Page 19 of Bittersweet Revenge

Taylor turned around to follow my eyes and Antoine smiled brightly. Seriously how could a man be that pretty?

“Ah, ma Belle! I missed you,” he beamed.

I was about to tell him off, ask him to tone down on the flirting. I didn’t need to anger Caleb any more than he already was.

But before I even had a chance to say anything, Antoine wrapped a possessive arm around Taylor’s waist, pulled her against him, and placed a tender kiss on her button nose.

She smiled back at him, her cheeks tinted pink.

My mouth hung open with surprise.

“Ah, I guess she didn’t tell you either,” Archie stated, his lips pursed tight, a deep scowl of disapproval on his face.

I brought my hand up, smoothing the deep line between his eyebrows. I understood now why his tone had been cold and dismissive when I’d mentioned Taylor. This was a story worth listening to for sure!

“Maybe we should take this somewhere else,” Antoine suggested, already pulling Taylor into an empty classroom.

I threw Taylor a cautious look. I didn't know Antoine well, and even though I knew his secret, I couldn’t count on his loyalty.

Archie looked around before closing the classroom door. Leaning his back against it, he crossed his arms on his chest in a wannabe cool, devil-may-care position, but the furrow of his brow and the thickness of his jaw were clear indicators of how much he hated seeing them together.

“He knows everything,” Taylor started as soon as I turned toward her again. “Well most of it. I had no choice, Esme. You’ve–”

I raised my hand to stop her. “I trust your judgment, Tay. If you told Antoine, you had your reasons, and he won’t say anything, will he?”

Antoine flashed me his usual flirty smile. “You know it, sweetheart.”

Taylor rolled her eyes. “We’ve discussed this. Please don’t lay the flirting on so thick.”

Antoine had the decency to look sheepish. “It’s hard to switch off.” He leaned in and gave Taylor a kiss on the forehead, and it was genuine affection, plain as day. I could see it was clear for Archie too from the taut lines on his face. Seeing Taylor and Antoine together hurt him and I hated that, but I knew she had her reasons and she would tell me soon.

“Antoine caught a conversation between his father and yours a few weeks ago. Your father believed I helped you escape and wanted Antoine’s father to give him the tech to listen to any phone conversations happening within my house, the phone being registered or not.”

“We can do that?” I asked in awe. Technology was both helpful and terrifying.

Antoine nodded. “There is so much more than what you think. Not all is known to the public, but my father is working with your country's military and…” He winced.

I didn’t need him to continue to know it wasn’t pretty.

“Your father's com company depends a lot on mine,” Antoine continued. “My father is at the top of technology and your father keeps a lot of his market share by selling phones built with our tech.”

“This is why you said you and I were supposed to be matched.” I remembered his words from the introduction party.

“Oh, I see, you tried to get Esmeralda and because you didn’t, you settled for Taylor?” Archie snorted. “You deserve better than to be the second choice, Oppenheimer.”

She glared at Archie, but I could see the pain under the anger. He’d hurt her badly and I knew neither of them would open up to me about it. Her because the recollection would cause her obvious pain and him because of his shame at whatever had happened. “Yes, I deserve a lot, Archibald, a lot more than some people gave me. This is why I cut loose ends.”

“Anyway,” I cut in. I needed to redirect the conversation before we had a full-blown drama in an empty classroom. The four of us in a room were bound to be suspicious and I wasn’t sure how long we had before Caleb found us. I also couldn't help but feel guilty for plotting behind his back, engaging his friends in it. He was bound to be beyond furious when - if, he ever found out.

I explained everything to them by giving the quickest summary in history - the journal, the note, the reason behind my return, and my desire for justice.

Archie sighed, leaving his position. “I will give Antoine the list of people so he can look into their backgrounds.”

“You can do that?”

Antoine smirked. “With my dad’s system? There isn’t much I can’t do.”

I nodded. “Impressive.”

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