Next Man Better Plan novel Chapter 6

Chapter 6

If he found out early, it would only complicate matters.

Todd agreed. “I understand, Miss Jackson.”

There was an auction in Veridian in the next couple of days.

Stephanie received an invitation and decided to go to clear her head and lift her spirits.

The auction was held in a high–end hotel.

As soon as Stephanie entered, she spotted Victoria not far away.

She was wearing a pale yellow, mermaid–style gown with a long train. The cinched waistline accentuated her exquisite figure.

Standing beside her was Quennel, dressed in a sharp suit.

Victoria had one hand linked through Quennel’s arm and was leaning in, seemingly whispering something in his ear.

Even though it was a public place, they were whispering intimately without a care for who might see.

Stephanie overheard someone ask, “Mr. Gonzalez, this must be your girlfriend. She’s beautiful.”

Victoria blushed deeply and glanced shyly at Quennel.

“I hear Mr. Gonzalez treats his girlfriend extremely well. Bringing Ms. Jackson to the auction today, are wedding bells in the near future? Here to buy jewelry for the dowry?”

The person had mistaken Victoria for Stephanie, but Quennel didn’t bother to correct

them.

Stephanie walked past them with a blank expression.

Perhaps her presence was too striking. Quennel seemed to sense something and turned his head. The moment he saw Stephanie, he was visibly stunned.

In the next second, he left Victoria’s side and walked towards her. “Stephanie, what are you doing here?”

In the past, their fights had been minor squabbles, usually resolved within a few hours.

But this time, the conflict had dragged on for far too long, longer than Quennel had expected.

He knew he should be in the doghouse for missing her birthday, and he had cooled down

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Chapter 6

over the past few days.

She was young, after all. He was willing to give in a little and coax her.

Their eyes met, and Stephanie looked straight at him. “What, is the honeymoon over already?”

Quennel’s expression shifted. “What are you talking about? What honeymoon?”

Stephanie frowned. “Why are you playing dumb? Is it fun?”

Quennel looked surprised. “You think I spent the last few days on a honeymoon with Victoria? You’ve misunderstood. I went to the Maldives to get you…”

Before he could finish, Stephanie walked around him and took her seat.

She clearly had no interest in hearing him out. You came to an auction with Victoria. What’s left to explain?”

Seeing this, Quennel grabbed her by the wrist.

“Victoria has a friend here. I just gave her a ride. It’s not what you think.”

“Stephanie, don’t be mad at me. Yves Jones is hosting a gathering tonight. Come with

me.”

Stephanie wasn’t ready to have a full–blown confrontation with him here, not when she still hadn’t found a buyer for the company.

Her tone was a little flat. “Oh. But I don’t want to go.”

Quennel took a small box from his pocket. “We didn’t have a wedding, but you should still have a ring. I went abroad specifically to buy this for you.”

Stephanie glanced at it briefly.

It was a diamond ring the size of a pigeon’s egg, a limited edition with only one in the world.

Coincidentally, it was the same one Victoria had been wearing just a few days ago.

Stephanie closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to control her emotions.

She accepted the ring.

Quennel breathed a sigh of relief.

Her accepting his gift meant that this argument was over.

It was a rule they had established back when they were dating.

But before he could fully relax, the expression on Quennel’s face froze.

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