Chapter 453

Emily Blair let out a soft, exasperated click of her tongue.
They were at an amusement park just outside the capital, and since it was summer break, the place was packed. The blazing sun hung high overhead, and lines for every ride snaked out in the heat. None of them had much patience for waiting under the scorching sun, so after trying a few attractions, they’d retreated to a shady pavilion to cool off.
Wiping the sheen of sweat from her brow with a napkin, Emily’s eyes drifted toward two familiar men lingering in the distance. Pressing her lips together, she muttered, “You’ve been gone ages-why haven’t you dealt with those two yet? Not only are they still here, they actually followed us.”
It was suffocatingly hot, the crowds adding to the stickiness that clung to Emily’s skin. There was no air conditioning anywhere, and her mood soured with the rising temperature, her irritation slipping into her voice.
Suddenly, a cool breeze brushed across her face. Emily blinked in surprise, glancing up to see Tristan Davis holding a small, battery-powered fan—who knew where he’d gotten it from. He angled it right at her, the gentle wind scattering the heat and some of her frustration along with it.
Tristan caught her eye, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he gave his wrist a little flourish. “Just bought it,” he said. “Figured you’d be melting out here. Go on, take it.”
She hesitated, noticing the sweat glistening on his own forehead.
Tristan gave a short, amused snort, then took her wrist, pressing the fan firmly into her hand before she could protest. “Keep it. Don’t want you passing out from heatstroke—then I’d have to carry you back, and let’s be real, I’m hardly built for
that.”
Emily rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a smirk.
Tristan folded his arms and tipped his chin toward the two men in the distance. “Don’t worry about them. They won’t come any closer.”
Emily closed her eyes, letting the fan’s breeze wash over her. “So, you handled it?”
“Not exactly.”
She cracked one eye open. “Oh?”
Tristan’s lips curled into a wry smile. “They can’t catch me. All they can do is stand there and watch.”
Emily looked at him, curiosity piqued. “Are you in trouble with someone? Owe money? Or did you piss off the wrong people?”
Tristan shot her an indignant look. “Do I really look like that kind of guy to you?”
She snorted. “Who knows?”
He scowled, feigning offense. “Fine, then give me the fan back.”
Turning away, Emily hugged the fan closer. “Too late. You forced it into my hands— finders keepers.”
Tristan’s glare lingered, but his eyes betrayed a reluctant fondness.
He glanced away, scanning the park.
Today was sweltering, and Elizabeth Wilson’s grandmother had wisely stayed at the hotel to rest. That left just Emily, Elizabeth, Tristan, and Xavier Gonzalez. At the moment, Emily and Tristan were hiding out in the pavilion, while Elizabeth and Emma George had volunteered to brave the long lines for ice cream. They could still be seen in the distance, inching forward in the slow-moving queue—no chance they’d be back soon.
A few other people shared the pavilion, but the din of the crowd was so loud that no one paid any attention to their conversation.
For now, it felt like they were alone.
Tristan’s mind began to wander.
Lately, Emily’s name had been everywhere, thanks to her utterly dominant performance on the entrance exams-top of her year, no contest. With the spotlight back on her, nosy internet sleuths had dug up her past, especially her involvement in the Starlight Piano Competition. Tristan had read enough online to piece together the key players.
Andrew Lane.
Isabella Austin.
He silently recited their names, eyes fixed on Emily’s back.
Tristan could see the tangled mess behind the Starlight Piano Competition, which only made him admire Emily more for how she’d handled the relentless public scrutiny-unflinching, refusing to be cowed or humiliated.
Online, people gossiped endlessly about the supposed love triangle between Emily, Andrew, and Isabella, painting the whole thing as a scandalous melodrama. And according to the rumor mill, Emily was cast as the villain.