The Bride He Took For Granted novel Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Outside the restaurant, Harold pulled a cigarette from his pocket.

He put it between his lips and reached for a lighter, only to realize he hadn’t brought one. Taking the cigarette from his mouth, he looked down at Elise.

“Upset?”

“No,” Elise said at once.

The answer came too quickly. The look on her face said

otherwise.

After loving Landon for fourteen years, watching him fall for someone else probably felt like losing à part of her life.

“He doesn’t deserve you,” Harold said. “You fell for the wrong man. That’s all.”

Elise was too lost in thought to hear him.

“Sorry, Mr. Nash?”

“Nothing. Let’s go.”

Elise had planned to call a cab.

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Chapter 28

Harold glanced at the purse over her arm and the two takeout bags in her hands.

“I’m headed your way. Get in.”

Elise didn’t refuse. After thanking him, she placed the takeout bags in the trunk.

Then she hesitated beside the car.

Front or back?

If I sit in the back, will he think I’m treating him like a driver?

After a moment, she decided it was safer to ask.

“Mr. Nash, do you mind if I sit in the back?”

Harold turned to her, his expression as stern as ever.

“Sit up front. I’m not your driver.”

Elise fell silent.

Of course.

After the Maybach pulled away, two women emerged from

behind a parked car.

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Chapter 28

They exchanged a look, then headed back to private room V1.

Landon was cutting Joan a slice of cake.

When Joan saw them return, she edged away from him.

Lynn and another classmate leaned in.

“Elise left with Harold,” Lynn whispered. “We couldn’t get her

alone.”

“She got lucky this time,” the other woman said. “Next time we catch her alone, we’ll make her pay for what she did to you.”

Joan squeezed their hands, looking touched. “Thank you. But don’t do anything stupid. I’ll handle Elise myself.”

Lynn waved her off. “Please. What are friends for?”

The other woman grinned. “Exactly. Just remember us when you’re Mrs. Carter.”

Joan glanced at Landon, a dark glint in her eyes.

“I’m working on it.”

Earlier, Joan’s phone had rung. As she opened the private room door to step outside and take the call, she spotted Elise and

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Chapter 28

Harold having dinner in the main dining area.

They were polite but distant. There was nothing intimate between them.

So she said nothing to Landon.

Instead, she told Lynn to leave the door wide open and get everyone chanting until Landon kissed her where Elise could

see.

If it upset Elise, even better.

The party was still in full swing.

Lynn started another chant, this time urging Landon to feed Joan a bite of cake.

Landon played along with an easy smile.

Then the others began egging them on to link arms and take a drink together.

Landon went along with that too, but his patience was wearing thin.

The excitement he’d felt over Joan’s success faded as the celebration turned into one performance after another.

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Chapter 28

“One more drink, then I need to get back to work—”

Before Landon could finish, Joan’s phone rang on the sofa.

An unbearably sweet love duet filled the ro

room.

The phone was right beside Landon. He glanced at the screen without thinking.

Joan practically lunged across him, snatched up the phone, and declined the call.

Panic flashed across her face. She avoided Landon’s eyes.

“Spam call,” she blurted. “So annoying.”

Once she had herself under control, Joan finally met Landon’s

eyes.

He didn’t seem suspicious. If anything, he was more curious about the ringtone.

“When did you change it?”

“Just now.” Joan didn’t even blink. “I wanted you to be the first person to hear it, but that stupid spam call beat you to it.”

She pouted as if she’d been cheated out of something.

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