I stare at Carly in disbelief as she shrugs her shoulders.
“The choice is yours, I guess, I know you’ll make the right one, though. The party is next weekend. My family is thrilled and I told them you’d send the jet for them. Make sure you wear that black suit I love,” she says before pressing a kiss to my cheek before sauntering outof my office.
What the actual fuck just happened? Did I just get forced into an engagement? Does she really think me breaking off an engagement would hurt my reputation that bad? So, what? I lose a few clients? I doubt I’ll lose anything once I tell people she’s a fucking psycho who made it all up. I want to know how she moved so quick with everything. I mean, she had to of been…wait.
Her family?
She talked to them already?
Oh fuck.
Chapter Thirty
Cassi
Istare at my phone for longer than I’d care to. Longer than I realize. I don’t know how to do anything else, though. I’m numb, confused and fucking pissed.
You are cordially invited to the celebration of Carly Fischer and Nicholas Sanders’ engagement.
Below is an address and a date as well as a gift registry link.
Engagement? They are engaged? Since when?
It feels like my heart has plummeted to the ground, like my stomach has been twisted into a thousand knots and the only thing I can do is…stare.
“Hello? Earth to Cassi?” Arianna says, waving a hand in front of my face.
I look up from my phone as my eyes meet hers across the table. She must see the shock on my face because her teasing smile vanishes as she slowly lowers her pizza.
“What is it, Cass?”
I try to speak, but my throat is too tight. That feeling that you get right before you’re about to burst into tears? Yeah, amplify that tenfold at least.
“I…I…” Shaking my head, I slide the phone over to Arianna.
She takes it curiously, looking around the school’s cafeteria as if someone was going to read over her shoulder before her eyes move across the screen. Her face morphs from curiosity to shock to anger as she looks up at me.
Yeah, my sentiments exactly.
“What the actual FUCK is this all about?” she practically snarls.
“What is what about?” Naomi asks as she comes to sit down beside Arianna.
“This,” she snaps as she slides my phone over for Naomi to read.
I wait for the snide comment. The I told you so or…something. I practically wince in preparation for it but when her eyes meet mine, they shimmer with heartbreak and empathy.
“Babe,” she whispers with a shake of her head as she reaches out and touches my arm.
I don’t pull away, but I don’t say anything either.
“Did he tell you?” Naomi asks.
“No,” I finally rasp. “He…we had plans for…”
Shaking my head, I let out a shuttering breath.
“He’s a fucking asshole who deserves his dick chopped off. I’ll do it, too,” Arianna practically seethes.
