The Dress Fitting He Promised I Would Not Attend Chapter 01

The Dress Fitting He Promised I Would Not Attend Chapter 01

At Grandpa Arthur Whitmore’s birthday gala, Ethan Whitmore showed up late with his new assistant.

“Claire, move over there. Lily’s uncomfortable around strangers. She’s used to being next to me.”

I didn’t hesitate for a second.

I got up and moved to the seat next to Grandpa Arthur, who looked less than pleased.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, surprised.

Then he pressed his shy assistant into my old spot.

My phone buzzed a moment later.

[Are you upset again? I told you, I’m just showing the new girl around. Stop being so jealous.]

I didn’t reply. Just kept sipping my drink like nothing was wrong.

[We’ll go try on wedding dresses after this. Don’t give me that look, okay?]

I smiled.

Across the table, he saw me and smiled back.

He had no idea.

I wasn’t smiling out of excitement for the dress.

Ten minutes before he showed up, I’d already talked to Grandpa Arthur about calling off the engagement.

My phone lit up with a flight reminder. Departure in three hours.

Ethan, after this party ends, you and I will be on opposite sides of the world.

***

“Happy birthday, Grandpa. Wishing you many more healthy years.”

Ethan raised his glass to Grandpa Arthur with a grin.

“Oh, and this is my new assistant, Lily Vance. She’s a hard worker. I brought her along to wish you a happy birthday.”

Lily stood up a little bashfully and raised her own glass.

“Wishing you good health.”

Grandpa Arthur’s face stayed dark.

“You useless boy. Are you trying to kill me? Who told you to bring an outsider to this family gathering? You can’t be bothered with your own fiancée, but you have time to fuss over an assistant?”

Lily’s eyes went red. She shot a helpless look at Ethan.

He stopped twirling his glass and turned his gaze on me.

“Did Claire come crying to you again?”

“Hah. She can’t be bothered to mention you. I’m not blind or deaf. You think I don’t know about the stunts you’ve been pulling?”

Grandpa Arthur was already furious because of what I’d told him earlier, so his voice came out harsh.

But I just kept eating and drinking like nothing was wrong.

Ethan’s temper flared at the sight.

“I took Lily on a business trip and played tourist for a few days nearby. How is that a stunt?”

I let out a laugh before I could stop myself.

His so-called business trip happened because Lily said she wanted to visit Silverport.

So he canceled the deal we’d confirmed with my family and switched to a partner in Silverport instead.

Playing with her was the main event. Work was an afterthought.

And that was exactly why my parents finally saw that Ethan didn’t care about me the way he used to. They agreed to end the engagement.

“What are you laughing at?” he asked coldly.

“You know exactly why you went to Silverport. There’s no need to shout at Grandpa about it.”

Ethan’s defenses crumbled when I hit the nerve.

“Claire, you haven’t even married into the Whitmore family yet, and you already want to interfere with my company’s decisions?”

“Switching business partners was a strategic choice. What’s wrong with taking my assistant on a business trip? Stop projecting your jealous little fantasies onto me and making up accusations!”

The room went dead silent.

Lily’s timid eyes met mine.

And suddenly I remembered the posts she’d been putting up on social media.

[What do I have to do to get a boss like this? I just mentioned wanting to visit Silverport, and he canceled the deal with his fiancée’s family, switched to a partner there, and took me along on a “business trip.” Fully paid.]

The pinned photo showed a hotel room overlooking the ocean.

[I only booked one room. He didn’t say anything about it. What does that mean? (blushing emoji)]

The comment section was full of people saying the boss was obviously into her.

They told her to go for it. Lock down the rich guy.

[But he has a fiancée. Isn’t that messed up?]

Then came a wave of encouragement. She liked every last one of them.

Five days. Thirty posts.

She documented every little thing that happened between them in Silverport.

Photo after photo. Casual on the surface, intimate underneath.

They stung my eyes and the heart that had belonged to him for over a decade.

And during that whole time, none of my messages got a reply.

He did answer the phone once, though.

Lily did.

“You’re looking for Mr. Whitmore? He’s in the shower.”