Catalina's POV
"We have three days."
I said it out loud Sunday night, staring at the photo on my phone. Me and Dominic at the beach. Proof of everything we'd been hiding.
"Three days until Monday," I whispered again. "Then they send this to Sofia."
My phone was already buzzing. Dominic calling for the tenth time.
I answered. "We need to end this."
"No." His voice was fierce. "We need to find out who's doing this."
"How? They're watching us everywhere!"
"Then we'll be more careful. Please, Cat. Don't give up on us yet."
I closed my eyes. "Okay. More careful. Starting now."
But being careful was harder than I thought.
Thursday morning, eleven AM meeting. I sat across from Dominic trying desperately not to look at him.
Trying not to remember last night. The beach. His arms around me. His lips on mine under the stars.
We'd stayed there until midnight, kissing and talking and pretending the blackmail threat didn't exist. Pretending we had all the time in the world.
Now Sofia was presenting venue options, and I couldn't focus on anything except Dominic's hands on the table. Those same hands that had held my face so gently last night.
"Cat? Cat!"
I blinked. Everyone was staring at me.
Dominic's expression was concerned. "I asked what you thought about the floral budget?"
My face went hot. "Sorry. What?"
"The floral budget." His voice was professional, but his eyes were worried. "Do you think fifteen thousand is reasonable?"
I had no idea what we were even talking about.
"Um. Yes. Sounds good."
Sofia frowned. "Are you okay? You've been spacey all week."
"Just tired." I forced a smile. "Late nights working on cake designs."
The meeting finally ended. People filed out. I started to leave too, but Dominic's voice stopped me.
"Cat. Stay a minute."
My heart jumped. We were alone.
Dominic closed the door. "We can't do this anymore."
I felt like I'd been punched. "What?"
"Not the relationship. This—being distracted. Not paying attention. We're going to get caught if we keep making mistakes." He ran his hand through his hair. "We need stricter rules."
"Like what?"
"No texting during work hours. No looking at each other in meetings. No touching, even accidentally." His jaw was tight. "We have to be completely cold. Professional. Like we barely know each other."
It sounded like torture. But he was right.
"Okay," I agreed quietly. "Stricter rules."
The door burst open. Sofia.
"There you are! Cat, lunch? I'm starving!"
I grabbed my purse, not looking at Dominic. "Let's go."
Lunch with Sofia was getting harder every day.
We sat at our usual café. She ordered her usual sandwich. Everything was normal.
Except I was lying to her about everything that mattered.
"So," Sofia said between bites, "you've been weird lately."
My stomach dropped. "Weird how?"
"I don't know. Distracted. Quiet. Like something's bothering you." She reached across the table, taking my hand. "You'd tell me if something was wrong, right? We don't keep secrets."
The guilt was crushing. Suffocating. I was keeping the biggest secret of my life from my best friend.
"Of course," I lied. "I'd tell you everything."
"Good. Because you're like my sister, Cat. I can't imagine anything coming between us."
I wanted to cry. Or confess. Or run away.
Instead, I smiled. "Nothing will. I promise."
But the lie tasted like poison.
Back at the resort, I was heading to my office when I saw them.
Dominic and Victoria. Again.
They were standing by the windows, Victoria laughing at something he said. She touched his arm. Leaned close.
Jealousy exploded in my chest.
I knew it was just business. I knew Dominic had explained. But seeing another woman touch him made me want to scream.
I ducked behind a column, hating myself.
My phone buzzed.
Dominic: I see you hiding. It's just business.
I typed back with shaking hands.
Me: I know.
Dominic: You're jealous.
Me: Maybe.
Dominic: Conference room 3B. Five minutes. It's empty.
Me: Dominic, we said stricter rules—
Dominic: Five minutes.
I shouldn't have gone. But I did.
Conference room 3B was at the end of the hallway, away from everyone. Dominic was already there, pacing.
The second I walked in, he locked the door.
"I only want you," he said immediately. "Victoria means nothing. My mother hired her. I can't be rude, but I don't care about her."
"I know—"
"You don't know." He moved closer. "You hide behind columns looking heartbroken, and it kills me. Because I want to tell everyone you're mine. That I don't want Victoria or anyone else."
My breath caught. "We can't."
"I know we can't. But I want to." His hand cupped my face. "God, Cat. This is torture."
"The rules—"
"Forget the rules." He leaned down, his lips inches from mine. "Just for one minute. Let me kiss you."
I rose on my tiptoes, my hands fisting in his shirt—
Footsteps in the hallway.
We jumped apart just as someone passed by the glass door.
My heart was pounding so hard I felt dizzy.
"We can't keep doing this," I whispered. "We almost got caught. Again."
"I know." His voice was rough. "But staying away from you is impossible."
My phone rang. Dad.
I answered with shaking hands. "Hi, Dad."
"Catalina. Good news. Marcus wants to take you to dinner again. Next Saturday."
No. No, no, no.
"Dad, I really don't think—"
"He's a persistent young man. I admire that." Dad's voice was firm. "He stopped by the bakery this morning with flowers for your mother. Very thoughtful. Very appropriate."
"I'm not interested in Marcus—"
"Then you need to tell him yourself. Face to face. Like an adult." He paused. "Or give him a real chance. He's a good man, Cat. Better than you realize."
He hung up.
I stared at my phone, feeling trapped.
Dominic's face had gone pale. "Another date with Marcus?"
"My dad's making me—"
"You're not a child. Say no."
"I can't! If I say no, they'll ask why. They'll push. And we have a blackmailer watching us who'll tell Sofia everything if—"
My phone buzzed.
A new photo. Of me and Dominic. Right now. In this conference room. Standing too close.
The message made my blood freeze:
Unknown: I warned you. Since you won't end it, I'm telling Sofia tonight. Hope your friendship was worth it.
"Oh my God." My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped the phone. "They're telling her. Tonight."
Dominic grabbed my phone, his face going white.
We stared at each other in horror.
Sofia was going to find out. Everything. Tonight.
And there was nothing we could do to stop it.