Page 29 of When Hearts Surrender

I flinch, the backs of my eyes burning, and I swallow my retort.

I won’t beg for his kisses. By why does everything hurt so much?

His face is remorseless as I turn away and dash toward the car waiting for me, my hand clutching the fabric of my dress at my chest, a sharp pain robbing me of my breath.

And it isn’t until I’m in the car that I realize tears have drenched my face and I’m still wearing his leather jacket.

Chapter 10

“You’re getting married. We’vechosen the man for you.”

Mom’s announcement has the effect of a sudden plunge into the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean.

We’re sitting in my parents’ living room, freshly redecorated with white Calacatta marble imported from Italy, the third renovation my parents have done in the last five years.

Heaven forbid they have decor that is older than a few years.

“What?” I don’t know why I’m surprised theydidn’tinvolve me in the process. So typical of them.

“Honey, you knew this was going to happen eventually. And with your condition…” She trails off, eyeing pointedly at my stomach.

“What? Because my biological clock is running out, I’m losing value to you guys soon? Marry me off while you can still barter for something?”

I stand up and fist my hands to my sides.Nope. Not today. New and improved Belle will rather beg on the streets than follow suit.

“Sit back down, Annabelle.” Dad finally looks up from his phone—he’s no doubt texting one of his mistresses, judging from his slimy smile earlier. “We have indulged you long enough. Because of your privilege, you have—”

“A roof over my head, a fine education, more money than I’ll ever need, a cushy job,” I tick off his usual items with my fingers. “What else are you going to say? Because I have the unfortunate luck of being born to the two of you, I don’t have a say in my life?” I shake my head vehemently. “I don’t think so.”Not anymore. I’m in the driver’s seat.

While it has only been a few months, if there’s something the year of yeses concept has taught me, it’s that I have agency in my life. I get to make those choices—good ones or bad ones—for myself.

Images of slate-gray eyes and sexy dimples float to my consciousness and I shove the thoughts ofhimaway, even though Silas has occupied my mind far too often in the last month since that magical night between us, after which he disappeared—a phantom or a hallucination. I tried searching for him online, but the first name of Silas was too common and without a last name, it was impossible to find him.

“What about McKenzie Atelier? Don’t you care about your grandpa’s legacy?” Dad glares at me.

“Of course I do. Why do you think I work so hard?”

“Well then, this marriage will bring more business to the company.”

I cock my brow. “I’m not going to get married just to bring in more business. That’s ridiculous.”

My parents glance at each other, and something about the way they are fidgeting is getting my hackles up.

I narrow my eyes. “There’s something you aren’t telling me, isn’t there?”

Silence.Crap. This has to be bad.

“I won’t entertain the idea of getting married unless you guys tell me the truth.” I cross my arms and sit back. The ball is in their court.

Mom clears her throat and sighs. “Look honey, we’ve made a few bad investments over the years and the truth is, we’re broke.”

“How are you broke?” I look at the spacious apartment decorated with new wallpaper, new lamps, new everything, then at the expensive jewels on my mom’s fingers. “Don’t lie. And you can sell your things if you’re so hard up on cash. What does this have to do with the company?”

More furtive glances and my blood boils in my veins.

“I…I may have taken out funds from our corporate accounts,” Dad mutters, his face reddening, finally looking ashamed. “The corporate loans we have at McKenzie Atelier are due soon, and we simply don’thave the cash for them. The investments were supposed to pay off. They were supposed to—”

“You embezzled from the company?How could you? It’s Grandpa’s legacy! When were you planning to tell me this?”

---