Page 186 of My Ruthless Opponent

He is nursing a tumbler in his hand. Even though I can’t get a proper look at him in a tux, my inside warms. My prince.

My lips curl in a surprised smile when I take in Summer’s outfit.

She is dressed in a blue tux, a boutonniere pinned on her lapel. She is his ‘best man’. The sight melts my heart.

“Not in the least,” Raleigh replies calmly as he rests the glass on the railing.

“Yeah, right.” Summer smirks and stands beside him, resting her forearms on the railing. “That’s why you need liquid courage.”

“Why would I be nervous when this is a fake wedding?”

My smile falters.

She turns her head to look at him, her high ponytail swinging. “The wedding might be fake, but your feelings for her aren’t.”

He lifts the glass and takes a swig, his eyes looking out over the ocean.

“You are delusional,” Raleigh says smoothly.

“Am I?” Summer’s voice is too soft.

“I don’t have a habit of lying like you.” He grits out.

“Ouch.”

He sighs. “I am sorry. That was a low blow.”

“No shit.” She lets out a humorless chuckle.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s okay. Your lashing out on me just proves how frustrated you are.” Summer tells him.

“I am not.”

“Are too.” She goads him.

He snaps then. “I just want everything to work out smoothly, okay? We are at the climax of our plan. That’s why I needed a drink. To calm down. Nothing more. Nothing less. Get that?”

“Or… you are thinking about Hannah right now. About how badly you want this to be true.”

Raleigh stares at her for a long moment. I stand numbly, my heart beating in my ears as I wait for his answer.

“Hannah is just a pawn in my game, Summer. She is nothing.”

I freeze. It feels like someone has wrenched my heart from my chest, still beating, still pumping, and threw it on the floor before crushing it under their heel.

I don’t wait to hear the rest of their conversation.

I slowly get out of the suite.

To my shock, no tear comes out of my eyes.

???

Itry not to flinch as I say that.

Hannah is nothing. That’s true, right? Then why do I feel like punching myself?

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