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Crandon’s POV

As I walk around Knox’s wedding, I sigh, long and heavy, because I see her.

Her.

The beauty that should’ve been mine.

The one I really, really, really fucked up with.

Carmen.

She’s standing a few feet away, laughing as her cousin comes down with the bouquet like she just won the Super Bowl. Carmen jumps up and down with her, genuinely happy, clapping and hugging her tight. And that’s the part that gets me every time how real her joy is. There's no jealousy and no bitterness. Just happiness.

It’s wild, because her cousin is younger than her. And Carmen at twenty three, still turns heads without even trying. Still that same beauty to be reckoned with. Still that same woman I ruined things with.

And then I see it.

The ring.

Sparkling and catching the light like it knows it’s doing its job.

That chump proposed to her.

I shouldn’t call him a chump. I know that. Hell, he kicked my ass for her. Fair and square. But still… he’s not good enough for her. He never will be. Not in my head. Not in my chest. Not in that space I still haven’t fully cleaned out.

I saw the proposal online. Of course I did. Everybody saw it.

TikTok.

I*******m.

T*****r, I’m not calling it the other name.

And F******k… the gutter of the internet.

I laugh quietly to myself at that thought, it was humorless.

Carmen and her cousin walk over to Sienna, holding the bouquet up like a trophy. Sienna smiles, glowing, taking it in like everything about today is exactly how it should be.

Then comes the garter toss.

I don’t even know the girl’s name, the one they sat in the chair, but she’s cute. Real cute. Young, excited, and blushing while the guy awkwardly slides the garter on with his mouth.

The whole crowd loses it.

I’ll admit it, there’s a split second where I wish it was Carmen sitting there, and that was me on my knees.

Which is insane, because she didn’t even participate. She’s already engaged.

I shrug it off, because wishing doesn’t change shit.

I sit with my father, my sister, her boyfriend, Silas, and his two partners. My mother’s beside us, laughing, enjoying herself. I drink and try to lay low.

A lot of people know what happened at the firm. They don’t say it outright, but I feel it. The distance. The side eyes. The whispers that stop when I turn my head.

They still have to talk to me, shit, I’m the boss, but the energy is different. Careful and measured. Like I might snap at any second.

Every time Carmen passes me, she rolls her eyes.

And I don’t blame her.

That whole situation? A complete shitshow. I led her on. I didn’t protect her. I didn’t handle my own issues before pulling her into them.

My father explained it to me once, calmly. Said one day I’d find my true love, and Carmen could’ve been it. Could’ve, but I ruined it.

That part stucks.

So I stayed in therapy. Still am. I don’t socialize much at work anymore. And women? They still flirt anyway. Like nothing ever happened. Like reputation doesn’t matter when you’re tall, well dressed, and successful.

There’s no off switch.

I stand and head to the bar for another signature drink.

My father gives me the look.

“Don’t get too drunk, son.”

I smirk. “I won’t, Dad. I really won’t.”

My grandfather chimes in. “Yeah, you better watch it.”

I sigh. “I will, Grandpa.”

At the bar, I ask for another signature, medium, leaded drink. We’re not doing reckless tonight. The bartender slides it over, and as I turn around....

There she is.

Carmen.

My breath catches like I just ran into a wall.

I take a step back. “Excuse me.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re excused,” she says flatly, brushing past me.

Two steps. That’s all I make it before her fiancé, her little boy toy, according to my bitterness, rushes over to check on her like I was about to attack her at a wedding.

Ridiculous.

They talk quietly. She shrugs, says nothing, and they walk away.

I head back to the table.

Silas leans in. “So… what was that about?”

“Nothing,” I say. “She was there. I said excuse me. She walked around. That’s it.”

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Silas exhales like he survived something traumatic. His girlfriend rubs his back. His boyfriend pats his hand.

Weird as hell.

My mother chuckles to herself, watching Silas’s very pregnant girlfriend. They’re all in love, apparently. Gonna raise the baby together. To each their own. That’s their story, not mine.

As I sip my drink, I notice her.

The new associate.

Gorgeous, serious, and focused. I can’t remember her name, but I know she doesn’t play around.

She’s walking toward Sienna and Knox now. Talking. Laughing.

That giggle catches me off guard.

It’s light and unforced.

She looks unobtainable. Like someone I shouldn’t even think about touching. I drop my gaze, take another sip, and sigh.

I feel eyes on me. When I look up, they look away.

I feel like a goddamn pariah, but it's my fault.

Dad says people will forget once another scandal pops up. But it’s been almost a year. The older crowd still watches me like I’m a cautionary tale.

I lean toward my father. “Maybe I should just work from home.”

He looks at me like I said something stupid.

“Fuck these people. You’re an owner. You had a lapse in judgment. Shit happeneds. You’re fixing yourself. You haven’t crossed a line since. They’ll get over it.”

He lowers his voice. “I talked to Karl and the rest of the Michaels matriarchs. You’re staying. You’re a damn good lawyer.”

I sigh. “Okay, Dad.”

He smirks. “You haven’t lost a case yet.”

The DJ’s voice cuts through the air.

“Let’s get Mr. and Mrs. Michaels on the dance floor!”

Sienna and Knox step into the center. He pulls her close. 'At Last' starts playing by Etta James.

Then it transitions to Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga's 'Die With a Smile'.

They are both beautiful and timeless. Old and new.

I smile despite myself. If I ever got married… yeah. Those songs would do it.

When I look up again, I see her, the new associate, walking toward a table across from me.

“Is this seat taken?” she asks.

They tell her no. She sits with her back to me, rocking gently to the music.

My eyes trace the nape of her neck. Long and elegant. Down to her lean, curvy body. Caramel brown skin that looks soft and kissable.

I smirk slightly.

My brother leans in. “Oh, so somebody else caught your eye, big brother?”

I scowl. “What?”

He laughs. “Her name’s Tempest. Like Tempest Bledsoe.”

I blink. “You’re lying.”

He grins. “Dead serious she was a recruit from Harvard Law. She graduated Summa Cum Laude. We tried to recruit her last year and she turned us down. She reached out this year on her own.”

I exhale. “At least she’s older than Carmen.”

“She’s twenty eight I believe.”

Good.

I finish my drink and stand.

“Unleaded this time.”

Dad eyes me. I shrug. “They all taste the same.”

At the bar, sure enough, Tempest is there.

Ordering a heavily, leaded one.

I turn to her. “Hello.”

She smiles politely. “Hello, Mr. Morgan. How are you?”

“Okay,” I say lightly. “So you know who I am.”

She looks me up and down. Scowls.

“Everyone knows who you are.”

Then she walks away.

I sigh.

“Ah… shit.”

She knows about Carmen.

And now?

Yeah.

Now I’m really screwed.