Ava thought the hardest part of her high-society weekend was pretending to be in love with Julian. But as champagne toasts blur into stolen glances, the act begins to feel dangerously real. Old wounds rip open when Noah, the ex who once shattered her, reappears with regrets that sound too raw to ignore. Between glittering parties, whispered confessions, and a kiss that refuses to be “just pretend,” Ava finds herself caught between the safety of performance and the ache of possibility.
This is Part 2 of 3 in The Pretend Weekend, a romance of secrets, staged devotion, and the sharp edge between past and future.
Celeste Hana is a writer, content strategist, and certified survivor of the modern corporate grind. With over a decade of experience in soul-sucking offices, endless Zoom calls, and middle-management chaos, she’s seen it all and lived to write about it.
She’s worked across industries from tech to publishing, often as the youngest (and most quietly frustrated) person in the room. Celeste has questioned why we’re told to smile through burnout, pretend to love our commutes, and bond over awkward team-building. This book is her way of saying: you’re not the problem, the system is.View all by Reid Quinn
