The Tenth Time She Rejected My Proposal

The tenth engagement party was a shadow of the ones before.The banquet hall felt hollow. Neither Felicity Hill's parents nor mine bothered to show up. Her folks were mortified by her repeated stunts, while my mom and dad were fed up with the public humiliation. They'd even threatened to disown me if I didn't cut ties with her.I told myself that this was the last time.Felicity stood beside me, but her eyes weren't on me. She kept sneaking glances at her watch, then at the double doors. I knew who she was waiting for.The emcee shifted awkwardly, nudging her to take the ring I held out and seal our vows. I didn't push her, still clinging to a shred of hope.The guests started whispering, their patience wearing thin. Finally, Felicity sighed, extending her hand like she was doing me a favor.My heart pounded, a decade's worth of longing surging through me. But before I could put the ring on her, the doors flew open."Felicity! Please, don't marry him. If you do, I swear I'll end

Once, I'd take any excuse Felicity offered, loving her despite Julian's apparent games.Not tonight. I was done.Her face twisted, either because I'd struck a nerve or because she couldn't stand me criticizing her darling. Her eyes blazed as she hurled the umbrella to the ground. "What do you mean by that? You think he faked it? Not everyone is as petty as you, okay?"The rain stung my skin, cold and relentless, mirroring the gash in my heart. I stared at the discarded umbrella, feeling like a clown. The ten years we shared bound only me.She would never let Julian get wet, and now she didn't care that I'd just gotten over a fever. Maybe she never cared about me at all."I'm going abroad next week," I said, turning to go back. "Take care."She grabbed my wrist, her face twisted, not with regret, but irritation. "Now you're using leaving to manipulate me? I told you I just need to sort things with Julian. You've waited ten years. What's a little longer?"That was a sheer lie. If

Felicity stared at the ground, silent as Robert scolded her.He turned to me with a warm smile. "Malcolm, you're the only guy we see as family. Forget about going abroad. Come with us and finish the engagement ceremony. I'll make sure she cuts that loser off."He nudged her to speak, while her mom looked conflicted.I understood why he was so desperate. Their family business had been a sinking ship before my family stepped in. The Brown Group's support had propped them up, giving them a seat at the table.I never used to mix love and business, but now it was obvious. Felicity's betrayal was no surprise, and the only reason she hadn't dumped me was my family's money.Her mother's hesitation lay in the fact that I'd cared for her during her illness. I'd treated her better than my own mom.She knew Felicity didn't deserve me, but she had no say in their family.I checked my watch, seeing it was time for security. "I'm sorry, but Felicity and I are over. Who she's with or what she d

I blocked Felicity's number.Her family visited a few times, but my dad sent them away with a few choice words. He wasn't ready to let me go abroad until this mess was settled, so I agreed to a blind date he arranged.In our circle, blind dates were business deals dressed up as romance. I used to turn my nose up at arranged marriages, thinking love was the only thing that mattered.Now I saw a decade of love collapse like a house of cards. Love wouldn't last without something solid underneath.I sat in a restaurant, waiting. Soon, a familiar face appeared.She clicked her tongue. "Well, well, Mr. Brown. Nobody wants you, huh?"I turned to see Tracy Obrien, my childhood nemesis. We'd been at each other's throats since we were kids, always one-upping each other.She'd gone abroad for high school, and I hadn't heard from her since.Ten years apart, she looked stunning, poised, and vibrant. Just like before, her tongue was sharp. She hadn't changed a bit.I rolled my eyes. "Though