The party had been fantastic, and the food even better. However, the highlight of the evening was when Max and I discreetly left the gathering to continue our celebration in private. Despite what transpired later at the club we decided to visit on the other side of LA, it had been an enjoyable night."How upset do you think your team will be when they discover I've stolen you for myself tonight?" Max grinned triumphantly at me, and my laughter in response quickly turned into a broad smile."They're practically drowning in alcohol and cocktail weenies. I doubt they'll even notice I'm gone," I replied, chuckling. He planted a gentle kiss on my neck."I'll fetch the next round of drinks while you set up the next game," he offered. I nodded, smiling as he headed toward the bar while I made my way to the pool table.We had played four games so far, with him winning the first and third, and I taking the other two. This final game would decide who would come out on top tonight. With that ent

Three Years Later-Summer of 2024"Do you still wear that?" Alex inquires, nodding toward the ring on my finger. It's amusing how I've retained this one while flinging the other one back at him without a second thought.I glance up at my brother and give him a single nod."Now, if only I knew why," I respond with a faint smile, followed by a sigh. "Just how pitiful does that make me?""Want the truth?""And only the truth," I reply, continuing to slice the ingredients for our evening salad. I barely manage to halve the next tomato before Alex's hand covers mine.I look up into the eyes of my role model, the one man in my life I've always known I could rely on, even when others let me down."The truth is," he says, squeezing my hand for reassurance – a gesture he's made many times before, and it's likely not the last since I heard the latest news, "you're the only person I know who's bold enough to still wear a ring their ex gave them nearly seven years ago." Alex tilts my head up when

Getting duped by your clueless publicist into spending a week at the five-star resort where your ex of three years was about to tie the knot sounds utterly absurd.What's even more bewildering is being rescued by that very ex from getting thrown out of the same resort for pretending to be a barista. All this while your posterior is prominently displayed on a live Hollywood stream via a security guard's strong shoulder.But the ultimate humiliation comes when you discover that the suite of the power couple, who were supposed to discuss the wedding on a show you agreed to surprise them on, is just a stone's throw away from your own. This all happened in less than forty-eight hours, believe it or not.Interested in hearing the whole story? I'm sure all you Lace enthusiasts—or should I say 'sinkers'—out there are dying to know. Well, fear not. I'll spare you the cringe-worthy details of incident number two, though I must admit my posterior did look rather fabulous on camera. Instead, I'll

"Isabella," Ksenija greeted me warmly with a hug, "and thank you for joining us on such short notice!""Well," I replied honestly as I pulled away from her embrace, "between my recent barista scandal and my publicist's constant nagging, I really didn't have a choice." Fortunately, Ksenija and the audience took my words as a light-hearted joke, sparing me from having to explain my surprise appearance any further."Regardless, we're delighted to have you," she responded as we both took our seats. Unfortunately, I ended up sitting next to the uncomfortable couple on my left. To make things even more awkward, Ksenija dove right into the juicy stuff."For those who may not know, Isabella and Max dated for quite some time before abruptly ending things three years ago," Ksenija revealed, eliciting audible gasps from the audience, as if this hadn't been headline news once upon a time. "So, Isabella, how did it feel seeing Max yesterday after all this time?""Honestly?" I asked, briefly meetin

Sometimes, we're fortunate enough to find kindred spirits who resonate with our souls. There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends who become like family. I consider myself lucky to have encountered six such souls: Avery, Caleb, William, Henry, Noah, and Samuel. Nothing in this world could compel me to part ways with them, and nothing in this world could ever replace their presence.My recent reunion with them after that disastrous interview only reinforced this truth...."For what it's worth," Noah remarks as he seizes the chance to rest his head on my lap, while the rest of the gang snuggles up beside me in bed, "this is your second time this week looking stunning on camera." A chuckle escapes my lips, echoing the laughter of everyone in the room. Even though two of our members are currently on the other side of the world in a different time zone, I know they'd be chuckling too if they were here."Thanks, Curly.""Don't mention it," he replies, making himself eve