What's the rush?

"Skylar!" Griffin's face had already darkened.

She just stood there, her face a carefully constructed mask of pitiful heartbreak.

She glanced at Griffin, then back at me. Biting her lip, she kept up her on-the-verge-of-fainting act.

I calmly plucked a glass of champagne from a passing tray.

I was suddenly curious.

Just how far was she willing to take this performance?

...

Yes.

Skylar was acting.

Her innocence was an act. Even her "accidental drowning" in my past life had been a calculated lie.

I had once stumbled upon her private blog, where she'd meticulously detailed her plans to stage various "accidents" to win Griffin's guilt and, ultimately, his commitment.

"I'm just a normal girl. If I don't play the pathetic card to get his sympathy, how is a man like Griffin Vanderwood ever going to notice me?

"I need to stage another accident!

"I love him, but with my background, his family will never let me in.

"He promised to marry me. I need to do something that makes him feel like he owes me.

"Just one more 'accident,' and he'll spend the rest of his life feeling indebted to me!"

It was a brilliant performance.

She fooled Griffin. She fooled me.

She even fooled the press.

I once asked Griffin what he saw in her.

"I'm the eldest son of the Vanderwoods. Everyone has always kissed up to me, telling me exactly what I want to hear.

"They respect me, they ‘love’ me, but only because of my family's money and power.

"You're the same, Rebecca. If I weren't a Vanderwood, would you still marry me?"

The question had left me speechless.

If our families hadn't been equals, we never would have met, let alone been engaged.

"Skylar is the only one who loves me for me. She's willing to give up everything for me.

"Rebecca, how could I turn away love that pure?"

For a moment, he had almost convinced me.

As a Sterling, I had always been measured in my words and actions.

I had a duty to my parents, to my family name. I would never be so reckless as to throw everything away for one person.

But we had both overlooked another possibility.

It didn't matter what fantasy Griffin was chasing.

From the very beginning, Skylar had known exactly what she wanted.

She was determined to latch onto him and rewrite her future.

...

"Enough!" Griffin's voice was sharp.

The room fell silent.

Skylar trembled, slowly lifting her head to look at me, her eyes brimming with a tearful plea.

Her meaning was clear.

She had ruined my engagement party and made me the talk of the town, and she felt just terrible about it.

As long as I said nothing, her performance could continue.

Fine.

Let's see how long she can hold that pose.

I raised a single, elegant eyebrow and continued to sip my champagne.

Skylar's jaw tightened. Her body swayed more dramatically.

With a sudden stride, Griffin stormed forward and swept the entire champagne tower next to me to the floor with a deafening crash.

"Rebecca, that's enough!"