Todos los capítulos de From Rejected to Rafael's : Capítulo 31 - Capítulo 33

**CHAPTER 31****MERIS POV**Dinner at Belmont Mansion felt like a battlefield disguised as dinner. Rafael sat across from me, jaw tight, saying almost nothing. Connor sat two seats down, and every time I looked up, his eyes were already on me. Mr. Belmont carved his steak like nothing was wrong, but I caught him glancing between the three of us more than once, filing something away behind that calm face of his."Have you two set a date yet?" Mr. Belmont asked, not even looking up from his plate.My fork stopped halfway to my mouth."We're still discussing it," Rafael said smoothly, like he'd rehearsed it.I kept my eyes down, but something in my chest lifted anyway. A date. A real date, on a real calendar, with flowers and a dress and Rafael standing at the end of an aisle waiting for me. I let myself have the thought for exactly three seconds …long enough to feel warm, long enough to feel stupid.‘It's not real, Meris. It's a contract. Stop.’ My wolf warned.I put my fork down and

CHAPTER 33MERIS'S POVThe words had been sitting inside me for so long that once I finally started talking, I couldn't seem to stop.“I saw him, Aria.” My voice shook. Aria didn't interrupt.“I went to his room that morning and…” I swallowed, but my throat still felt tight. “She was there. In his bed.” The words hung between us. I looked down at my hands. They were trembling.“I didn't know what to think. I still don't.” Aria moved closer and pulled me into her arms. That was all it took.The tears I'd been fighting spilled over. I pressed my face into her shoulder and cried, my breath coming out in uneven little gasps.“I thought he was different,” I whispered. “I really thought he was.” Aria rubbed my back.“But you told me how good he's been to you.”“He has.”“Then why are you blaming yourself?” I pulled away and wiped my cheeks.“Because I knew what this was supposed to be.” She frowned.“The contract.” I nodded.“I knew from the beginning. I knew exactly what I agreed to.” I lo