The soft glow of the amber light cast a warm hue over the intimate space.
Bettany Scanlan leaned against the doorway, her eyes taking in the scene before her. A knot twisted in her stomach.
Two men lay entwined, their bodies bared, indulging in a post-coital smoke. One of them was supposed to be her betrothed, Leocadio Tully.
"Leo, you and Bettany are on the brink of matrimony, you should limit your visits here," the other man advised.
"The only reason I am binding myself to her is to claim Ambrose Scanlan's inheritance. There is no other motive. Once I have secured the fortune, we'll part ways."
Their labored breathing echoed in the room, a disconcerting symphony.
"There's no need for such intricate plans."
The sight was a dagger to her heart. Stepping out from the shadows, Bettany shattered their intimacy. Her scarlet lips curved into a cold smile, "There's no need to plan our future. You are dismissed, effective immediately."
Startled, the two men sprang apart. Leocadio, fumbling for the quilt, stammered, "Bettany, I..."
Bettany cut him off dismissively. "Save your explanations. I have no interest in sharing with other men."
As she turned to leave, the contempt in her eyes ignited Leocadio's rage.
Humiliated, Leocadio scoffed, "Remember, Bettany, you can only inherit your father's fortune from Amadeus Scanlan if you wed. Do you honestly believe there's another eligible bachelor in Loneyville who would marry you, given your reputation..."
With a soft chuckle, Bettany paused, her voice icy, "Even a pig would be a better choice than you."
Exiting the room, a dull throb pulsed in Bettany's temples, her mind reeling.
Her frustration was amplified by the disheartening scene she had just witnessed.
She shouldn't have severed ties with Leocadio so abruptly.
In the aftermath of her father's death and the ensuing chaos, Leocadio was the only man willing to marry her for appearances' sake.
As for Amadeus, the rogue was eagerly awaiting the collapse of her engagement to Leocadio.
Each delay in her marriage brought Amadeus one step closer to gaining control of the board members and her inheritance.
In such a scenario, her father's lifetime achievements would be in vain. Her status as an heiress would be rendered meaningless.
But...
Each time she closed her eyes, the image of the entwined bodies haunted her.
To marry such a man, to share her life with him, would be a fate worse than death.
The corridor lights were dim, her unease compelling her to quicken her pace.
Teetering on her seven-centimeter heels, she made her way to the elevator. As the doors slid open, she instinctively stepped in...
In the next second, her high heel lodged perfectly between the elevator and the floor...
She pitched forward, tumbling into a warm embrace.
The icy aura startled her momentarily.
A deep, cool voice resonated softly beside her.
"Miss, could you kindly remove yourself from me?"
The voice was unsettlingly familiar.
Bettany's eyelashes fluttered, her body rigid.
Straightening, she looked up to see a man under the dim elevator lights. He was impeccably dressed in a hand-tailored suit, his gaze cool and aloof.
There he was.
Destiny had a twisted sense of humor!
An expletive ran through Bettany's mind.
Gracefully tucking a stray hair behind her ear, she maintained her regal demeanor.
"Mr. Walsh, what a coincidence."
Eamon Walsh, the patriarch of the Walsh family, a formidable figure capable of shaking an entire city to its core.
And he was also her…
Former lover.
