Fake Date, Real Fate Chapter 17: The Girl Who Forgot

Caron and I pulled up in front of the hotel, a towering glass structure that glead under the afternoon sun. Caron was already sighing like he’d been carrying the weight of the world since morning.

As we stepped out of the car, he glanced at ─then did a double take. "Wait. You’re not going to change?"

"No."

He pald his face like I’d just committed a war cri. "Adrien, for the love of─man, you are a pain in the butt."

I kept walking toward the entrance. "I’m already wearing black. What more do they want?"

"A suit that doesn’t look like it ca straight from a board eting," Caron snapped, catching up beside . "Thank God I’m always prepared. I had clothes brought ahead for both of us."

I stopped just short of the turning door, staring at him. "You did what?"

"I knew you’d pull this crap. So yes─I picked sothing for you. You’ll look like a human and not a corporate robot."

"I’m not changing."

"Please, man," Caron practically begged, hands clasped like I was the god of rcy himself. "Just this once. For . For your mother. For my freedom from The Chin."

I sighed through my nose. "Fine."

Caron grinned like he’d just won the lottery. "Knew you had a heart in there sowhere."

We stepped inside, the lobby as elegant as expected─marble floors, glittering chandeliers, the faint scent of expensive cologne and polished wood hanging in the air.

A receptionist greeted us with a bow, and Caron took the lead, flashing a practiced smile. "Your best floor. We’ll change in one of the rooms."

The elevator doors slid open. We stepped in, and he hit the button for the thirty-eighth floor.

I stood in silence as the numbers ticked upward, the tension in my shoulders growing with every floor we passed. I really need to take so nap

Caron, of course, had the nerve to hum like this was so pre-party spa day.

I hated parties.

But I hated that annoying, matchmaking gleam in my mother’s eye even more.

And I had a feeling tonight was going to be worse than usual.

****

The suite was ridiculous.

"Don’t look at like that," Caron said as he tossed a garnt bag onto one of the armchairs. "If we’re going to be paraded around like show ponies, we might as well look the part."

I didn’t answer. I just walked over and unzipped the bag. A sharp black tuxedo. Midnight trim. Slim fit. Not bad.

"I took a risk on the cut," he added, already halfway through unbuttoning his shirt. "Didn’t want you drowning in fabric like so Victorian vampire."

I raised a brow. "Bold of you to assu I didn’t want to look like a vampire."

He smirked, tossing his shirt aside and grabbing the crisp white one laid out for him. "Oh, trust , you already do. Just... one with too much attitude."

I peeled off my blazer, then my shirt. The air was cool against my skin. A few faint scratches marked my torso from last night. I didn’t rember getting them. I didn’t want to rember.

"You didn’t even ask who was coming tonight," Caron said as he fixed his cuffs.

"Because I don’t care."

"Even if your future wife might be in the room?" he teased.

I shot him a look. "Don’t push your luck."

He laughed, shaking his head. "I live dangerously."

We finished dressing in silence after that. The tux fit like it was tailored, which it probably was. Caron adjusted his tie in front of the mirror, then looked over his shoulder at .

"You clean up scary good, you know that?"

I slid my watch onto my wrist. "I always do."

He chuckled and grabbed the keycard from the table. "Let’s go break hearts and avoid commitnt."

Right.

With that, we stepped out of the suite and walked toward the chaos waiting on the other side of the elevator doors.

We were halfway to the elevator when Caron suddenly cursed under his breath and patted down his pockets.

"Shit," he muttered. "I forgot my phone."

I sighed. "Seriously?"

He turned, already backing toward the suite. "Yeah, yeah─go on without . It’s on the thirty-fifth floor, right? Just take the elevator down three levels. I’ll catch up."

I narrowed my eyes. "You sure you didn’t forget it on purpose?"

He smirked. "Would I do that to you?"

"Yes."

"Well, I didn’t─this ti."

I said nothing. Just turned toward the elevator, jamming the button with more force than necessary.

