She Made a List of the Perfect Man — Then Fell for the One Who Failed Every Rule
Chapter 9
Jessica met Cody the following evening.
She didn’t scream.
She simply placed her phone on the table.
“How many countries?”
Cody looked confused.
“What?”
“You told me you traveled around the world.”
He hesitated.
“I have.”
“How many?”
Silence.
“Jessica…”
“Tell me the truth.”
He looked down.
“Three.”
“Three?”
“I spent six months in Europe.”
“You told me six years.”
“I exaggerated.”
Jessica laughed bitterly.
“Why?”
“Because you liked the story.”
That answer hurt more than she expected.
He had given her exactly what she wanted.
A fantasy.
A perfect man.
A perfect past.
A perfect relationship.
And it had all been a lie.
Jessica stood.
“You don’t have to pretend anymore.”
Cody looked at her.
“I’m sorry.”
She nodded.
“So am I.”
She walked away.
Outside, the evening air was cold.
Jessica suddenly realized how exhausted she was.
She had spent weeks looking for someone who matched her list.
But every man she had found had either been hiding something or pretending to be someone else.
Then she thought about Michael.
He had seen her lies.
And instead of pretending they didn’t exist, he confronted them.
That was honesty.
The quality she had forgotten to put at the top of her list.
The next morning, Jessica received an email.
Michael wanted to see her.
She almost deleted it.
Instead, she went.
Michael was standing in the conference room.
The presentation boards Jessica had designed were arranged across the wall.
“You made these?”
“Yes.”
“They’re excellent.”
Jessica looked at him.
“I thought you hated everything I did.”
“I hated the deception.”
He paused.
“Not the work.”
Jessica’s eyes softened.
“Thank you.”
Michael nodded.
“The meeting is today.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Use your presentation.”
Jessica couldn’t believe it.
“You still trust me?”
“I trust your talent.”
She looked away.
“I don’t deserve that.”
“Maybe not.”
His voice softened.
“But everyone deserves a chance to do better.”
Jessica looked at him.
For one second, neither spoke.
Then Michael walked away.
And Jessica realized something terrifying.
She was falling in love with him.
