Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.

Billy Graham

JENNIE

Lisa is making her way toward me, dressed in a tailored three piece suit. Jimin's work, no doubt. It's all dark grey, along with the button down and tie. Whereas the button down is a silky Egyptian cotton, the suit is a lightweight wool, single breasted with slim lapels running down the front.

Wow.

She looks like she stepped off the cover of GQ. She returns the heat in my eyes with a searing glance of her own. The turtleneck I'm wearing shows no skin, yet I feel sexy in it. It's tight, and I can see Lisa's approval as she runs her eyes down my torso, stopping for a second longer on my breasts, like she has done in the past.

She takes in the seating arrangement, eyeing Doyeon's food with a frown. After nodding to Mino, she unbuttons both buttons on her suit jacket and takes a seat beside me. I see a flash of a holstered gun before the flap of her suit swings shut again.

As she slides in, I'm pushed further into the booth until I'm against the wall. It's a little too small for the two of us, especially given how huge Lisa is, so I'm entirely aware of the way the sides of our bodies are pressed tightly together.

When she leans over and kisses my temple, I forget to breathe.

"What are you doing here?" I eye the restroom door, hoping Doyeon will hurry up and come back.

"Meeting my fiancée and her best friend for an early dinner. I wouldn't want anyone thinking there's trouble in paradise." She says the last sentence sarcastically before pulling out her phone and typing something into it. Once she's done, she hands the device to me.

On the screen is an article that literally reads, "Trouble in Paradise." Below the headline is a picture of me walking into Carmen's. I'm suddenly glad I'm wearing Jimin's clothes, because I actually look good.

Really good.

I didn't even consider that the paparazzi would take an interest in me, but now I'm glad I'm not in my typical hand me downs and thrift store clothes, most of which have been owned by at least three people before they even got to me.

I read the article:

Trouble in Paradise?

by Justin Sider

Hi, ladies (and gents—we see you, too)! Lalisa Manoban's new fiancée, Jennie Kim, 20, was finally spotted—at Carmen's Cantina sans fiancé. This is the first time she's been pictured since rumors spread of her engagement to self-made billionaire Lalisa Manoban, 25. Hmm… Could it be that there's already trouble in paradise for the two lovebirds? What do you guys think? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this! But let's be real, we know you all have your fingers crossed, hoping they don't make it down the aisle.

I scroll down further and read a few of the most liked comments.

Alyssa (Downey, CA): Finally she's come to her senses! Took her long enough. We all knew that she's too good for her.

Hannah Marie (Richmond, VA): Like if you'd have Lalisa Manoban's babies!

David (Devils Lake, ND): I'd bone. Don't even care if she's her sloppy seconds, too.

Aaron (El Paso, TX): Bet she has a mouth like a vacuum to match those porn star tits. Am I right or am I right?

Disgusted, I hand Lisa her phone back.

Looking around, I notice Rosé isn't here, even though she's usually with her this time of day. It's only her and one of her main bodyguards, who's sitting at the same table as Mino. With matching goliath frames and serious, brooding expressions, the two of them are the picture of intimidation.

I turn back to Lisa. "Where's Rosé?"

"I sent her home for the day." At my confounded look, she adds, "Her attitude has been getting worse. She's been getting on my last nerves. I'll have to do something about her."

"But you won't."

It would be done already if she really wants to. She's not the type to wait around.

She sends an appraising look my way. It sends goosebumps up and down my arms. I shiver a little, causing a ghost of a smile to appear on her lips.

"I won't," she agrees. "It's not a good idea to fire my long-time assistant before the vote. It won't exactly say, 'stable.'"

"And after?"

"As soon as it's done, she's gone."

I nod, relieved. She can't stand me, and I can't stand her. I have a contract that requires me to be here for two more years. She doesn't. If one of us is going, it's her.

I think she knows it, too, and it's causing her to be even crueler to me. She's another Krystal, only she has the power to hurt me. Speaking of Krystal, I see her heading our way just as Doyeon plops herself down at the table.

"Something wicked this way comes," I say, quoting the title of the Ray Bradbury novel.

Doyeon tears her stunned eyes away from Lisa just as Krystal settles herself in front of our table. There's a screeching of chairs as Mino and Lisa's guard stand up behind her. Lisa gives a shake of her head at the two, and they both sit back down. Lisa's guard keeps his eyes on our table, while Mino continues to scan the crowd.

"Krystal." Doyeon's voice is curt, but it delivers a greeting more pleasant than the situation merits.

Krystal has her vulture claws out, but she isn't focused on me or Doyeon. She has her sights set on Lisa, who choses that moment to wrap her arm around my shoulders. I maintain eye contact with her as I shift in my seat, snuggling closer to Lisa until my head is resting comfortably on her shoulder.

We're clearly putting on a good show for her, because Krystal's hands clench tightly into little balled fists. Her eyes twitch, and she just stares at us. Behind Krystal, Nella's eyes bulge. The other girl clutches tightly onto Nella's arm, her expression one of stupefaction.

Krystal changes her face into an angelic countenance. "Hey, Doyeon and Jennie." She sends a sweet smile our way. "We just wanted to say hi. We miss you in the dorms, Jennie."

Her lies are convincing. Hell, I'd believe them if I didn't know any better.

She eyes my shirt, her disdain clear to me as a cloudless day. "I love your new clothes. They look very expensive." She smirks, so I prepare myself for a verbal hit. "Did you get a new job? Find a boss that pays well?"

