Page 9 of A Million Shades Of Love and Betrayal

I raised a brow, trying not to let her words affect me. "You need to relax."

"Should we answer?" Amirah asked, her gaze shifting between me and the phone.

I nodded. "We'll just use my phone since we're in the same place." My heart raced slightly as I tapped the screen to accept the call. Our father's smiling face appeared on the screen, and I tried to keep my composure despite the unexpected call.

"Hey, Dad," I greeted, forcing a casual tone.

"Hello, my darlings!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with warmth. "I didn't know you two were together, when did this happen?"

"I told you I would visit Yaz, didn't I?" Amirah pointed out to him.

He smiled. "I suppose you did. It's so good to see both of you. How are my favorite girls doing?"

Amirah launched into a detailed account of her latest modeling gig, and I listened, my mind racing with conflicting thoughts. Should I tell Dad about everything that's been happening lately? About getting married and then getting divorced? Should I tell him about how awful Ethan's family was to me and how he accused me of being nothing more than a gold digger? I wanted to say something, to open up about it but I probably shouldn't say anything- especially not now. I was the one who dug myself into a deep hole of drama and uncertainty. It would be unfair of me to drag him into this.

I wanted to scream that I belonged to a wealthy family, that I was richer than them combined. I wanted to boast and throw money in Ethan’s face so he would know how serious I was, but I couldn't. I was raised to be humble and not to show off just because I wanted to.

"And what about you, Yasmin?" I focused on the sound of his voice, inserting myself back into the conversation. "How's the love life?" I didn't miss the disgruntlement in his voice or how his eyes narrowed on me. I wasn’t sure why he bothered asking me about my relationships when he knew I wouldn’t give him any details. This time was far worse than the others but still, I held on.

What was I going to say? We got married but then he accused me of being a slut and a gold digger, so we got divorced. Somehow, I knew saying any of that would be the worst thing I could ever do. Not only would he be angry for me, but he would make it his mission to find out who it was and ruin him and I was perfectly capable of getting revenge on my own.

"I was dating someone but we broke up," I replied vaguely, not wanting to give anything away. "I'm seeing someone new," I spoke quietly, ignoring the look Amirah gave me. I wasn't exactly thrilled to lie to my dad, but he would figure it out when he saw pictures of Rafael and me at some point.

"Am I going to meet this one?" he raised a brow.

I chuckled, not sure what to say. "Maybe."

But then Rafael's invitation flashed in my mind again, distracting me from my internal debate.

I exchanged a look with Amirah, who jabbed me with her elbow, urging me to speak up. Before I could say anything, a text notification popped up on my phone from Rafael, inviting me to dinner with his best friend tonight. I hesitated, torn between replying to him and focusing on the call with my father.

Just as I was about to reply to the text, he dropped a bombshell that had me stunned. "Oh, by the way, I'll be attending the Vitale Gala next week. Are you girls attending the gala? It would be nice to see my beautiful daughters all dressed up."

My eyes widened in shock, and I exchanged a surprised look with Amirah. "You're coming to the US?" I repeated, trying to process this unexpected turn of events. "To attend the Vitale Gala?"

"Yes, indeed! I wouldn't miss it for the world," he chuckled. "I have some business to take care of in the city, so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to spend time with my girls and support a good cause."

Amirah's smile widened, and she leaned closer to the screen. "That's wonderful, Dad! We can't wait to have you here."

I glared at her, and she shrugged at me. "Yeah, can't wait to see you, Dad."

Things just got a lot more interesting.

-8-

Rafael

The city lights shimmered below as I ascended the elevator to the penthouse, anticipation building with each floor I passed. I wasn't sure what I was thinking when I suggested a double date with Roman and his girlfriend but the thought of eating dinner with just the two of them was not appealing. I hadn't seen Yasmin all day, and I was curious to see how her hair looked if she truly dyed it.

The elevator chimed, and the doors slid open to reveal the penthouse. I stepped out into the spacious living area, taking in the stunning view of the city. It was then that I caught sight of Yasmin emerging from her room.

My breath caught in my throat as I took in her appearance. She was radiant, her now black hair cascading in waves down her back, the color so deep it brought out the green flecks in her eyes. Her dress molded to her curves perfectly and I couldn't help but wonder how she would feel wrapped around me. I must have stared for a moment too long because a playful smirk danced on her lips.

"Like what you see, Rafael?" she teased, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"Absolutely," I managed to reply, my voice huskier than intended. "You look incredible, Yasmin. Black hair suits you."

"Thank you," Her smile widened, and she linked her arm with mine as we made our way out of the penthouse. Daniel, my trusty driver, was waiting for us downstairs.

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