She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 914

Everett wasn't delusional. He knew Melanie was out of his league.

But deep down in the quietest, most desperate part of his soul, he had clung to a sliver of hope.

What if...

What if, just once, she actually saw him?

And now...

She was literally shoving him into the arms of her best friend.

His fists tightened under the table until his knuckles ached.

He was consumed by a suffocating wave of regret.

If only he hadn't gotten blindingly drunk that night. If only he hadn't slept with Daphne. Then Melanie wouldn't be orchestrating this nightmare.

"...Everett... Everett?"

He snapped back to reality to find Daphne waving a hand in front of his face.

"Are you okay? You look terrible. Are you allergic to something?"

Everett saw the sheer sincerity in her gaze and felt a sharp pang of guilt. He quickly looked down.

"No... I'm fine. Just not used to this kind of food," he lied clumsily.

He expected her to see right through the pathetic excuse.

Instead, Daphne immediately flagged down a waiter to ask for the check.

"I'm sorry, miss, but this table has already been paid for," the waiter informed her.

Daphne blinked, realizing Melanie must have footed the bill before vanishing.

"Oh. Then just pack up the rest of this, please. No sense in wasting good food!"

The staff quickly boxed up the leftovers.

Everett sat there in stunned silence, completely lost.

Was the dinner just... over?

"Let's go," Daphne said brightly, a takeout bag swinging from one hand as she gestured for him to follow with the other.

Melanie stopped dead in her tracks.

"...Feelings take time to grow. And Daphne really likes him."

"So you purposely led him on just to shatter his expectations and make him hate you?"

Melanie turned to face him, the air between them suddenly heavy.

Yes. That was exactly what she had done.

She had deliberately left him in the dark about the double date.

Knowing full well that his soaring hopes would make the crash that much more brutal.

She wanted him angry. She wanted him furious with her.

It was the only way he would finally see her for the manipulative woman she was and let go of his hopeless infatuation.

Staring into Preston's predatory, endlessly dark eyes, Melanie felt that unnerving sensation she always got around him—the feeling that he could see straight through her armor and read every secret she had.

"What? Are you suddenly feeling sorry for him? Do you think I'm the villain here?"