Page 61 of Bittersweet Legacy

I detailed him with incredulity. “How?”

“Close my eyes and think of Channing Tatum?” he suggested in an attempt to lighten the mood.

I chuckled. “I’m more of a Ryan Reynolds kind of girl.”

He rubbed his chin in a thoughtful gesture. “Yeah, that works too.”

We were both laughing when Caleb joined us, his lips thin with disapproval, his back straight, muscles tensed.

“I’m sorry for interrupting the cutest moment in history,” he scowled, before throwing such a mean look at Antoine I half-expected him to drop dead on the floor.

“Oh no, it’s alright.” Antoine winked at me. “Esmeralda and I can finish this later,” he added seductively.

I knew he did it to annoy Caleb, and it worked so perfectly I looked down at my shoes to hide my smile.

“You’ll see my fist in your face before that day comes, St Vincent.”

I rolled my eyes. “What do you need, Caleb?”

He pursed his lips so hard they became a thin white line on his face.

“Except you by my side at our own engagement party?” he asked snidely.

“Except that,” I confirmed.

His nostrils flared,Don’t push it, Esmeralda.I could almost hear him in my head. “Theo’s leaving, he wanted to say goodbye to Meme.”

“Oh!” My face lit up at the mention of Theo. “Of course! Let’s go.”

“You know, one would expect someone’s face to brighten like that for their fiancé, not his brother.”

“Even when the fiancé dislikes the fiancée, but the brother adores her?”

Caleb threw me an irritated side glance but didn’t add anything as he led me outside to where Mike and Theo were waiting beside the car.

Caleb stayed behind as I hugged Theo and promised to meet him as usual on Wednesday to play Avengers vs Justice League.

I turned around after saying goodbye and was surprised to find Caleb leaning against a tree, his hands buried in his pants pockets, the epitome of cool.

“Can I help you with something?” I asked with as much cordiality as I could muster. I walked toward him but kept a safe distance, not that I feared he would hurt me – at least not physically and certainly not in public.

“I owe you an engagement present.”

But you already gave me so muchI wanted to sneer. “No, you really don’t.” I crossed my arms on my chest, feeling the weight of that stupid engagement ring on my finger. It was not the weight of the ridiculously big diamond that pulled me down, but the weight of this prison it represented.

Caleb’s eyes slid to my ring as if he knew where my thoughts were. He left his spot against the tree and closed the distance between us, keeping his hands in his pockets.

“I insist – anything you want.”

What I wanted was my freedom, something I doubted even he could provide me.

“Well in the limits of reality,” he added quickly. “Freedom is something that neither of us can get.” His tone was harsh. I wasn’t sure if it was because he couldn’t escape this or because his ego was wounded at my desire to break this ‘great match’.

“I want a normal day.”

He frowned. “A day?”

I nodded as a plan formed in my mind. A plan he was most likely going to shut down, but I had to try anyway.

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