lde

solde? Of course, I'm with the person I'm meant to be with. You." He forced a smile, a brittle thing that didn't reach his eyes. It was the same smi

ng none of the turmoil raging inside me. I wanted to see how dee

e in me. You're always there for me." His words were hollow, clichés he' d heard in cheap romantic comedies. Not once did he mention my kindness

ver his presentations, fixing his shoddy research, connecting him with the right people through my 'anonymous' network. Believes in him? I wa

voice dangerously soft. "

shelf, avoiding my eyes. He was searching for an answer, a new platitude to throw my way. H

d. You're everything I could ever want." He reached for my hand, his palm sweaty and cold. It was a re

else came along? Someone wealthier, more powerful, someone who could open all the doors you w

ure, his mask slipping back into place. "Isolde, what are you talking about? There's no one like that. And even if there wa

ercent sure there's no one else? No whispers, no rumors, nothing you're hiding?" The words were

. We're getting married. That's all that matters. Don't listen to gossip. People are always jealous of happy couples." He leaned in, his voice d

was a masterpiece of deceit. But I saw through it all. He wasn't trying to convince me of his love; he was trying

stood up, slowly, deliberately. The sudden movement caught him off g

silence like a razor. My eyes locked onto his, every

he color drained from his lips. He looked like he' d seen

ce thin, almost a squeak. He tried to play dumb,

breaking into a million pieces, yet finding strength in the fragments. "Don't pretend, Ben. Don

confess, to salvage some shred of his dignity. He chose to lie. He chose to betray. He chose Haylie Wh