She Made a List of the Perfect Man — Then Fell for the One Who Failed Every Rule
Chapter 8
When Jessica returned, Michael was waiting.
The article was lying on her desk.
She immediately knew.
“Oh God.”
Michael stood.
“How long?”
“What?”
“How long have you been writing about us?”
Jessica couldn’t answer.
“Michael, I can explain.”
“You’ve been using this company as research.”
“It wasn’t supposed to hurt anyone.”
“You lied to get this job.”
“I know.”
“You lied about your qualifications.”
“I know.”
“And now I discover you’ve been writing about the people who work here.”
Jessica’s eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to write something good.”
Michael’s voice became quieter.
“You should have told me.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of losing everything.”
Michael stared at her.
Jessica suddenly felt the distance between them.
Everything that had happened during their shopping trip now seemed impossible.
She picked up her bag.
“I understand.”
“Jessica.”
She stopped.
“Are you firing me?”
Michael didn’t answer immediately.
She nodded.
“I understand.”
She walked out.
That evening, Jessica went to Jean’s apartment.
She cried.
Not because of the article.
Because she had begun caring about Michael.
And now she had ruined everything.
Jean listened silently.
Then she asked:
“What about Cody?”
Jessica wiped her eyes.
“What about him?”
“Something doesn’t add up.”
Jean had spent the afternoon searching.
She showed Jessica a photograph from social media.
Cody was standing behind a restaurant counter.
Jessica stared.
“No.”
Jean showed her another.
Same man.
Different restaurant.
Then another.
A profile identified him as a waiter.
Jessica felt the room spinning.
“What about all the traveling?”
“Apparently, he went to Barcelona once.”
Jessica closed her eyes.
One trip.
Not thirty countries.
One.
The perfect man she had created in her head had never existed.
And the man she had pushed away was the only one who had ever been honest enough to challenge her.
