Todos los capítulos de Engaged to One Whitmore, Fell for the Other.: Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 20

LaylaFor three seconds, I stared at him.Then I smiled.“You know what you are, Harvey Whitmore?”His expression didn’t change. “I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”“A crass man in a very expensive suit.”His eyes cooled. “How expensive?”I stared at him. “What?”“You mentioned the suit. I assumed the price mattered to you.”My mouth fell open.“You are unbelievable.”“I’ve been called worse.”“I’m sure you earned it.”Something almost resembling amusement touched his mouth, which only made me want to throw something at him.“You can be offended if you like,” he said. “It doesn’t change what I’ve seen.”“You haven’t seen anything.”“My brother seems to have become remarkably useful to your family.”My smile disappeared.“Don’t.”“Your father’s job. Your mother’s medical care. Bellamy—”“I said don’t.”“You seem very comfortable with everything my brother provides.”For a moment, all I could hear was the music drifting in from the ballroom behind me.“You think I put a price on my moth

Layla“Are you wearing the black dress?”I looked at the two dresses lying across my bed. “I haven’t decided.”“Wear the black one.”I smiled, shifting the phone between my shoulder and ear as I reached for the green dress instead. “Then why did you ask?”“Because I wanted to know whether you were planning to make my life difficult tonight.”Taylor’s voice came warmly through the phone.“I’m always planning to make your life difficult.”“I know. It’s one of your more consistent qualities.”I laughed. “Where are you?”“Finishing something. I should be there in about forty minutes.”“Forty?”“Maybe thirty-five if you stop distracting me.”“I called you.”“And somehow it’s still your fault.”“Unbelievable.”“I’ll see you soon.”“Drive safely.”“I will.”The call ended.I tossed my phone onto the bed and looked at myself in the mirror. Thursday had been a good day. Not extraordinary. Just good. Work finally felt like mine again after everything with Natalie, Mom’s treatment was finally mo

Layla“Taylor cheated on me.”For a second, nobody moved.Dad’s face changed first.Not shock.Something harder.He came down the rest of the steps and stopped beside me. “What did you do?”The question was for Taylor.Taylor looked at him, then at me. “It was one kiss.”I laughed.I couldn’t help it.“One kiss.”“Layla—”“With Sienna.”Cecilia’s eyes widened.Chloe looked between us. “Sienna Harte?”I turned toward her.She immediately looked away.Dad didn’t.“You kissed another woman while you were engaged to my daughter?”Taylor’s jaw tightened. “Yes.”Dad nodded once.“Then it’s over.”“Robert.”Cecilia’s voice came quickly.Dad turned. “What?”“I’m not saying what he did was right.”“That’s exactly what it sounds like you’re about to say.”“I’m saying we don’t know everything yet.”“I know enough.”Taylor stepped forward. “I love her.”Dad’s expression hardened further.“Then you should have acted like it.”Taylor looked at me. “Layla.”Dad moved slightly in front of me.“No. Sh

LaylaI made it back to my desk before my hands started shaking.Maya looked up as I passed, but whatever she saw on my face stopped her from asking. I sat down, woke my computer and stared at the spreadsheet I’d abandoned twenty minutes ago without seeing a single number.You don’t want me, so you surely don’t need my money.I pressed my lips together as his next words followed almost immediately.You’ll figure it out.But it was what Taylor hadn’t said that bothered me most. I’d asked him if he was really bringing Mom into this. He’d stopped, so I knew he’d heard me, but instead of answering, he’d simply walked away.I picked up my phone.For one stupid second, I expected to find a message from him explaining that he hadn’t meant it, that he’d only said those things because he was angry. Maybe he would tell me that whatever happened between us, Mom had nothing to do with it.There was nothing.I put the phone down and opened a blank spreadsheet.If Taylor wanted me to figure it out,

LaylaMom had been watching me differently since I told her about Taylor over the weekend.I couldn’t blame her. I had waited until Saturday afternoon, partly because I hadn’t wanted to add anything else to everything she was already dealing with and partly because saying the words to her would make the end of my engagement feel even more final.In the end, my bare left hand had done most of the work for me.Now, sitting beside her in Saint Catherine’s waiting area on Monday morning, I caught her looking at it again.“You know the ring isn’t going to reappear if you keep checking.”Mom’s eyes lifted to mine. “I’m not checking your hand, Layla. I’m checking you, and there’s a difference, even if you insist on pretending there isn’t.”“I’m not pretending.”“You ended an engagement two days ago after finding out the man you loved kissed someone else. I don’t expect you to be fine already.” She adjusted the strap of her purse in her lap. “I liked Taylor. I thought he was good to you, and