Who Are You?

Chapter 5: Who Are You?

Lizzie

Reese.

He was standing right in front of me.

For a moment, my brain simply refused to process it. The world had already been spinning wildly for the past ten minutes—my mother screaming, people gathering, the officers stepping in—but this? This felt unreal.

How was this possible?

Of all the places in the world where we could have crossed paths again, it had to be here. Right now. At the exact moment I needed an escape more desperately than I had ever needed anything in my life.

Was this coincidence? Or was the universe finally throwing me a lifeline?

“Who is this?” Mom demanded sharply.

I registered that her fingers were still wrapped around my wrist, digging in like claws, but Reese gently removed them. The movement was smooth and effortless—like prying apart a child’s grip.

“Lizzie,” she snapped, turning on me immediately. “Who is this man?”

Reese released her wrist and slipped his hands casually into his pockets. “Does it matter?” he asked.

The calmness in his voice only seemed to fuel her anger.

“Yes, it does,” she snapped. “My daughter does not talk to strangers. And I'm certain she isn't leaving with one.”

A brittle laugh escaped me. “I’m not going with you either.”

That shut her up for half a second.

Reese’s eyes slowly swept over the small crowd that had gathered around us. Phones were raised everywhere. People were whispering. Recording.

Of course they were. Nothing entertained strangers like family drama.

The officer who had been watching the scene unfold cleared his throat.

“Ma’am,” he said carefully, “unless there’s evidence of coercion, she’s free to go wherever she chooses.” Then his gaze shifted toward Reese. “And also with whoever she chooses.”

Mom’s face hardened instantly.

“You don’t understand,” she said through clenched teeth. “There are consequences.”

I met her stare without flinching. “There always are. Deal with it.”

For a moment, the two of us simply looked at each other. Years of control, obedience, expectation—everything crackled in the air between us.

Then Reese leaned closer to me and murmured quietly. “People are recording, Elizabeth. It's best not to create a scene.”

His voice was low.

And somehow, that harmless observation sparked the most reckless idea I had ever had in my life.

If people were recording… Then Kenneth would see this. His family would see this. The entire perfect, polished Greene dynasty would see exactly how little control they actually had over me.

A slow smile spread across my face.

My eyes dropped to the bouquet in Reese’s hand. “Are those for me?” I asked brightly.

The change in my tone was so sudden that Reese blinked in confusion.

He glanced down at the flowers. Then back at me. Before he could open his mouth to question it, I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down.

My lips crashed into his as the world around us exploded in gasps.

I fisted his shirt tighter, dragging him closer as I kissed him like my life depended on it. Like I had planned it all along.

Like he belonged to me.

For the first few seconds, Reese completely froze. I could practically feel the shock radiating off him. His body was stiff, clearly too stunned to react. Which meant I was the only one kissing.

Fantastic.

Just when panic started clawing up my throat, I broke the kiss for half a second, pressing my forehead against his.

“Kiss me back,” I whispered desperately. “Please.”

That was all it took.

His hand suddenly slid up to cup my jaw, firm and warm. In one swift movement, he pulled me closer and kissed me back. Hard.

The reaction from the crowd doubled instantly. Someone actually cheered.

But Reese didn't seem to care anymore.

His control snapped into place like a switch had flipped. His fingers tightened slightly against my jaw as he deepened the kiss, the pressure surprisingly intense.

For a moment, the entire performance stopped feeling like a performance.

His mouth moved against mine with shocking certainty, like we had done this a thousand times before. Or maybe he was simply too committed to the act.

Either way, my heart was hammering violently by the time we finally pulled apart. We both needed air.

I turned slowly toward my mother. “Still here, Mom?”

The look on her face was pure shock. Her eyes darted around at the people filming us before landing back on me.

“Do you know what you've just done?”

“I told you I wasn't going with you, didn't I?”

“The Greenes will be coming by eight!” she shrieked. “How can you do this to Kenneth? To us?!” She actually stamped her foot on the floor like a furious child.

I didn't back down. Not this time.

Reese’s hand slipped into mine. His grip was firm and warm.

“Meet my boyfriend, Mom,” I announced loudly. “Reese Blackwood.”

Reese stiffened beside me. His head snapped toward me.

“I can't marry Kenneth,” I continued smoothly, “because I'm already in love with another man.”

My fingers tightened around Reese’s before he could pull away. He looked at me like I had just set his entire life on fire.

Which, in hindsight… I might have.

“What?!” Mom exploded.

Her voice cracked with disbelief.

“I have never seen this man in my entire life! How can you possibly know this stranger?! Stop this nonsense right now and come home! You'll apologize to your husband for this disgrace and I'm sure he'll forgive you.”

I scoffed. “Are you done?”

A few people in the crowd gasped.

“Don't you understand what I'm saying?” I continued coldly. “I can't marry Kenneth because I already belong to someone else.”

Then I looked her directly in the eyes. And dropped the final bomb.

“And I'm pregnant with his child. Yes. Reese and I are having a baby.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Then gasps erupted everywhere. Reese’s grip on my hand suddenly tightened painfully.

The biggest lie of my life had officially left my mouth.

Mom stared at me like she had just been stabbed. “You're lying,” she whispered. “That’s not true. You can't possibly be—”

Her words cut off abruptly. She slapped a hand over her mouth.

“Oh my God.”

“I told you I couldn't marry Kenneth,” I said quietly. “Now you know why.”

Her head whipped toward Reese. Pure fury blazed in her eyes. “And you,” she hissed. “How dare you?! How dare you do something like this to my daughter without my knowledge?!”

My pulse started racing.

Now the attention has shifted to Reese. Everything depended on him not ruining this.

Reese cleared his throat. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. If he denied it… If he exposed me…

“My apologies, ma’am,” he said calmly. “Had I known you wanted a front row seat to the show, I would have made arrangements.”

My eyebrows shot up.

Mom gasped.

And I couldn't stop the laugh that slipped out.

“Mom, you're embarrassing yourself,” I said sweetly. “You should probably go home. And tell Kenneth that the wedding isn't happening.”

I tilted my head slightly.

“Unless he's interested in a pregnant, experienced bride.”

Reese coughed beside me, clearly trying not to laugh. For one glorious moment, victory swelled in my chest. I had done it. I was free.

Then a sharp voice sliced through the air. “Reese!” The sound cut through the crowd.

Every head turned.

A woman stood a few feet away from us, arms folded tightly across her chest.

Her hair fell in dramatic black waves around her shoulders, and her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she stepped closer.

She looked furious. Absolutely furious.

Reese muttered a curse under his breath. And instantly, dread curled in my stomach.

“Lauren,” he said quietly. “Don't say a word.”

Mom turned to her immediately. “And who are you? Do you know this man?”

The woman’s eyes flicked over my mother with open disdain. “I should be asking you that,” she snapped. “Who the hell are you people?”

“Lauren, enough,” Reese warned.

But she didn't stop. She marched straight toward us, fury radiating off her in waves.

Her gaze landed on me. And stayed there. The hatred in her eyes made my stomach drop.

She stopped only a few feet away. Then she said the words that made my blood run cold.

“Who are you,” she demanded, “and why did you just kiss my fiancé?”