Behind , I heard Caron’s voice fade as he shouted, "Try not to look like you want to kill soone, Adrien! Smile at least once before I get there!"

I wasn’t exactly thrilled about this party─hell, I wasn’t thrilled about being here at all. But the sooner I showed up, the sooner I could leave and tell my mother I made an appearance. That should buy a few weeks of peace.

The elevator dinged.

I expected an empty lift. Maybe so intern or a flustered hotel staff mber fumbling with a tray of overpriced drinks.

Not her.

Not her.

She stood there in a hoodie that swallowed her fra, jeans dusted in what looked like flour, and an expression like the universe had personally offended her. Defensive. Unapologetic. Wild in a way she probably thought was contained. It wasn’t.

My lips curled before I could stop myself.

Well, well. Look who fate dragged in.

She didn’t speak at first, just stared like I was an unwanted guest in her personal hell. She probably thought I was here to tornt her again. And maybe I was. But only because she made it so damn easy.

And... interesting

She straightened when she saw , her face doing that annoyed little twitch I rembered all too well. That twitch told I was still under her skin.

What the hell was she doing here?

The last ti I saw her, she was passed out in my car after kissing like she needed it to breathe─and then puking all over before I could figure out what the hell I was doing carrying her to a guest room in my house.

I should’ve forgotten her. I should’ve written her off as a drunken mistake, an impulsive ss of a night.

But no.

Instead, she was standing in front of again─mouth tight, back stiff, arms crossedd─and it took everything in not to let out a laugh.

She looked like she was trying to shrink into herself and stand taller at the sa ti. Defensive and ready for war. Love it

I stepped into the elevator, letting the silence settle. Our eyes locked.

"Hmm," I said, mostly to myself.

Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

That edge in her voice─it was addictive.

I let my gaze sweep over her─not in a hungry way. Just curious. Calculating. Amused.

"Cute."

She blinked. "What’s cute?"

It wasn’t her clothes. It wasn’t the ss. It was her. The way she made irritation look like a full-ti job. The way she stood there like I was her worst nightmare. She looked like trouble, and apparently, I didn’t know how to walk away from that.

I gestured to her─hoodie, jeans, flour smudges and all. "The whole... flour chic vibe you’ve got going on."

Her jaw clenched. "I’m a bakery worker," she snapped, like it was so kind of insult. "This is exactly what I wear when I’m not playing dress-up for VIPs."

"Let guess," I murmured, stepping closer. "cake girl by day, feisty party crasher by night?"

Her glare could’ve cut glass. "Let guess—entitled brat all hours of the day?"

I laughed─ I...genuinely laughed. And it annoyed that I liked her coback more than I should have. "Well, this is fun."

"Are you always this annoying?" she muttered, crossing her arms.

"Only when I’m intrigued."

She turned away, but I could see the flush creeping up her neck.

But it didn’t explain the way she was pretending we were strangers again. Like I didn’t already know what her lips tasted like or the sound she made when she leaned too close.

Was she pretending?

Or did she really not rember?

That night hadn’t been forgettable. Not for .

So maybe this was her defense. Play dumb. Deny it. Pretend none of it happened and walk away clean.

"You’re mouthier than I rember," I said, mostly just to see how she’d react.

She snapped back without hesitation. Sa fire, sa bite. I liked that.

I turned toward the elevator doors, then glanced sideways with a smirk I didn’t bother hiding.

"If it isn’t the little bunny who ran away," I said quietly.

She blinked. "What?"

I didn’t answer.

Let her wonder what I ant. Let her sit with that.

If she rembered, she’d know.

If she didn’t... she would.

"Relax, sweetheart," I said, stepping just a little closer, "I’m sure it’ll co back to you eventually."

The elevator dinged.

Thirty-fifth floor.

Perfect timing.

I stepped out but turned back just enough to catch the storm still brewing behind her eyes.

"Don’t go getting lost, cupcake."

I didn’t know why I said that last part.

Maybe because I already was.

And sohow, it had started the mont she stumbled into my life─and puked all over it.