He Came With a Ring. I Had a Fiancé Chapter 08

He Came With a Ring. I Had a Fiancé Chapter 08

Ryan Sullivan was leaning toward me, quietly asking whether I wanted to try that trendy new restaurant for dinner, when Mother called my name.

I was smiling, about to answer him, when I noticed her awkward expression. There was anger

in it, too.

She motioned me over.

I walked toward her, confused, and found Dylan standing at the door.

I stopped short.

“What are you doing here?”

Shouldn’t he have been too busy playing boyfriend with Claire?

Dylan grabbed my arm and pulled me into the hallway.

“Who was that guy sitting next to you?”

My elbow struck the doorframe, and I hissed in pain. I shook him off impatiently.

“My fiancé.”

“What?”

He stared at me as though he’d misheard.

“Audrey Bennett, even if you’re angry with me, there’s a limit to how far you can take this! How could you be so reckless?”

“Breaking up with me out of spite was one thing. Quitting your job and moving without telling

me was another, But now you’re rushing into marriage with some guy you barely know after just one month?”

“Are you that desperate to get married? Use your head! Aren’t you afraid he’ll scam you?”

The words poured out of him. Between the long drive and the shock of what he’d just seen, his already strained nerves had finally snapped.

This wasn’t the girl he knew.

She used to have eyes only for him.

“Weren’t you the one who lied to me?” I asked, meeting his gaze.

I couldn’t understand what he was so angry about.

Dylan opened his mouth, but no words came.

“If we’re talking about who deceived me the most, Dylan, you and Claire topped the list.”

I smiled bitterly.

“I’m not clinging to you anymore. You should be happy.”

“Claire probably still likes you, and you’ve clearly never gotten over her. Go find her, and stop coming to my house to make a scene!”

He fell back on his usual scolding tone.

“There you go again!”

“Nothing ever happened between Claire and me. Why won’t you believe that?”

“I do believe you!” I cut in.

“But do you think it only counts as cheating if you actually sleep together?”

I gave a cold laugh.

“You’re furious just because you saw me sitting next to another man. Have you ever thought about how I felt every time you let Claire come between us for three years? From our movie dates to all those times you saw her behind my back?”

“Forget it. What’s the point?”

I took a deep breath and pushed the tangled feelings aside.

“Dylan, we’re already broken up.”

“Please leave. You’re not welcome here.”

He stared at me.

“If you hated how close Claire and I were, you could’ve told me…”

He trailed off.

I had said something.

More than once.

I’d even brought up breaking up with him, hoping he’d finally change.

But he’d counted on the fact that I couldn’t leave him, that I depended on him too much, and he’d forced me to swallow every grievance.

I turned back toward the house and began closing the door.

“Audrey!”

Dylan seized my wrist. His grip was so tight it hurt, as if he were afraid I’d disappear.

“No!”

“I won’t accept this breakup!”

“You promised me. You said I was the only man you’d ever want to marry!”

Then he dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring.

His expression was painfully earnest.

“Audrey, will you marry me?”

“Give me a chance to make things right.”