Page 53 of The Wrong Fiancée

"Of course, it's about that," she snapped, her voice tight with anger now. "I'm the same person I was when I was cleaning those rooms. The only thing that's changed is my job title. But now you're ending your engagement, acting like I'm someone worth being with because I'm not holding a mop?"

I felt the frustration building in me. She wasn't listening. She wasn't seeing what I was trying to say. "Elika, that's not what I meant," I repeated. "I've always admired you; I just didn't know myself very well. I do now and?—"

"You were engaged to Felicity," she shot back, her voice rising, eyes flashing with something I hadn't seen in her before. "You didn't want me when I was in that maid's uniform. Now you do because you think I've changed. But the only thing that's changed is your perception of me."

I opened my mouth to respond, to say something that would make this right, but the words wouldn't come. I felt like I was drowning, grasping for something to hold on to, but all I could see was her anger, her disappointment. And I hated it.

Silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable. Shewas waiting for me to say something, but I didn't know how to fix this.

Finally, I forced a smile, that same confident half-smile I always gave when things felt out of control. "I have changed. I'm notthatman anymore. I want to be the man who deserves you," I said softly, knowing I sounded more certain than I felt. "I know you don't believe me, but I'm going to do everything I can to convince you."

"Dean," Dante called out.

"I have to go. Please don't give up on us."

"There is nous." She turned away in disgust.

Fuck! This wasn't going the way I had hoped.

I leaned down and kissed her hair. "See you soon, baby."

I turned and walked away, my heart pounding in my chest, breaking.

As I made my way to Dante, her words echoed in my mind, nagging at me, but I pushed them aside. Elika would come around. She had to.

She just didn't see it yet.

Dante didn't agree. "I think she sees just fine that you're a shallow son of a bitch."

"Wasa shallow son of a bitch," I corrected him blandly.

The hum of the private jet's engines droned steadily in the background, blending with the sound of ice clinking against the glass as I took a sip of my whiskey. The cabin was dim, the soft glow from the reading lights reflecting off the sleek leather seats and polished wood finishes. Outside, there was nothing but the inky blackness of the night sky and the occasional twinkle of stars as we flew somewhere over the Atlantic. Rome was hours away, and the conversation with Dante had drifted to business, as it usually did—until now.

I leaned back in my seat, glancing at him. "The gallery opening went well."

Dante nodded, his eyes half-closed as he swirled the bourbon in his glass, deep in thought. "Yeah, it was a good start. The right people showed up, and the buzz was there. We'll make somethingbig out of it; I can feel it." He paused, then added, "You were right about your girl. Elika was a hit with the collectors."

"Yeah, I saw that. Jeff Wexler was eating out of the palm of her hand,andShira invited her to a private viewing."

Dante almost choked on his bourbon. "She did what?"

"Yeah. Have you ever been invited?"

"No. And I've fucking begged," Dante admitted.

"Me too. She likes Duncan for some reason."

"That's fucked up," Dante shook his head. "Duncan is an emotionless turd."

"Was," I grinned. "You've seen him with Elsa. She's made a human out of my brother."

"Dean, even four years ago, I could see you liked Elika. Was it as simple as her being a maid that put you off her?" Dante asked somberly.

I closed my eyes. "I…my brothers weren't married then. I saw Mom and Dad, and I guess I wanted what they had. They fight and argue, but they're solid. I wantedthat. I thought that required a marriage between equals. But in the past two years, I've seen Damian and then Duncan marry women who are, on paper, polar opposites of my mother—but they have strength of character. They are loving and caring. Felicity showed me a side of her that didn't exist, and the mask slipped when we were with her family. I should've waited to ask her to marry me, but I think a part of me wanted what my brothers had, and I thought I could have that with Fee."

"And now you think you can have that with Elika?"

I chuckled. "She accused me of jumping from one relationship to another. I'm not doing that. I respect her too much."

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