The Truth in Heels

“Cici,” a voice growled from the other side of the door… desperate, frayed, and barely human.

I froze.

Faye’s eyes darted to mine, alarm blooming across her features.

And then…

The door flew open with a violent crash that rattled the mirrors.

Liam Hayes stood in the threshold, wild-eyed, flushed, and panting like he’d run through fire just to get to me. His gaze zeroed in on me like a target.

“Get away from her,” Faye said, stepping forward with a force I didn’t know she had. She shoved me gently behind her, creating a wall of silk and steel between me and the storm in the doorway. “She doesn’t need this.”

Liam’s chest heaved. “I need to talk to her. Alone.”

“You’re not in your right mind,” Faye said evenly, though her body remained taut. “You’re not going near her.”

“I’m fine,” Liam snapped. But the tremor in his voice betrayed him. His eyes flicked toward me… pleading, furious, betrayed.

“I just…” He turned back to Faye. “You think you know what just happened out there? You think Adrian’s some wounded prince who got his heart broken in front of a crowd? You have no idea who he really is.”

I stepped out from behind Faye. “Liam…”

He met my eyes.

The room tilted on its axis.

“I love you,” he said, like he was confessing a sin. “But if you think Adrian Carlisle is just some heartbroken man who made a mistake… then he’s already won.”

“What are you saying?” I whispered, voice barely audible.

“He didn’t propose to you because he loves you,” Liam spat. “He did it because he wants to own you.”

“You don’t know that,” Faye argued, arms folded.

“He cornered her on stage,” Liam said, turning to her. “Didn’t even ask. Didn’t wait. Just knelt down and dared her to say no in front of the whole world. That’s not love. That’s manipulation.”

A quiet voice from the back of the room interrupted him.

“I disagree.”

We all turned.

Vivienne stood by the sink, where no one had even noticed her slip in. Her arms were crossed, her sharp features unreadable beneath flawless makeup. Her designer dress clung to her like a battle flag.

“Mom?” I said, stunned.

She stepped forward. “You’re hurt, Liam. I get that. But you’re also wrong. Adrian isn’t perfect… but he’s not the villain in this.”

Liam’s jaw tensed. “You told me…”

“I told you he’s complicated,” she snapped. “Don’t twist it. I’ve known Adrian since before you even learned to shave. He can be reckless. Controlling, even. But dangerous?” She turned to me. “No. Not to you.”

Faye narrowed her eyes. “You still haven’t said whose side you’re on.”

“I’m on Cici’s side,” Vivienne replied. “Always. But I won’t stand here while Liam rewrites history to justify his own broken heart.”

“I’m not…”

“You are,” another voice cut in.

We turned to the doorway again.

Annabelle Carlisle .

Adrian’s sister walked in like she owned the air itself. The hem of her dark emerald gown shimmered as she stepped between Liam and the rest of us. Her heels clicked against the tile like a gavel being struck.

“Annabelle,” Liam said, venom curling in his voice.

“You’ve embarrassed yourself enough for one evening,” she said icily. “Leave.”

He barked out a humorless laugh. “Of course you’d defend him. You always do.”

“Because I know who my brother is,” she shot back. “And I know who you are. You loved Cici… but you’ve been jealous of Adrian since the second he walked into the picture.”

“I’ve been protective of her,” Liam growled.

“No. You’ve been possessive,” Annabelle said. “There’s a difference.”

Faye stepped closer to me. “Maybe we should all just…”

“No,” Liam said, voice shaking. His eyes found mine again. “You need to hear the truth before it’s too late. Adrian… he’s hiding something. And if you don’t believe me, ask him about Stockholm.”

That stopped everything.

The air fell out of the room.

Even Annabelle’s eyes flickered… just for a second.

“Don’t bring that up,” she said quickly, but too late.

I stepped forward, past Faye, past everyone. “What about Stockholm?”

Liam hesitated.

Vivienne looked at Annabelle.

And Annabelle? She stared at the floor. Faye reached out for my arm, but I stepped just out of her reach.

“Someone tell me what’s going on,” I said, my voice cracking.

“I told you,” Liam whispered, his voice aching. “You don’t know half the story.”

He turned and walked out the door, no one stopping him this time. The room went silent except for the faint hum of the overhead lights.

Vivienne rubbed her temple. “He wasn’t supposed to know about that.”

Annabelle crossed her arms. “I told Adrian this would come back to bite us.”

Faye looked at them both, incredulous. “Okay, someone needs to start explaining. Now.”

I turned slowly to face them, my hands trembling.

“Tell me what happened in Stockholm.”

Vivienne finally looked me in the eyes. Her voice was low, almost gentle.

“You need to ask Adrian that yourself.”

Then she turned and walked out, leaving her perfume and her secrets hanging in the air behind her.

Annabelle stayed a moment longer. “Talk to him, Cici. No more secondhand truths.”

And then she followed Vivienne out the door, leaving me alone with Faye.

My heart thundered in my chest. I could feel the ground shifting beneath my feet. Everything… Adrian, Liam, the proposal, the crown…none of it felt solid anymore.

Faye stepped beside me.

“Do you believe him?” she asked softly.

I opened my mouth.

Closed it again.

Because the truth was… I didn’t know what to believe anymore. And I wasn’t sure who to trust next.

Then…

“Miss X, please return to the stage. Miss X, your presence is requested for your final remarks.”

The announcement crackled through the overhead speaker like a verdict.

I froze.

Faye turned slowly, her eyes catching mine in the mirror. We were alone now. Vivienne and Annabelle had already left, their elegant silhouettes swallowed by the long corridor behind the dressing room door, taking with them more secrets than answers.

“They’re calling you,” Faye whispered.

Like I hadn’t heard it.

Like I could pretend I didn’t.

I stared at my reflection. The glittering crown on the vanity. The faint smudge of mascara under my eye. A heartbeat that wouldn’t settle.

Miss X.

Was I that girl now?

Or just a symbol everyone wanted to shape into something useful? I reached for the crown with trembling fingers, but stopped just before touching it.

“I don’t even know what I’m walking into out there,” I whispered.

Faye came up beside me, placing a hand on my arm. “Then walk like you own it. Even if it’s on fire.”

A beat passed.

And then…

The dressing room door creaked.

Faye stiffened.

I turned.

“Miss X to the stage. Your audience awaits.”