Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
That shut her up and she stared at him with wide eyes, not sure why he’d said that. Or if it were true. Was Gramps disappointed in her? She’d always been certain of the fact that her grandfather wanted her to be happy and wanted her to chase her dreams. She’d assumed he was proud of her for building a lucrative business doing what she loved. He’d always encouraged her, wanted to know what she was working on, and beamed proudly when she showed him her portfolio.
But was Ben right? Had she broken Gramps’s heart by never showing the slightest interest in his business? He’d seemed happy to take Ben under his wing, delighted to have someone he loved and trusted to take over from him eventually. But had that been his dream for Lilah that he’d transferred to Ben due to her lack of interest?
“I-I...” Words failed her as the possibility of having disappointed her grandfather—whom she adored—hit her like a ton of bricks.
“Lilah, I shouldn’t have said that,” Ben said, his accent thickening.
“Is it true?”
“Cyrus loves you deeply…” Not an answer.
“But I can’t remember the last time I saw him as happy as he was today.”
He said nothing in response to that and she sucked her top lip between her teeth to nibble on the center of it pensively.
“Please, just leave me alone, Ben.” Weariness lent weight to her words.
“Would you like me to order some room service? You scarcely touched your dinner.”
It surprised her that he’d noticed that. It was true, she’d taken only a few disinterested bites of the wedding dinner she’d selected so carefully just a couple of months ago. And she’d barely tasted any of it.
But the mere thought of eating right now nauseated her.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You should eat, you’ll make yourself ill. It’s been a long, exhausting day.”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t think—”
“Look, just trust me to know my own mind and body. I cannot eat a thing right now. I’ll probably throw up all over this pretty cottage if I did. So just back off, okay? I know you believe that you’ve signed up to be my minder or something, but I can take care of myself. No matter what you and Gramps may think of me.”
“I’ll be just out there if you need me.”
“I won’t need you,” she bit off impatiently, keen for him to just leave.
His luscious lips thinned and she saw the muscles bunch along his jaw as it tightened.
“Right.”
He didn’t linger a second longer, exiting the bathroom abruptly.
Grateful that he’d finally left, Lilah loosened her arms around the bodice of her dress and allowed it to fall and pool around her feet in a froth of icy white fabric. She stepped over the marshmallowy skirt and kicked it carelessly aside. She would have to place it into a garment bag later. She’d arranged for the hotel to courier the dress and Ben’s suit to his apartment tomorrow after they checked out. But right now, she wasn’t overly concerned about that. Instead she rushed to the door to click the lock in place.
She sagged against the wood once she knew it was securely locked and allowed herself to finally give in to her all-consuming rage and heartbreak.
NINE
Honeymoons Are For Lovers
“I told you I wasn’t hungry,” Lilah muttered when she emerged from the bathroom forty-five minutes later to find a veritable feast set up on the round table.
She was snugly swathed in one of the fluffy, white hotel robes—having forgotten to take a change of clothing into the bathroom with her—with her wet hair wrapped in a towel.
She glared at the food resentfully, hating that Ben had simply gone ahead and done what he thought was best for her.
As usual.
“You should eat.”
“Go to hell, Ben.”
“What is your problem? I’m trying to make the best of this fucked up situation right now.”
“I don’t know, maybe I’m just resentful my grandfather and my so-called husband both seem to think I’m a child who needs taking care of. And now you expect me to remain trapped in this ridiculous, loveless marriage permanently?”
“How about you take ownership of some of your own decisions, Lilah? That would be the adult thing to do, right? You didn’t find the idea of marrying me so ridiculous this morning. You trotted down that aisle eagerly enough. Full of promises of love and happily ever afters. And now you’re trying to tell me that it was all a lie? Either you were lying then or you’re lying now, so you have some fucking nerve to bleat on to me about dishonesty.
“I didn’t make one vow I could call a lie today, Lilah. Every word I uttered was the God’s honest truth. Can you say the same?”
Of course she could and he knew it… but she would never ever speak words of love or affection to him again. Not after seeing his reaction to the very vows he now wanted her to uphold. No matter where they went from here, or what he said and did, Lilah would never forget the grim parade of expressions that had flashed across Ben’s usually unreadable face that morning. That quick succession of horror, disgust, and panic. It was seared into her brain and she saw it every time she closed her eyes.