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The taxi driver gave a nod and pulled back out into the traffic

The city that never slept There was never a truer word Even though it was after ht, the streets of New York were still busy Lots of people were laughing and joking in the streets—it was al the day

She started to say a silent prayer that Jules hadn’t gone out for the evening What bar had they lanced down at the ballgown and pulled a face She ht just be a little overdressed for a bar

The taxi pulled up outside Jules’s apartment and Anissa thanked the driver and ju into contact with the freezing ground as she limped to the doorway

She winced and pressed Jules’s buzzer ‘Please be in, please be in,’ she repeated, hoping against hope it ical effect

Thankfully, as soon as she’d sounded the buzzer Jules answered the door Her eyes swept up and down Anissa’s length before she stepped outside and slid her ar her in

Anissa was eown to be caught in the dirty snow on the streets of New York

‘I didn’t knohere to go,’ she gasped ‘I’ up so late’

Jules’s face was set fir roo on the low table in front of her

‘What happened?’

Anissa couldn’t help herself She started babbling ‘Oh, the dress I’et it dirty But I lost a shoe on o back for it I’ll pay for any repairs’

She was suddenly conscious of the fact she was back in Jules’s living roo dresses on headless ave a little shiver as she pulled the firm bodice of her dress away from her skin

She’d practically ruined one of these beautiful dresses Jules would beelse Anissa had messed up

Tears started to fall down her face ‘I’m sorry, lots of people asked about the dress I told thened it I told everyone who spoke to me’

Jules shook her head and frowned, leaning over and putting her war about the dress’ She picked up the tablet sitting on the table and spun it around ‘I know you told everyone I’ner You’ve already hit the neebsites’

Anissa let out a gasp and pulled the tablet towards her There she was, standing on the red carpet with Leo’s ar at each other and sh there wasn’t anyone else around them As if they were actually in a private bubble all of their own

They looked like a golden couple And in Jules’s stunning dress she looked like a princess

Jules pointed to the headline: ‘Billionaire’s Date is Belle of the Ball’

She spoke carefully ‘You’ve done, Anissa? What happened tonight? Are you hurt?’

Anissa’s throat was tight Hot tears spilled down her cheeks and her whole body tensed ‘No No No one hurt me’

Jules watched her for a few seconds, eyeing her carefully before giving a little nod of acceptance ‘Okay, so you’re not hurt So why have you turned up here’ she looked down at the floor ‘in the ave her head a little shake ‘What did Mr Wonderful do?’

Anissa had finally started to breathe again Her head was beginning to clear She was here She was in Jules’s house She could stop She could think

‘He told me he loved me and asked me to stay’ The words just burst froain This ti down her cheeks This ti

After a few quiet seconds Jules moved fro her ar her rest her head on Jules’s shoulder while she sobbed

It was al under the surface for so long had finally erupted All the pent-up frustrations about who she hat she was doing, and whether she’d be good enough again flowed fro to the surface After years of being driven by an ambitious ex, she’d finally met someone who loved her for who she was—not who she could be

After a while Jules patted her back When she spoke her voice had an a to work out why it’s such a disaster that a gorgeous billionaire has told you that he loves you, and asked you to stay in New York?’