I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis novel Chapter 28

pter 28 Complicated

My brain was doing somersaults.

I knew the Laurents were throwing this party, but I’d thought Ashton was just a guest, not the bloody host himself.

Ashton hadn’t exactly lied to me, but neither had he told me the f truth.

Then something his friend had said earlier lit up in my head, and rounded back: ‘If this is your house, why the hell did you rent the flat opposite mine at Oakwood Apartments?‘

Ashton looked me dead in the eye. ‘Oakwood’s my company’s development. The whole building’s mine. I stay there sometimes.‘

‘That’s how you knew I’d moved there. I’m your… tenant.‘

He nodded.

Another memory hit me between the eyes. ‘And La Vache Dorée? You own that restaurant too?‘

He nodded.

‘And the bar?‘ Damn it, I couldn’t even remember its name. “The one where we… the night we…‘

Another nod.

My emotions were doing the cha–cha. Badly.

Since the day I met him, Ashton had given off a dangerous aura, not murderer–dangerous, more like apex–predator–dangerous. The height, the build, the lethal arms that looked like they could punch through drywall, the unreadable eyes–you’d have to be

suicidal not to flinch.

And yet.

He’d picked up my keys when I dropped them and driven halfway across the city to return them.

He’d gone along with my drunken, desperate one–night–stand plan without a flicker of judgement.

He’d even offered to fake an engagement to help me get my pushy parents off my back.

Somewhere in my idiot brain, I’d filed him under ‘dangerous but good–hearted‘.

Now, though, knowing he literally owned half of Skyline City and more, the pressure crushed down on me like a hydraulic press.

I didn’t know what I felt.

Shock, sure.

But it was more than that.

It was like thinking you’d adopted a scrappy little kitten, only to realise you’d been cuddling a bloody tiger.

The room went dead silent.

Then Yvaine mumbled, ‘I, ah, I can’t wear this. I need to change. Cas, come with me.‘

She grabbed the man’s arm and bolted out of the room.

‘I’ll put the first–aid kit back,‘ Ashton said, disappearing into the en suite bathroom.

I heard Yvaine’s voice outside: ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me he was Ashton Laurent?‘

The man she called Cas shot back, ‘How was I supposed to know you’d met him before? And why’re you dragging me off? I haven’t even asked about the bloody engagement yet!‘

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‘Did you not hear? They’re engaged.‘

“No way! Ashton’s been in love with someone for years. What’s the engagement bullshit?‘

‘What? What someone? Who is it? Spit it out-

Their voices faded as they stormed down the hall.

I sat there, the echoes of their argument fizzing through my skull,

‘Complicated‘ did not even begin to cover it.

If what Ashton’s friend said was true, that he was in love with someone else, why’d he agree to be fake–engaged to me?

I heard the footsteps before I saw them.

Rhys shoved the door open. ‘Mirabelle! Have you lost your bloody mind? Apologise to Catherine! And that idiot bestie of yours, yelling about you calling off the engagement, embarrassing me in front of the whole city! Was that your idea?‘

I tilted my head, brows pulling tight. I’d just managed to cool off, but Rhys’s voice was like lighter fluid on a barbecue.

‘Rhys,‘ I said sweetly, ‘we’re already done. Yvaine was just telling the truth.‘

‘We’re not done unless I say we’re done!‘ He scowled. ‘We’ll talk about that later. Catherine’s face is swollen thanks to you. Don’t you feel the tiniest bit guilty?‘

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