Love After Leaving: No Regret (Agnes and Raymond) novel Chapter 57

Love After Leaving: No Regret

Chapter 57 The Uninvited Guest

“Mr. Ruell. Small world.”

Neal said, “I’m here for a university reunion tonight. You’re here for dinner?”

Agnes replied, “I was going to eat with Rebecca, but she ran into a classmate and ditched me. I was just heading home when I ran into you.”

Neal said, “If you don’t mind, would you like to have dinner together?”

Agnes said, “Don’t you have your reunion?”

Neal replied, “It’s just a reunion. Whether I show up or not doesn’t matter–no one’s going to miss me with that many people around.”

Agnes felt it wasn’t quite right. “I’d feel bad pulling you away from that. We can always do dinner another time.”

Neal assured her, “It’s really fine. I only noticed you hadn’t eaten and thought we could grab something.”

Agnes stammered, “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just—‘

“Agnes! What are you doing here?”

A low, sharp male voice sliced into their conversation.

??

Neal didn’t turn around—as if he’d already known who was coming. His eyes stayed on Agnes.

Agnes looked past him. Raymond was standing behind Neal.

His face was dark with fury, his eyes locked onto Agnes.

Behind him stood Hillary.

Agnes’s mood curdled. These two were like boogers she couldn’t flick off.

She snapped back, “What, am I not allowed here? Did you reserve the whole restaurant tonight?”

Raymond saw Agnes with Neal and immediately assumed they’d come together.

Since this was a university reunion, was Agnes here as Neal’s date?

Barely containing his fury, he asked, “Why are you with Neal?”

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Chapter 57 The Uninvited Guest

Agnes didn’t back down an inch. “Why are you with Hillary?”

Raymond said, “Tonight is the St. Austen University alumni reunion. It’s not just Hillary and me -everyone’s here.”

He cut his eyes toward Neal behind Agnes.

“Or did Neal not mention that when he invited you?”

Agnes hadn’t known–all three of them had gone to the same university.

Her face paled slightly. The queasy feeling churned in her stomach again.

“Not everyone is like you. I ran into Mr. Ruell by accident. We were just saying hello.

“Since this is your reunion, I won’t intrude. Have a good night.”

She turned to Neal. “Mr. Ruell, thank you. I should get going. Let’s do dinner another time.”

Another time. The words hit Raymond like a lit match to gasoline. He wanted to drag this woman home and make her pay.

He grabbed Agnes’s arm before she could leave, pulled her against him in full view of Neal. “Who said you could leave? It’s a reunion–everyone brought their partners. You’re with me.” Agnes tried to wrench free. His arm around her waist only tightened.

Raymond leaned into her ear, voice low. “Make a scene, and I’ll tear this place apart. Come inside. Now.”

Agnes glared at him. When this man lost it, he really would demolish the restaurant–and he’d go after Neal, too.

She didn’t want collateral damage. She caved.

Neal watched her every reaction. If she’d said one word of refusal–just one–he’d have gone to war with Raymond on the spot.

But she didn’t. She gave in. A quiet sense of defeat settled over him.

Hillary, standing behind them, cycled through every shade of green, black, and white. Her fists were clenched so tight her knuckles hurt. Damn that woman.

She always found a way to wedge herself between her and Raymond. Tonight was supposed to

-a chance to relive campus romance. be their reunion

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18:15 wed, Jun 17

Chapter 57 The Uninvited Guest

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