Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 54

She gripped her coffee cup, her red lips pressing into a thin line.

All of her provocations seemed utterly laughable in the face of Audrina's powerful backer.

She was right. What did she have?

All she had was her blind, unrequited love for Zachary.

Watching her choke on her own words, Audrina added, "I've seen plenty of women like you. You might be the first one by Zachary's side, but you definitely aren't the last. Did you know that?"

Audrina tilted her head, pretending to recall something. "Let's not even talk about anyone else. Just look at your own dance troupe. There's a girl there who caught Zachary's eye. Have you taken care of her yet?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Vera's eyes widened.

The hand holding her coffee cup began to tremble slightly.

She remembered the Zachary from their university days, the boy who would wait outside her dance studio for her class to end, the boy who would arrogantly drive his sports car to take her through the tree-lined streets of the campus.

She remembered the first time he held her hand, his palms slick with sweat.

Back then, Zachary only had eyes for her.

But what about later?

Waldo gave the order, forcing him to get engaged to Audrina.

He promised Vera that he would find a way to break off the engagement and begged her to wait.

She had waited three years, only to be met with his growing impatience.

What was Audrina talking about? Cruises? Dance troupes?

When did all of this happen? Why didn't she know? Who else had Zachary taken a liking to?

Vera suddenly realized she didn't seem to know the current Zachary at all.

The awkward, innocent boy from their university days had vanished into the depths of time.

The man standing before her now was the heir to the Sutton Group, Audrina's fiancé.

Vera lifted her cup and took a sip of water, forcing down the rage on her face as she sat up straight again.

She tried desperately to convince herself—and Audrina. "I'm not like them."

"How are you any different?" Audrina asked. "Just because you hold the title of his childhood sweetheart?"

Vera snapped her head up. "How do you know—"

She bit her tongue before she could finish.

Zachary had explicitly stressed that Audrina could never find out about this.

Had he already confessed everything to her? Did she know that Vera wasn't just some random fling, but his former lover with a deep emotional history?

Audrina said breezily, "Alright. Good to know."

Then, completely ignoring the red-eyed, furious Vera, she pulled out her phone and made a call.

"Darling, come pick me up at IFC Plaza. Let's go to the hospital."

"Yeah, I'll send you my location."

Vera sat frozen in her seat.

Why wasn't Audrina throwing a hysterical fit?

Did she really not care at all?

Then why had she offered to pay her to leave Zachary?

Vera suddenly realized what she had just blurted out in a fit of anger.

If Audrina took this straight to Waldo, everything she had done would be ruined.

She couldn't stay here any longer.

She had to move up her timeline. All her plans had to be accelerated. She had to strike first.

Vera grabbed her bag and rushed out of the room.