Falling for my Enemy's Brother
Chapter 30: A Lie that lingers

Chapter 30: A Lie that lingers

Merlina’s thoughts stalled. The word ’girlfriend’ lodged itself in her chest like a sharp pebble in a shoe, small, but impossible to ignore. She hadn’t prepared for this moment, hadn’t even considered the possibility that Craig would repeat it to anyone, much less Louis.

The fact that she even took that chance sounded dumb to her now, reckless, even. Especially because Craig Lesnar wasn’t just anyone. He was best friends with Keith, who happened to be Phoebe’s boyfriend. Which meant that one lie, blurted out in a moment of panic, could’ve traveled faster than she’d ever anticipated.

Louis watched her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Didn’t see that one coming, huh?"

She tried to laugh, but it caught in her throat. "He... he really said that?" Her voice scraped the surface of calm, but the heat blooming across her cheeks betrayed her.

Louis nodded. "Typical Craig. Always in his own head."

Her heart thudded in her ears. He said it out loud. He believed it. She had made him believe it.

"What... what did you say?" she asked, her tone carefully even.

"I didn’t say anything. Let him stew in it," Louis said with a shrug. "Who cares what he thinks?" He chuckled to himself. "I’m just wondering where he got that from."

Merlina’s pulse quickened. "Probably because we showed up at the party together," she said too fast, too defensive. She looked away, hoping he wouldn’t see the guilt crawling across her face.

But the truth sat heavy on her tongue.

She’d let him back her into a corner, literally. The hallway outside the den, the low music, the way his eyes searched hers like he had a right to the answer. She could still feel the wall at her back, the tension in the air, his questions laced with accusation.

’Are you dating Louis?’

’It’s just a yes or no?’

And she had said yes, because it was the only way to make him stop looking at her like that. Like he owned her.

Now, here she was, face burning, gut twisted, wondering why she’d lied in the first place. Wondering why it mattered so much. Why Craig hadn’t just let it go then. Why he brought it up at all.

Louis shook his head, oblivious. "Nah. That guy doesn’t notice stuff like that. He’s too into himself to care."

Merlina’s jaw tensed for half a second before she masked it with a shrug, folding her arms over her chest like armor.

He noticed. Of course he noticed.

"Whatever. Why are we even talking about Craig?" she muttered. "The messages. Is there a way to trace them?"

Louis nodded. "I’ve got a guy. Tech-savvy, paranoid, lives for this kind of thing."

"Can we meet him? Soon? I feel like I’m gonna lose it if I don’t do something."

"Okay, Merlina," he said, voice steady. "You’re spiraling. I get it. But that message? It’s just noise. Meant to rattle you. Don’t give it that power."

He leaned forward, eyes locked on hers. "How about this, no messages, no Lesnars, just a few hours to breathe. Barsea. Tonight. You and me."

She blinked. "Is Louis O’Connor asking me on a date?"

Louis grinned. "Not exactly. But if calling it a date helps you say yes, I won’t argue."

She let out a laugh, surprised it even came out. The pressure in her chest eased, just a little.

Maybe she did need this. A few hours away from the chaos. From Craig. From everything.

Louis stood, extending his hand with a dramatic bow. "Let’s go O’Connor style. No mystery threats allowed."

Merlina rolled her eyes but took his hand anyway. "Deal."

Not long after, Merlina made her way across campus toward the student center lawn, where Phoebe and Megan were sprawled out on a bench, phones in hand, giggling like someone had just leaked campus tea.

Phoebe spotted her first and flipped her shades down with exaggerated flair. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to resurrect. Queen of Vanishing Without a Text."

Merlina rolled her eyes, but the smirk tugging at her lips gave her away. "I was gone for forty-five minutes, not forty-five years."

Megan scooted to make room. "Still enough time for us to spiral."

"I would’ve lit a candle and started manifesting your return," Phoebe added, "but Megan made me stop."

Merlina sank onto the bench, crossing one leg over the other. "Thank God for Megan’s realism. What’d I miss?"

Phoebe was already back on her phone. "Nothing much. Keith’s being boring, the sun’s trying to murder me, and—oh." Her voice lifted, sharp with surprise. "Wow."

Merlina glanced sideways. "What?"

Phoebe turned her phone to show a photo on Instagram, and Megan leaned in, Merlina did too but not for long.

It was a shot of Craig standing beside Adriana’s car, both of them soaked from the rain, laughing like they were in a toothpaste commercial. Craig had posted it to his Instagram story, caption say ’Anything for her.’ With a red heart emoji.

"Oh my God," Phoebe said, scrolling up. "Speaking of this, did you guys hear what happened last night? Adriana’s car broke down near Rangeland, and Craig literally stood with her in the pouring rain until the tow truck came. Didn’t leave her side."

Megan’s eyebrows lifted. "Are you serious? That’s kind of... romantic."

"Like, who waits in the rain for someone these days? Craig Lesnar, that’s who," Phoebe said, her voice lifting like she was delivering the most romantic scoop of the century. She slid her sunglasses to the top of her head, eyes wide with flair. "He’s not just in love, he’s obsessed, he worships her. I swear he’d walk through fire just to hand her a charger."

A subtle heat stirred in Merlina’s chest, low and inconvenient.

She forced a small smile, soft and a beat too late, curling her fingers under the edge of the bench like they needed something to do.

It was fine. Craig could care about his girlfriend. He was allowed to. But worship? Obsessed? Those words sat in her chest, thick and suffocating, like the burn of a flame, unsettling, lasting and impossible to ignore.

She tried to shake it off. It’s not like you care. You hate him, remember? You told him you were enemies. And he has every right to be invested in Adriana. She’s smart, she’s beautiful, polite, she drives an Audi, and it probably costs more than your dorm room.

Megan tilted her head. "Honestly, I didn’t know Craig had that in him. He always gave... big ’I’ll text you back never’ energy?"

"I know!" Phoebe said. "It’s like Adriana cracked the code or something."

Merlina pressed her lips together, eyes on the grass. Her heart ticked in that annoying way it did when her emotions got ahead of her logic.

"I mean," Megan added carefully, "I guess that’s sweet. For them."

Phoebe blinked, then seemed to remember, right, Merlina didn’t exactly vibe with the Lesnars.

She pivoted fast. "Anyway! I was gonna tell you guys, I’m thinking of dyeing my hair pink again. Like full cotton candy."

Megan snorted. "Again? Girl, your roots just recovered."

Just as Merlina was starting to relax, grateful for the shift in conversation, her phone buzzed in her lap. She glanced down.

New Email: Invitation to Dean Halbridge’s Office.

Her fingers froze. The subject line felt like a slap.

She stared at the screen, the words glaring back at her.

’Merlina Sanchez, please report to Dean Halbridge’s office immediately. No delay.’

Her face went blank for a moment. Confusion settling in, like a fog. She blinked, but the screen remained the same. No context. No reason. Just that urgent tone.

Megan’s eyes darted to her. "What’s that?"

Merlina turned the phone toward them. "An invite to the Dean’s office."

Megan raised a brow. "Why?"

Phoebe looked up, suddenly alert. "Are you in trouble or something?"

Merlina gave a dry laugh, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "Guess I’m about to find out."

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