Chapter Twelve #3
It’s a much-needed break. Hunter announces the food is ready, so I hand the baby to Lennon so he doesn’t wake up while we eat.
The group of us go into the kitchen and pile our plates full.
Hunter cooked enough to feed a football team.
While Mason and Sophie are bombarded by my parents, I check my phone to see if Liam’s texted me, but he hasn’t.
The only thing that pulls me away from my thoughts is my mother’s voice.
“Madelyn,” she says. “Have you thought about what you’re doing after graduation?”
It takes everything within me not to groan. I don’t want to be an asshole, but this is the exact type of conversation I don’t need to have right now. Regardless, I put on a fake smile to appease her.
“Probably audition to some dance companies and hope for the best,” I say, an answer I’ve given her countless times before.
“Well, darling, you can’t wait too long in that industry. You aren’t getting any younger,” she reminds me for the hundredth time.
I make eye contact with Sophie, who isn’t smiling at all. She knows how much I hate talking about this, and my mother should too.
“I know. I heard twenty-one is the new forty for ballerinas,” I say dryly with just enough sarcasm for her to understand I’m done with this topic.
Before my mother can say another word, the front door swings open, and I see Liam.
At first, a smile touches my lips, but then I see a woman behind him, and my jaw tightens.
I stare at him, wanting to know who the fuck that is and what in the hell is going on, but he doesn’t look in my direction.
With fingers interlocked, he pulls her into the room, and my eyes narrow as my anger takes over.
“Liam, you made it!” Hunter walks over and slaps him on the back.
The bastard has the audacity to smirk. “Yeah, sorry. Damn delays.”
“Hey, Liam,” Lennon greets from the table, noticing my apprehension. “Who’s your friend?”
She’s blond and beautiful, wearing a skintight black dress that leaves no room for the imagination. Her makeup is perfect, and she looks like she walked off the page of a Vogue magazine.
“Oh, sorry.” Liam’s grin widens, which frustrates me beyond belief. Everything is happening so fast that I can’t seem to put the pieces together. He wraps his arm around the beautiful blonde’s waist, and she does the same, holding him tight as if she’s claiming him as hers.
With a million-dollar smile, she looks up at Liam and rests her hand on his chest. The diamond on her ring finger nearly blinds me, and it confuses me more than anything. But his next words bring me back to reality, and I feel as if I’m drowning.
“This is Victoria. My wife.”
My mouth falls open, and Sophie eyes widen.
“Your wife?” Lennon inquires, standing to greet the newly married couple.
“Excuse me,” I whisper, hurrying to the bathroom, ready to empty the little food I ate before he arrived. Moments later, there’s a knock on the door, and I ignore it until I hear Sophie’s voice.
“Mads, come on,” she pleads. “Open up.”
I crack the door, and she forces herself inside and immediately wraps her arms around me. “I’m so sorry. I’m gonna fucking kill him.”
A few tears stream down my face, and I hurry and wipe them away, hating that I’m so angry and upset that I’m crying. A man should never make a woman feel the way that Liam just made me feel—used, inadequate, replaceable.
Sophie pulls away and looks me in the eyes. “Listen to me. He’s a goddamn pig, and you’re better off. I know it hurts, and I know you’re mad. I know you want to chop off his dick, but right now, in front of our parents and everyone else, it’s not worth it. So, do what you do best…”
“And go for the jugular?”
“Make him feel uncomfortable,” she quips. “We need to get back out there before everyone notices we’re gone. I love you so much. He’s an idiot.”
I suck in a deep breath, and though I’m completely falling apart inside, I put on the performance of a lifetime.
We walk into the dining room and Victoria’s practically sitting in Liam’s lap at the table.
It’s easier for me to pretend he doesn’t exist. The confusion on everyone’s face is evident, but it doesn’t seem to faze Liam whatsoever. Asshole.
For once, I’m glad Lennon’s here because she has a way of asking people personal questions in a non-intruding way.
“So how did you two meet?” Lennon asks, reaching for the potato salad.
Liam flashes her a boyish smile and starts from the very beginning. “Oh, we met at a bar in Vegas and instantly hit it off. We’ve been doing the whole long-distance thing for a while and decided this weekend that you all needed to meet the love of my life.”
Victoria beams at him like he’s her whole world.
My stomach’s in knots because all the pieces have finally clicked together.
He was going to Vegas so much to see her—his other best-kept secret, I suppose.
So while he strung me along—giving me false hope—he was dating someone else.
Liam played with my emotions, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive him.
But why? Why would he do that, knowing she’d eventually meet everyone?
“Are you moving to Vegas?” Mason asks, waggling his brows at Sophie. He continues before Liam responds. “Means we’ll have the second floor to ourselves, babe.”
My heart beats rapidly as I wait for his answer.
Liam gazes longingly at Victoria, who looks like she’s about to pounce him, before he turns back to Mason.
“Nah, we’re committed to each other and have decided to commute back and forth for a while.
Her life is there, and mine is here. We’re gonna make it work.
Right, baby?” Liam looks at her, and she nods, leaning over and kissing him gently on his lips.
“It’s obvious how in love you two are,” my mother says, adding fuel to my angry fire. “I’m sure you’ll make beautiful children.”
“Mom,” Sophie snaps, knowing exactly how much this is destroying me.
“Congratulations, Liam. So I guess this explains why you were traveling so much?” I finally say, putting on a brave face so no one—especially him—sees how hurt I am.
He tenses as he looks at me for the first time. He gives me a simple head nod in response.
Victoria explains how much her father loves him, how much of a help he’s been to her family, and builds Liam up to be this amazing, loving, caring husband. As if they’ve been married for years, not days. “We might try to start a family soon.”
I already don’t like her. No, I fucking hate her. And him.
Swallowing hard, I try to get rid of the lump in my throat, but I’m choking on her words. I need fresh air, but I’m being smothered by the thoughts of Liam’s lips on mine while he belonged to another woman.
This must’ve been what he wanted to discuss. To tell me there won’t be anything between us. But instead, he showed me, and I’ll never forgive him for deceiving and lying to me.