The Hidden Secrets

The next morning, Luke was gone, leaving only a text with an address.

I arrived at the restaurant, but he wasn't there yet. His friends greeted me warmly, knowing me as Mike's niece but not as Luke's girlfriend.

"Ada, come and sit." They waved me over. "Spill some dirt on Mike."

My stomach twisted as I feared they had started to suspect our relationship.

"You live with Luke," one said, leaning in. "You've met his girlfriend, right?"

I nodded, my mind racing. That was clearly probing.

"His first love's back in town," another said. "Let's make a bet on when he is going to dump his current girl."

The words hit me like a blow, but Josh Morgan didn't hold back. "I give it two weeks. He's been with her for four years, after all."

Another guy scoffed, "Four years, and he never introduced her to us? I say one week."

"Three days," another bet.

Josh turned to me. "What do you think?"

I squeezed my hands under the table, forcing myself to stay composed, but each bet chipped away at the fragile hope I'd clung to.

I managed a thin smile. "Right now."

Laughter erupted around the table. They thought I was joking, but Josh's gaze lingered, as if he sensed the weight behind my words.

"Ada..." Before he could say more, Luke hurried in.

His eyes locked on me immediately, and he asked, "What's so funny?"

Josh shrugged. "Amanda's back. We're betting on when you'll ditch your girlfriend to get back with her."

Luke clutched his jaw. "I told you guys not to mention her."

The room fell silent. Someone quickly changed the subject to ease the tension.

Luke slid into the seat beside me. Under the table, his fingers found mine, squeezing gently.

He leaned in and whispered, "She is history. You're the one I'm with now."

Just then, the door swung open.

His hand jerked and quickly withdrew. His face tensed as he looked at the newcomer.

Amanda Snyder walked in, a vision in a bold red coat. She was radiating confidence and allure. But with her arrival, a chill swept through the room.

She chuckled behind her hand. "Why the surprise? You know I'm the host of the party."

Her gaze shifted to me, and she extended a hand with a calculated smile. "You must be Ada. Luke talked about you. Thanks for taking care of him all this time."

I froze, then reached out my hand, but Luke pulled me back, sulking, "Drop the act."

Amanda's eyes dimmed, her confidence faltering for a moment.

Josh jumped in, trying to smooth things over. "Well, that's Luke. He talks like that, but everyone here knows how much he cares for you."

The others joined in, reminiscing about the two's passionate past.

Flustered, Luke turned to me. I looked away, unwilling to face him.