Page 24 of Vows of Deceit
Chapter Seventeen
Uninvited Memories
It was late when Cassie arrived at the rooftop garden suite of the new hotel wing. The city skyline glittered beyond the glass walls, the lights below like a scattered promise. Grayson stood near the railing, sleeves rolled up, a glass of whiskey in hand.
Cassie stepped in quietly.
“I didn’t mean to intrude.”
He turned, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You never do.”
She walked toward him, arms wrapped lightly around herself. The air was brisk. Or maybe it was just the weight of the night still clinging to her shoulders.
“You look like a man carrying something heavy,” she said.
He offered her his drink. “I was hoping you'd say that.”
Cassie took a sip, then passed it back.
They stood in silence for a beat.
“I heard about the dinner,” he said eventually. “Word travels fast in our circle.”
Cassie gave a soft, dry laugh. “Of course it does.”
“I’d ask how you’re holding up,” Grayson said, “but you’d lie.”
She glanced at him. “Only a little.”
He looked at her for a long moment, then spoke again. “You asked me once why I left.”
Cassie turned fully to him. “You said it was complicated.”
He exhaled slowly. “Her name was Isabelle. We were engaged. It was perfect on paper, she was part of the Collin-Cromwell merger. Everything our families wanted. Only… she didn’t want me. Not really.”
Cassie stayed quiet, letting him speak.
“I found out a week before the wedding that she’d been seeing someone else. Someone close to me.” He paused. “My best friend.”
She winced.
“I didn’t confront her. Not at first. I showed up to the wedding, smiled for the photos. Then, just before she walked down the aisle, I left.”
“You left her at the altar?”
Grayson nodded. “And the company. And the city. And my family.”
“Where did you go?”
“Anywhere that didn’t know my name.” He smiled wryly. “Turns out, betrayal burns cleaner when no one’s watching.”
Cassie stepped closer. “And now?”
“Now I know better. People show you who they are, you just have to stop pretending not to see it.”
Their eyes locked.
“I see you, Cassie. And you don’t need to perform for me.”