I wince at the obvious innuendo. She just accused me of being a whore. The allegation hits a little too close to home, because while Lisa isn't paying me to fuck her, she is paying me to marry her.

If I'm being honest, having sex with Lisa would just be a perk. She wouldn't even have to pay me for that. If she asked, I'd spread my legs for her in a heartbeat.

How did I get here?

How did I get from being coerced into a false engagement to wanting to have sex with my fake fiancé?

Maybe it's Stockholm Syndrome or the fact that I've overcome my fear of her, but when you get rid of the fear, Lisa is funny and thoughtful. It's just sheer absurdity that she's beautiful on top of that.

She's the type a girl can fall in love with at first sight, and nobody would fault her.

Have I become one of those girls? Someone blinded by looks? I feel like I'm in the passenger seat of my hormones, while Horny Jennie has her foot on the gas and Sane Jennie is floundering at the wheel.

I spare a glance at Doyeon. Her face is too shocked for her mouth to say anything. I can't blame her. I can't believe Krystal is saying all this in front of Lisa either. Speaking of Lisa, her body has gone completely rigid beside me. My heart squeezes sharply in my chest, remembering that her mom has actually done what Krystal is accusing me of.

I shift one of my hands so it's touching her thigh under the table and give her a comforting squeeze. I'm speechless when Lisa's hand finds mine under the table, and we link our fingers together, hidden from view by the white table cloth.

Krystal shifts her gaze onto Lisa, her true purpose for being here. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She grins flirtatiously, holding onto one of her forearms with the opposite hand, so her breasts push together. "Lisa, right? I'm a good friend of Jennie's. I'd love to get to know you better." She winks at her, and the hidden message is abundantly clear.

I tense as Lisa looks at her, her gaze slowly moving from her toes to her head. Krystal fidgets a little under her attention, her confidence wavering slightly.

When Lisa's done checking her out, I almost expect Lisa to take her up on her offer, but she shocks me by saying, "If you're going to be two-faced, at least make one of them pretty."

She takes an immediate step back, bumping into Nella and the other girl. They reach out to steady her, but their hands are shaking.

Lisa isn't finished. "Do you make a habit of being a bitch to the woman I love?"

Everyone looks at me, causing me to flush under the sudden attention.

Lisa leans forward, shifting her body so she's staring her dead in the eyes as she says, "I know your type. You're not at Wilton for a degree. You're there to find someone to marry. Some rich sucker you can leech off of for the rest of your parasitic life." Krystal sucks in a sharp breath, but Lisa continues ruthlessly, "Come near Jennie again, and I'll blackball you so fast, no man in the city will dare touch you with a ten foot pole. You clearly know who I am. You know I'll do it."

There's a shocked silence before Doyeon breaks it with her raucous laughter. Krystal huffs and holds her head high as she walks away, but I can see the tremor in her legs. Her two lackeys follow closely after her without half of her grace.

I'm still silent, though. No one has ever stood up for me like that. Logically, I know Lisa probably did that for herself. It would have made her look bad if she didn't defend me… but even if she didn't do this for me, I can't help but be grateful.

And emotional.

I've been alive for over twenty years, and this is the first time anyone has ever defended me like that. I'm shocked when a few tears leak out of the corner of my eyes, trailing silently down my cheeks. I'm helpless to stop them.

Lisa turns to me, a frown marring her perfect face. "Are you okay?"

Doyeon looks uneasily between the two of us and says, "I think it's time for me to leave." She leans across the table and squeezes my hand. "Love you, Jen."

And then it's just Lisa and me.

And my embarrassing tears.

I lean back a little, putting some much needed distance between us. "I don't know why I'm crying." I take a deep, raggedy breath and force myself to calm down.

When Lisa shifts her body, shielding me from everyone else in the bar, I'm grateful. I would be mortified if Krystal were to see me crying.

"It's not about what she said, is it?"

It never ceases to amaze me how perceptive she is.

I shake my head. It wasn't Krystal at all. I'm used to her saying things like that to me. Hell, she's usually more overt with her offensive remarks. She probably toned them down because Lisa's here.

I'm emotional because she defended me. I can't tell her this, though. It makes me too vulnerable. So, I stay silent, waiting for her to talk.

It takes a few minutes, but she finally speaks. "I cried the first time Vince bought shoes for me."

"What?" My eyes are clear now, and I'm fully turned to face her. I'm flummoxed by what she's telling me, that she's confiding in me to make me feel better.

She lets out a derisive laugh. It's empty and gut wrenching. "It was the first pair of shoes anyone ever bought me. Before that, I used to steal them from neighbors or trash bins. I fucking cried when Vince took me in and bought me shoes."

My heart weeps at the thought of a young Lisa, crying at the first kind thing to happen to her. "Why are you telling me this?"

Her eyes look earnest and void of judgment when she says, "It's okay to cry at kindness. This is the first time someone has stood up for you, but it won't be the last. I'll always look after you, okay?"

"How did you kno—" I cut myself off.

Of course, she figured it out.

This is Lalisa Manoban.

I laugh a little as I repeat the words she said to me the second time we met, "You're different than I thought you'd be."

Back then, I thought she was cruel, calculated, and perceptive.

A lethal weapon.

I was right.

But I was also wrong.

She's so much more than that.

She's witty, protective and also kind. This depiction of Lisa is at odds with so many of my previous misconceptions of her, and I find myself promising to let my bias go. To judge Lisa by the way she treats me, not what other people claim she is.

I've been prejudiced from the start. I know that now.

Lisa is so much more than foregone conclusions, and what I'm learning about her, I really, really like.