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I plastered a smile on my face and hooked my arm through Ryzen’s. He grinned and kissed me on my forehead, the crowd around him letting out a collective “aww.” Was it so easy to deceive people? Did they really believe we were in love, or did they figure we were just like the rest of them? The ones who married for money?
“I’m ready to go when you are,” I whispered into his ear.
He chuckled and patted my arm. “Hold that thought.”
He walked to the front of the room, where a band was playing classical music on a small stage, and waved his hand for them to stop. Oh, God, this couldn’t be good. The microphone made a slight buzzing sound as he tapped on it, the crowd turning their attention towards him.
“Hello, everyone! First, I want to congratulate the happy couple. Cheers to Grace and Dalton.” He raised his drink in the air, the people in the room doing the same. “May your marriage be filled with love and luck.” The crowd clapped half-heartedly and took a drink from their glasses.
“Now, for some more good news.” Ryzen pointed at me and motioned for me to come forward. “Honey, don’t be shy. We’re among friends.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and uncrossed my arms. Ha. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Most of the guests here were business associates of my father, none of whom cared about Grace or her engagement. This was a business function, and Ryzen had to have known that.
The crowd parted as I stepped forward. Ryzen reached his hand out and helped me onto the stage. “You all know that I’m engaged to Grace’s sister, Nova, the absolute love of my life.” I gazed at the sea of business suits and fought the urge to roll my eyes as they looked at Ryzen with wide eyes, hanging on every word he said. Everyone but one person. One person stood in the back with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed. Not on Ryzen. But on me.
Cian.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned my head away. What the hell was he doing here? A tingling sensation ran up my spine, and I gripped Ryzen’s hand harder as he spoke.Just breathe in and out. It’s easy. Simple. You’ve been doing it your whole life. In and out.
The crowd cheered at whatever Ryzen said, and I clung to his arm for fear that I might pass out. Of course, the crowd didn’t know that. To them, I was a loving fiancée who was glued to her man because I loved him. The thought made my stomach turn and I clenched my fist.
“The wedding will take place in three weeks, and you’re all invited. Any friends of the La Rouxs are friends of the Goodacres.” Ryzen put the microphone down and held his fist in the air. The room filled with applause and whistling, like it was the best news they had ever received.
I gazed across the room, no longer able to see Cian. “What the heck are you doing?” I said through clenched teeth as I smiled and nodded at the crowd.
“Just smile, honey.” Ryzen held our entwined hands up in the air and walked me off the stage.
I dragged him to the back of the room and through the kitchen. Only when I was certain that nobody could see us did I let go of his hand. I crossed my arms over my chest. “Are you crazy? Why would you invite all these people to our wedding? You don’t even know half of them.”
“Calm down, Nova. It’s perfect. We need people to fill the seats, and now we have them. Covington will love seeing all the support we are getting. He’ll have no reason not to close the deal then.” Ryzen nodded, pleased with himself.
I sighed. Of course there was some ulterior motive for inviting them. “OK.” I threw my hands up. “Whatever you think is best.”
He wrapped his arms around me and patted my head. “We’re a great team, Nova. I hope you see that.”
I let him hold me for a moment. Not out of love or lust. Just to keep the peace between us, especially after everything that had happened with Cian.
Cian.Was he still here? Maybe he’d left after hearing Ryzen’s announcement. Good. He could fall off a cliff for all I cared. Now he knew he hadn’t won. He knew that his stupid little plan hadn’t worked, and I hoped he was out in his car crying about it. Not likely, but I could dream.
“I’m going to run upstairs and freshen up, OK?” I pulled back and offered Ryzen a smile. “You can go back in there. Your groupies are probably all waiting for you.”
He chuckled and tapped the tip of my nose. “Cute, real cute, Nova.” He kissed my cheek and went back to the party while I contemplated how mad he would be if I drove off in his Audi and didn’t tell him.
I grabbed a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries and snuck upstairs through the maid’s quarters. It had been years since I had been up here. I didn’t visit my parents often, and when I did, it usually ended in some type of fight. Not today, though. No, they were happy beyond their wildest dreams that their daughter was marrying a billionaire.
I opened the door to my old bedroom, and the smile slipped from my face. I didn’t know what I’d been expecting to find. It wasn’t like my mother had a sentimental bone in her body. For some reason, I had always thought she had left it as is. But there were no posters on the walls, no pictures of me and my friends on the vanity mirror. Just a plain, boring guest room. Had they just thrown all my stuff away? I shook my head and placed the tray of strawberries on the bed. That was cold, even for my mother.
The bed creaked as I stood on top of it and braced my hand on the wall. A few moments later I had plucked the AC vent from the ceiling and reached into the dark hole. I touched something squishy and cringed, moving my hand in the opposite direction. It had to still be here. There was no way anyone could have found it.
Got it. I blew the dust off the top of the shoebox and sat down on the bed. Excitement coursed through me as I pulled out my old diaries, all still intact. These had been a lifesaver for me, a way to vent my frustrations about my strict parents and crazy sister. And boys. Lots and lots of boys. The first diary was from when I’d turned thirteen. Grams had given it to me as a birthday present, and I had thought it was so silly.
It’s not silly, Nova. You have to vent. Free your mind from worries and anxieties. Otherwise you could end up like your mother.
And vent I had. I’d filled page after page, book after book, until I’d turned eighteen and gone to college. My fingers traced over the embossed cover, and I opened the first page.
Thirty minutes later, the sun had set and I had devoured more than half of the chocolate-covered strawberries, the most I had eaten in days. Reading through the pages wasn’t bringing me the joy I’d thought it would. I’d been so angry back then. And scared to death of Grace. And my father. God, had I been scared of him. It wasn’t until I’d moved out that I could let go of that fear.
I stuffed the diaries back in the box and hugged it to my chest. Now wasn’t exactly the best time to open old wounds and relive my teenage years. Besides, it would probably end up being funny at some point and Juliet would love to get in on this action.
