Page 118 of Until He Confesses

57

LUCAS

There were multiple reasons not to attend this trip and not a single one justified me accepting Matthew's invitation to come to Geneva. Still, here I was, seated on my jet and staring out of the window, wondering why the fuck I hadn't been able to say no. It was a definite refusal the moment he had asked, especially since I hadn't spoken to him in so many years and definitely because of her. Sighing, I looked away and pulled out my phone. I had thought of hiring her crew for this flight, but when Dahlia had mentioned, even without me asking, that she had taken a long leave of absence, I couldn't help but wonder why.

Apparently, she had been off work for a few weeks on the grounds of medical issues, and it worried me. Even though things had ended so badly between us, I couldn't quite shake the feeling that after I left, there was something off. She said she had found someone else, but was that really the case? And why and when would she have had the time to find someone else when she had agreed for our faces to be plastered across magazines during Fashion Week in Paris?

At the time, I had been so clouded and hurt by her that I hadn't thought things through for even a second. And then the words I had left her with. I didn't regret them because they were what I wished I had said to her the first time around. I recall the panic I had felt and the anger so like years earlier when she had pushed me away so easily.

I couldn't understand it, and if I had tried a bit further to explain to her and shown all the needed proof, things would have been resolved. But as I started speaking and at her initial response, I realized that no matter what happened, she would find a reason not to believe me, and the fact that I was so untrustworthy to her hurt more than anything else.

Never even once had she given me the benefit of the doubt, and I didn't understand how I could even want someone like that. How I could allow her to affect me so much. Currently, I still felt the exact same way, but apparently, it wasn't enough to stop me from going over. I had to stop by Italy anyway for three days, so I consoled myself that it wasn't too out of my way. Matthew had invited me to stay at the Chateau de Menthes castle, where the wedding was to be taking place. He said there were rooms prepared for close families and friends, and I knew that she was among those.

I refused. The Four Seasons was the second option and wasn't far away, so it was an acceptable option.

After checking into my room and taking a quick shower, I checked the itinerary that had been sent to me and donned a casual suit for the cocktail party they were having before the rehearsal dinner. It was to be held on the castle's terrace, which gave stunning views of the Swiss Alps and Lake Geneva. I hadn't been to the country before, but I was looking forward to it. I arrived a little later than requested. The sun had long set, and only a few glimpses of the gorgeous sunset could be seen. The door was pulled open for me as I got out, and above, I could hear the excited chatter and see all the people around dressed in evening gowns and suits. It was just before the rehearsal dinner was to start, but I wasn't particularly keen on attending it fully. So, I instantly went in search of Matthew, accepted a flute of champagne on the way, and paid my greetings. His eyes got wide the moment he saw me, and his fiancée, Debbie exclaimed in surprise.

“Oh my God, you're actually here," her slight shout turned heads toward us, and she quickly covered her mouth and apologized.

“I'm so sorry," she said. “We just didn't think you'd have the time to make it.”

Matthew smiled at me and pulled me into a hug.

“Not cool that we lost touch," he said, and I nodded in agreement. But as the years had gone on, it had become very apparent that we had grown into different people, and our close friendship couldn't be sustained.

“Thank you for coming, man," he said and immediately offered me some hors d'oeuvres.

The last thing I wanted was to eat, but before I had the choice to find a way to leave, more men gathered around us, and the conversations became anything but the wedding. It was all business, the word seemingly going out that I had arrived, and before long, I was the center of attention. I understood what was happening, but I hadn't expected it to be so. Regardless, it kept me occupied and kept me staying longer, so I settled into the conversations and tried my best to enjoy the time.

58

CALLIE

“Uh-oh, they're crowding in on him," Anna said, but nothing was going to make me turn around to look in his direction. Sure, I had expected that he would be here, and the buzz had been all over the place, but seeing him still had been quite a shock. For a moment there, I was sure I felt my baby kick in my stomach, and it just made me even sadder.

“Let's go out to the terrace," Anna said, and I looked up from the glass of cranberry juice I was drinking.

“What about Mom?" I asked and started to look around but caught myself just as I almost met his gaze. When I returned to her, it was to see the amusement on her face. "Geesh, you're haunted."

“Not funny," I said and started to head out to the terrace.

“There's a buzz about you two," she said, and I shut my eyes just as we arrived.

“Thanks for reminding me."

“I'm still surprised no one has asked you yet if he’d be here. Maybe it's because neither of you confirmed any official relationship."

“No, it's because Matthew invited the decent part of high school. None of those idiots are here to be inappropriately nosy."

“True," she said and drank from her flute of champagne.

She watched me, but I remained silent, looking out at the gorgeous castle grounds and the now-darkened sky.

“So..." Anna said as she turned and joined me in watching the scenery. "I did something. I know you're going to be mad at me, but I couldn't not do something. It could be harmful.”

At her words, my heart instantly sank. Shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath, and then released it before I asked, "If he's here because of anything you did, I will throw you from this terrace."

She laughed, but I was truly too threatened to find any reason for this to be funny.

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