Chapter 2
Chapter 2
1288 Vouchers
The door clicked shut behind Sebastian, and his anger came with it.
“We never got the damn license! Why’d you tell them we did and even pick a date?”
I glanced at his clenched fists, a teasing smile tugging at my lips.
“Can’t I marry someone else?”
He scowled. “Cut the jokes. Go clear this up before it blows up in everyone’s face.”
I pushed down the lump in my throat and walked to the window.
“Relax. It’ll all work out fine. Everyone is happy, and… you’re off the hook.”
His brow furrowed harder.
“What are you talking about?”
I sighed softly, about to tell him who I was marrying, when the door flew open with a bang.
A Chihuahua shot in, hurling itself at my ankle like it wanted to tear me down.
Clara snatched it up, panicked. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to let Coco loose. Please don’t take it out on it.”
It was a baby dog, and the bites were basically nibbles. Why freak out?
I stared at her, confused.
She was our housekeeper’s daughter. She smiled sweetly at everyone except me.
Around me, she acted like I’d bite, so Sebastian was sure I had been giving her hell when no one was looking.
Watching her tear up, Sebastian pulled her close and soothed her, “Hey, it’s okay. Just a little nip. Everything is fine. Nothing is gonna happen.”
Then he turned to me, his gaze ice-cold.
“It’s just a puppy. Why are you making such a big deal?”
I laughed in disbelief. I hadn’t even opened my mouth, and I was already the villain.
Before I could fire back, someone downstairs hollered that the groom had sent the gifts.
Sebastian’s face sank the second he saw the fat stack of gifts.
Clara’s eyes sparkled with greed. She whipped out a painting from the box.
0.0 %
13:08
Chapter 2
11 288 Vouchers
“Whoa, Aurora, did Sebastian buy you all this?”
I frowned. No way he could afford any of this. He was just a poor kid my family had been putting through school.
I wanted to set her straight, but Sebastian yanked me aside and growled, “You’re trying to make me look like a kept man? I don’t need your charity!
“I’m telling you straight, I’m not marrying you! Kill this freak show, now!”
I knew right away he had got the wrong end of the stick.
“It’s not what you think. It’s…”
“Coco, drop it!” Clara’s shriek cut me off.
The painting was already in soggy pieces between Coco’s jaws. My anger flared.
Forget the price. It was part of my gifts!
“Ms. Beaumont, do you even know how much that painting costs? Can’t you really keep a three-month-old puppy in check, or did you just let it happen?”
Clara’s tears started pouring. “Sorry… I’m so sorry…”
I stepped forward to pick up the ruined painting.
Sebastian thought I was going after Clara. Abandoning whatever pride he had been clinging to, he snapped my hand
away.
“Clara already said sorry. What more do you want? It’s just a painting. And now you’re gonna hit her? You must be crazy!”
Crazy?
I lost the painting, and now I was the bad guy?
Fine. Since I was “crazy,” let me lay out the facts.
I turned to Clara. “Ms. Beaumont, that painting is worth 1.5 million dollars. Your dog destroyed it, so you pay up. Agreed?”
The tears stopped dead. After a couple of seconds, Clara bawled even louder and started to kneel.
Sebastian caught her before she hit the floor. Furious, he jabbed a finger at me. “Aurora, don’t push it!”
I shoved his hand away. “Or you can pay for her.”
His face went livid like I had insulted him.
He clenched his fists, teeth grinding. “Cut the rich-girl act. I’ll get you the money!”
Then he marched out with Clara without another word.
46.6 %
13:08
Chapter 2
Watching him leave, I couldn’t help thinking about the boy who had first walked through my door.
11 260 Vouchers
97.3 %
13:08
