Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 22

Zachary swallowed the words he was about to say and forced a dry laugh. "Forget it, it's a long story. Next time. We'll talk about it next time when it's just the two of us."

Sebastian nodded and didn't press the issue. He looked down to take a sip of his wine, the glass perfectly concealing the slight curve of his lips.

Waldo Sutton? So that was the core reason Zachary didn't dare casually break off the engagement.

But why? It was just an engagement. In the world of arranged marriages, it was incredibly common for both parties to back out at the very last second.

This dinner had turned out to be quite interesting; it certainly wasn't a total waste of time.

Sebastian finished the last drop in his glass, set it down, and stood up. "It's getting late. I should get going. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Zachary stood to see him out, and Vera rose as well, giving him a proper, polite nod. "Have a good night, Mr. Hawthorne."

After Sebastian left, Vera remained silent. She sat back down in her chair, her shoulders trembling faintly.

"Vera..."

She looked up, trying her best to keep her voice steady. "If she wanted to secure an exclusive interview with Sebastian Hawthorne, why did she need you to make the call? It's her job. Couldn't she handle it professionally? Why did you have to help her?"

Zachary froze.

Why did he help her? Because that night, he had wanted...

Vera's voice cracked, tears in her eyes as she looked up at him. "When exactly are you going to break up with her?!"

Seeing her tears fall, Zachary pulled her into his arms. "Just wait a little longer."

Vera's eyes were red, the corners damp with tears.

It was always wait, wait, and wait a little longer. She had been with Zachary since she was eighteen. It had been seven whole years! How much longer was she supposed to wait?!

Vera pushed herself out of his embrace and pulled a tissue from the box. She wiped her tears, only for fresh ones to spill over.

Zachary didn't know how to comfort her.

Since she was being so well-behaved, giving her a little sugar and coaxing her should be enough. Setting up an interview for her wasn't a big deal.

Zachary looked down at Vera in his arms. She had been with him for far too long. In bed, it was the same few tricks over and over again. It had lost its thrill a long time ago.

He couldn't deny it—he wanted a taste of something new.

Since Audrina had returned to the country, he hadn't touched her.

She used to be incredibly inexperienced, always too reserved in bed, which made him lose interest quickly.

But now, he wanted to give it a try...

Vera spoke between sniffles, "Do you not love me anymore? Did you stop loving me back then, and that's why you agreed to marry her?"

"How could that be?" Zachary could only coax her. "Stop crying. I promise, it really will be soon."