Page 25 of Avenging Azalea

Shaking it off, I smoothed my outfit and made sure the tie on the silky robe was secure.

Just as I opened the door, my phone buzzed. I was going to ignore it, but it buzzed again and again like it was angry, and then it rang. What the heck? Steph’s name flashed on the screen. She knew what I was planning tonight, so it had to be important. I quickly answered.

“Oh my god, Steph, are you okay?”

“Hey, have you been on your phone at all?”

“No, I left it in my room. I didn’t want anything distracting me tonight. Why?”

“Shit….”

“What?”

“Have you tried seducing him yet?”

I closed my door. “No, I was just about to head down when you called.”

“Okay, good.” I looked at my phone, not believing my ears. “Whatever you do, don’t do it.”

“Don’t? But…you were practically stripping me naked and throwing me at him yesterday. What happened?”

“I don’t know how to say this.”

“Steph, you’re freaking me out.”

“He’s engaged.”

The world fell out from under my feet, and I stopped breathing. I heard her wrong.

“What did you say?”

“I’m sending you the article.”

My phone dinged, and I opened the attachment. It was a picture of Titus and a stunning woman I’d never seen before. I took a deep breath and read the announcement.

Titus Mikhailov and Vera Vilanova Engaged

The business and fashion worlds are abuzz as this dynamic duo announces their engagement. How they have managed to keep it under wraps is as surprising as the pairing itself, but there is no doubt that the merger will produce great things.

There was more to the article including a picture of each of them, but I couldn’t keep going.

“Are you okay, Fawn? I’m so sorry. I wish I knew what to say. Do you want me to come over,” Steph asked, and I shook my head even though she couldn’t see me.

“No…I just need to be alone right now.”

“Fawn…please….”

The tears began to fall as I hung up, and the sobbing was ripped from my throat in a gasp. I couldn’t see as I stumbled across my room to the bathroom and locked the door. I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. Of course, Titus would marry someone like her.

My reflection in the mirror made me want to rip the sexy outfit off my body and burn it. This was so embarrassing. What was I thinking? My stomach flipped, and I felt ill. That was why he was acting so strange and why he said he wanted to talk. He was going to tell me his wonderful engagement news, and here I was, ready to prance into the room wearing lingerie.

How oblivious am I?

Gripping my stomach, I collapsed beside the toilet and cried so hard that I choked on my sobs. I’d gotten used to pain years ago and thought I could handle anything, but nothing could’ve saved me from this feeling. Even being the biggest skeptic of them all didn’t prepare me. With each beat, my heart was crushed a little more.

I’m such an idiot.

TITUS