Page 22 of My Mountain Man Valentine

She stood beneath a leftover spotlight from the band’s set, her blonde hair shining like some twisted halo. Her gaze swept the room until it landed on Ryder and me. My stomach knotted at the cold satisfaction burning in her eyes.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Hope Peak,” she called, voice ringing out. “I’ve got a little show-and-tell tonight.”

A hush rippled through the patrons. A few people whispered Angelique’s name. Levi, who’d been weaving around tables to reach us, froze mid-stride, anger flashing across his face. Ryder tensed, shifting closer to me as if ready to block any threat.

Angelique lifted her phone, as though she was filming the moment. “I bet you all remember how dear Ryder and I were once the talk of the town. Now he’s apparently moved on with sweet, innocent Tessa Voss.” Her lip curled in a mocking smile. “Only, it’s not so innocent, is it?”

My pulse pounded in my ears. Ryder’s hand found mine under the table, and I clung to it like a lifeline.

“What the hell are you doing?” Levi snarled, pushing forward. “This is some kind of stunt?”

Angelique ignored him, focusing her camera on me. “Raise your hand, Tessa,” she said sweetly, “if you want to admit how you and Ryder came up with your brilliant idea:fake datingto keep me away.”

A chorus of surprised murmurs rippled across the bar. My cheeks flamed, and I felt Ryder’s arm go rigid around my shoulders.

“Angelique, that’s enough,” Ryder barked, voice low and dangerous. “Put the phone down.”

She let out a peal of laughter, a sound with no real humor. “You can’t stop me from sharing the truth. I know all about your little agreement. I have the footage to prove it, too.” She waved her phone as though it was a smoking gun before turning it back to me.

“I overheard you whispering with Caroline behind the bookstore—talking about your ‘fake dating plan.’ You thought you were so clever, but I was right there, filming! You and Ryder were never really together… you just wanted to scare me off so I wouldn’t ‘rope Ryder into another influencer scheme’—isn’t that what you called it, Tessa?”

My blood ran cold. We’d been so careful, but obviously not careful enough. The entire bar was deathly silent, eyes pinging between me and Angelique.

Drawing a shaky breath, I stood, forcing my spine straight. “It’s true that we started off…pretending,” I said, voice uneven. Gasps rose around me, but I soldiered on. “But only for a short time. Everything changed once we realized we had genuine feelings.”

A muscle in Levi’s jaw twitched, but he didn’t speak. He already knew most of this, but hearing it declared in front of the entire bar clearly rankled him. Caroline, lingering at a nearby table, looked ready to rush in and defend me if Angelique grew more unhinged.

Angelique sneered, pivoting to film Ryder’s reaction. “Oh, how convenient. You just fell in love after lying to everyone? Spare me.”

Ryder stepped forward. “Angelique,” he growled, voice taut, “if you want to accuse me of lying, fine. But leave Tessa out of this. She’s not the one who turned heartbreak into a damn public spectacle.”

Her eyes flashed. “You humiliated me first! I gave you everything—my time, my platform—and you walked away. Then I find out you’re faking a relationship with *her* just to keep me away? You know what that feels like?” She jabbed a manicured finger at me. “All this time, Tessa’s been playing the sweet local girl, and guess who’s behind the mysterious Valentines?I wanted to watch her squirm, to see if she’d figure outIwas pulling the strings. To see her panic over some imaginary stranger while you two pretended to be so in love.”

A sickening chill ran down my spine. My gut twisted with the confirmation—Angelique was the one leaving those notes. She’d escalated to harassing texts and threats out of sheer spite and jealousy. Half the bar sucked in a breath; Levi uttered a furious curse.

“You wrote those letters,” I echoed, my voice hollow. “You stalked me, left envelopes at my door, andthreatenedme—just because Ryder asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend?”

Angelique’s gaze flickered, a moment of uncertainty cracking her veneer of confidence. “You have no idea how it felt, knowing you two were whispering behind my back, using some ‘fake dating’ scheme to push me out. I wanted you to doubt each other—wanted you to suffer.”

My hands shook with a blend of anger and relief. At least the culprit was no longer a mystery. “That’s…” My throat closed. “That’s twisted,” I finally managed. “I treated you kindly all our lives, and you terrorized me forthis?”

Angelique’s nostrils flared. “Don’t pretend you’re innocent. You got what you wanted—Ryder’s attention, the town’s sympathy. Well, now everyone knows how it began. You’re welcome.”

Ryder pulled me against him protectively. “Go ahead, Angelique. Post your little videos. Tell the world we started fake. None of it changes the fact that what Tessa and I share is real now.”

Murmurs rippled. Levi stepped up beside me, fists clenched at his sides. “Lady, you’re done here,” he growled. “I won’t have you harassing my sister in my bar. Leave..Now. Andif you keep pushing, we’ll call the sheriff.” He flicked a look at me, quiet concern in his eyes. “This is your call, Tessa.”

My stomach churned. Part of me wanted to see her face legal consequences for the fear she’d inflicted. Another part, battered from all the drama, just wanted her gone. “I don’t want her near me,” I whispered. “Ever again.”

Angelique plastered a glossy, sarcastic pout on her face. “Aw, is Tessa gonna get a restraining order? File charges?” She lifted her phone higher, as if still filming. “Won’t your fans love that…”

She never finished. Levi snatched the phone from her hand in a single, smooth motion, ignoring her sputtered protest. “We’re done,” he snapped. “Either leave under your own power or wait for the cops.”

Caroline and a few regulars stood behind him, arms folded. The entire bar seethed with condemnation. For the first time, Angelique’s bravado faltered. Her eyes darted around, perhaps realizing she was outnumbered. Finally, she let out a high, brittle laugh.

“Fine,” she spat. “But don’t think you’ve seen the last of me. I’ll post my side—mytruth—and we’ll see who’s sorry. Enjoy yourrealromance, Tessa.” With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out, the door banging shut behind her in a swirl of cold air.

A stunned hush fell. I sagged against Ryder, my breath shuddering. The weight of the entire fiasco—the Valentines, the creeping fear—crashed down. He stroked my back gently, whispering that it was over.

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