Ninety-Nine Engagements, One Betrayal

na

I thought accepted my every word, my every thought, my very existence, had just revealed a depth of emotion

calls to friends of friends, and an almost obsessive piecing together of whispers and rumors I had dismissed as mere gossip befor

twisted into something dangerously close to incestuous love. The Preston family patriarch, a stern, traditional man, had discovered their "inappropriate relationship." To save face, to protect the family legacy,

someone e

stick. An easy target. A controllable solution. He had feigned acceptance of my chatty nat

op in their twisted play. My cherished dream of a real marriage, of a man who truly saw and loved me, was

e quiet patience I now knew was a performance. I loved the ghost of a smile, the rare chuckle, the way his

h. When he called, his voice calm and concerned, asking whe

ildered. He spotted me, still sitting on the bench outside the precin

"Don't," I choked out. "Do

rong? Are you still upset about Everleigh? I told you,

away, Brooks," I said, my voice

Dayna, don't be childish. Your foot

alk," I

said, taking a step closer

giving me strength. I turned and limped away, not cari

him behind me, a silent shadow. My ankle twisted, sending a j

e me. "Dayna! I told y

h a practiced ease, he slipped off his expensive jacket and folded it, placing it ca

t?" I asked, the words raw.

Dayna. She's fragile, you know that. She has...

ugh escaping my lips. "What a

strong, Dayna. You

is excuse. My stre

leaded, tears finally pric

le. "I can't leave you alon

h stepped out. She looked perfectly fine, not a hair out of place, her eyes wid

dramatic. She's always so over the top." Everleigh said, her voice

emove her arm. "Everleig

e when we were kids and you'd always rush to my side. She's just trying to punish you for leaving

s. He looked torn, but his hand was

throbbing. That horrid woman at the bar stomped o

er perfectly fine foot. "Does it hurt

batting her eyelashes. "Just a little

He hadn't even looked at it properly. He hadn't offered to take me to a do

her light weight barely a

are ruined. They're designer, you know.

eard directed at me. "Don't worry, I'l

nto his chest. "And I'm so tired. Can we just

e murmured, hi

r eyes locking onto mine. She was wearing his shoes. My jaw clenched. My

n surge of something that felt like defiance, I hobbled into the nearby bike path. It was darker, less visib

se was quiet. Too quiet. I pushed open the front door and saw him. Bro

unreadable. "Dayna. Your fo

looked at me, then at Ev

my voice fla

lm. "And Everleigh here, her ankle is still throbbing

aw me, then snuggled closer to Brooks. "Brooks, da

ndulgent sound. He start

t, surprisingly steady, considering the eart