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Until the flash of a camera brings me back to reality.
I push away from him, stumbling back a step. My eyes are wide as I take in the whispering people gossiping about what just happened. Heat races up my chest to my face, setting my cheeks and ears on fire. Moisture fills my eyes as embarrassment overwhelms me.
“What are you doing?” My voice cracks through the hiss.
“You are mine, little flower. Did you think I’d let this happen?”
The smack against his cheek makes the onlookers gasp. The chattering becomes louder when I do it again.
“I hate you,” I scream. If they’re going to watch and whisper, then they deserve a show. “You have no right to do this to me. Why won’t you leave me alone?”
“Because I love you.” His voice is like thunder through the ballroom, booming against every surface, vibrating my bones. “Because I am so fucking in love with you, I can’t think straight. Breathing without you is pointless. Life without you isn’t living. It’s only surviving. I want to live again, Aliana, and I can’t do it without you.”
Everything I wanted to hear all those months ago… everything I begged for, he gives me now? After… I shake my head and wipe the wetness from my cheeks with an angry flourish of my hand, then raise my chin. “You better figure it out because I don’t love you.”
“Bullshit, Lily. I know you do.”
A cruel laugh escapes my mouth as I glare at him. “Then you should re-evaluate what you think you know, Liam, because you could never be enough for me.”
My gut twists as soon as I say the words. The pain and hurt that swims in his eyes crushes my chest. My hand covers my mouth to contain my sob.
His hands come up with an outward flick, making my heart slam against my ribs so hard it physically hurts. And when the words come, it takes more effort than I thought I was capable of to stay upright. “That’s how you feel, then it looks like you finally got your wish. I’m done.”
I watch as he walks away, shoving the stands of flowers down as he goes. They crash to the floor, the sounds of crystal exploding.
And the floodgates open.
Lily
My eyes are blurred with tears of humiliation, fury, and anguish as I’m shoved into a plushly decorated room with velvet wingback chairs and roll-arm sofas. My feet fumble over a thick royal blue and gold Persian rug as I spin on my Louboutins to face Thad, but before I can say a word, my eyes widen as I realize we’ve been followed by Josephine, Casey, and Thad’s parents and sister. Heavy lashes brush my cheeks as I force myself to block them out and focus only on the man in front of me.
“Thad, I’m so sorry. I had no idea he would show up. I’m not even sure how he found out where we were.” I plead with him to believe I didn’t plan this. That I would never risk the business deal he’s been working on or his parents finding out. Not like this. Everything about this was doomed from the start, but I would never betray my friend.
“I’d like to know what’s going on,” his father booms, and my cheeks flame. “Who was that man?”
Thad rolls his eyes and brushes his hand over his perfectly coiffed hair, but he doesn’t answer his father. He looks directly at me. “Lily, stop.”
I reach out, grabbing his arm. “No. You need to understand. I-I know I wasn’t entirely on board with this plan, but I swear…”
“Excuse me?” His father bellows again. I chance a peek in his direction and see his pudgy and ordinarily sweet face turning the color of a tomato. “Did she just suggest she didn’t agree to marry you?”
“Dad, shut up.” My eyes grow wide because when it comes to his dad, Thad’s self-preservation for the lifestyle he loves keeps him in line. When his dark eyes land on mine, they’re filled with anger. I can’t blame him. Liam may have blown the whole thing. But then he speaks, and the shocks keep coming. “You, too. Just stop with the apologies. Since when do you feel the goddamn need to apologize to anyone, anyway?” I open my mouth to speak, but he grips the back of my head and slaps his palm over my lips. “I told him, Lily. I’m the one who told him where to be and when.”
I step away, the heat in my cheeks turning from embarrassment and guilt to outrage. “You did what?”
“You…” He points his finger at me and shakes his head. “You are so stubborn and proud you would rather cling to your broken heart than admit you were wrong.”
“What do you think I was wrong about, Thad? Huh? You don’t know anything.”
“S-so it’s true?” My stomach plummets to the depths of hell when I turn toward the stuttering, watery voice. Her blue eyes shine with unshed tears. Disappointment, hurt… so many emotions play over her pretty little face, and my heart cracks. “Y-you and m-my dad?”
“Casey, no. It’s not like that.” I try to walk to her, but she holds up her hand, eyes full of anger and warning.
“Don’t lie to me. You… You’ve treated me like an idiot. Like a dumb, naïve little girl. Not anymore.” The tears spill over, streaming a trail down her cheeks. Her pink lips form an ‘O’ as her shaky hand lifts, her index finger pointing directly at me. “Y-you left because of him. Because of my mom… Oh God, my mom knew, too. Who else knew?”
“Just Ashleigh and Henry, Casey. I promise.”
“You should stop making promises. You do a shit job at keeping them.” My head snaps toward the voice I’ve heard my whole life. My jaw drops as I stare at my brother, standing there with fury in his silvery eyes directed at me. “We all knew, Casey, but not because they told us. They weren’t just hiding it from you.”
