The Engagement Betrayal

e grand ballroom cast a warm,

king of champagne glasses. Men in expensive suits and women in glittering dresses moved through the crowd, their laughter echoi

arm. I wore a white dress, simple but elegant, and my smile felt painted on.

his breath sme

y. Everyone

n't stand to be touched for too long, couldn't handle public displays of affection that felt too real. Our relationship was a series of careful rules I had learned to fo

of loud, arrogant men who always made my skin crawl. Their names were Alex, Ben, and

est of them, r

ho is finally, fina

, his eyes flicking over to me. I felt a fa

on his face. "So, Mark, the big day is tom

ran col

m down, to defend my honor. He just laughed

smooth and confident. "The prize is as

y. "Are you sure? Eight years is a long time to wait. Mayb

were talking about me, about my virginity, about Mark's supposed co

sked, my voice

s expression one of annoyance

Lily. Don't be so sensitiv

on his friends' faces told me it wasn't a joke. The humiliation was a physical thing, a hot w

"They're talking about our wedding night

eplaced by cold irritation. "It's just guys being guys. You wouldn't understa

ently trying to understand and accommodate, as a tool for their sick game. He wasn't just tolerating th

uddenly felt thick and suffocating. The smiling faces

from his grasp.

I didn't stop until I reached the French doors that led out onto a secluded terrace. The cool night air felt

all swirled in my head. Eight years of de

or just a few feet away. It was a small, private study off the

ul thing, made me move clos

orld fel

ller, a woman I knew as a "family friend," a woman who was always lingering

new. This was not the man

with a desperate, consuming passion I had never, ever received. It was raw and hungry

to my mouth t

ice thick with an emotion I ha

he murmured against her

und. "Why not? You've played the par

love you. This thing with Lily... it's just a business arrangement. A deal b

is hands framing her face with a

'll divorce her. I promise. The

c reply followed

ll win it tomorrow night. Get it over wi

ce, and a roaring sound filled my ears. Every word was a c

siness arran

th

nt no

r eight years shattered into a million tiny, sharp pieces. The man I was supposed

er, and I had