Page 62 of The Wedding Hoax

Because I was already falling for her.

Shit. No wonder I was being so weird about her pulling away from me.

“Simone? Simone?” I knocked on her door, eager to talk to her. I needed to get to the bottom of whatever was happening between us, even if it meant hurting myself in the process.

I just needed to know how Simone felt about me–if she felt anything at all.

There was no response from the other side of the door. I tried the doorknob and was surprised when it opened with zero resistance.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Simone was in the shower.

Great.

I’d just have to keep waiting to have a conversation with her. I moved toward her bed and sat on the edge of it.

I had no intention of leaving her bedroom without getting her to talk to me, to at least admit that she’d been distancing herself these past few days—

Her phone vibrated near my leg on the bed, drawing my eyes. The screen was lighting up with text message after text message.

I didn’t mean to snoop on her, but the messages were coming fast. When I saw Jace’s name, I couldn’t look away.

JACE: can’t stop thinking about u

JACE: we’re so perfect together baby

JACE: can’t wait to have u back in my arms

The last text message contained an internet link. At first glance, it looked like it was a link to a fertility clinic.

I sprang to my feet, my heart thumping so hard I could hear it in my ears.

She’s talking to Jace again?

My vision turned red as my emotions swirled around me. I felt sick to my stomach.

I’d never been more hurt. And I’d never been more pissed off. All at the same time.

“Harry?”

I looked up to see Simone standing in front of me, wrapped up in a towel. “What are you doing here?”

“Is this why you’ve been avoiding me?” I bit out. “Because you’re going back to him?”

“Harry, what are you talking about—”

“I saw the text messages, Simone.” I gestured to the phone on the bed. “Fuck! It all makes sense. No wonder you’ve been so different lately. It’s because you’re fucking cheating on me—”

“Cheating on you?” Simone narrowed her eyes. “Are you accusing me of going back on our agreement? Are you seriously accusing me of being a cheater?”

“I don’t know.” I let out a broken laugh. “I don’t know who you are, Simone. I don’t think I’ve ever known.”

“You know me, Harry—”

“No, I don’t.” I shook my head. “Because the Simone I knew would never go back to Jace. Not after how he treated you.”

“Go back to Jace?” Simone squinted in confusion. “Wait. Did you say that you saw my text messages? Harry, were you going through my phone?”

“I wasn’t going through your phone. The messages just popped up on your screen—”

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