The Rejected Principessa Returns novel Chapter 60

Chapter 3

I never told her I got married.

Tonight, after work, I rushed straight to the reunion dinner.

The moment I walked into the private dining room, I saw them.

Callum and Eliza, sitting side by side like a portrait of domestic bliss.

All it took was one look from her, and he was already pouring her tea, adjusting her seat, making sure she

had everything she needed.

Someone laughed.

“Well, would you look at that? Callum Wexler, the stone-cold legend, turned out to be a total softie. No

wonder his company’s booming-must be the wife effect! ‘Happy wife, thriving life, right?”

The room filled with good-natured laughter-but Eliza’s smile faltered, and Callum’s jaw tightened as both of

them went still.

In my last life, this was the day I exposed her-told everyone at the table she was the mistress, then slid a check across the table and thanked her for giving my husband a child.

The looks they gave her that day-the judgment, the disgust-were more than she could take, and she bolted

from the room in tears.

Callum only gave me a thin, almost polite smile, but the coldness in his eyes cut sharper than any

accusation.

Yet I still believed exposing her would shock him back to his senses, make him come home to our marriage. I never imagined she would go back, leave a note, and jump from the roof.

After that, every bit of grief he felt for her twisted itself into hatred for me.

He brought home women who resembled her, one after another, letting them move into our house, into our bedroom, letting them sneer at me and humiliate me as they pleased.

Eventually, even our child wasn’t spared.

The memory of what he did to our baby hit me so hard my chest clenched, breath stalling for a moment.

I pushed the ache down and smiled as I slid into the empty seat next to Maggie, my roommate.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Callum’s eyes flicked toward me, ice-cold and sharp.

Maggie didn’t notice. She bumped my shoulder and leaned in.

“Okay, what gives?” she whispered. “Didn’t you swear you’d confess to Callum after graduation? What

Chapter 3

46.15%

856

happened? Chickened out?”

She didn’t wait for an answer.

“Well, tough luck now. He’s got a wife and kid on the way. You must be kicking yourself.”

Am I?

Yeah. I am.

But not for missing my shot.

I regret ever taking it.

I glanced across the table as he peeled shrimp for Eliza, gently placing them on her plate.

“Some people,” I said quietly, “aren’t meant to be part of your story.”

The drinks started flowing, and so did the stories.

Someone slurred, “Callum used to be so sweet on Savannah back in college. Always whispering secrets

behind our backs-I thought for sure they had a thing.”

He shook his head, laughing to himself. “Wild how they ended up marrying other people…”

My heart skipped.

The memories came rushing in.

Callum used to know everything about me. What I liked. What I was allergic to. He could read my silences,

knew when I was upset without a single word.

He’d make me laugh even when I didn’t want to.

He knew how to reach me.

Just like now-he knew exactly what Eliza needed before she said a word.

Callum’s expression darkened. “You’re drunk,” he snapped. “Go splash some water on your face. Don’t talk

nonsense.”

Eliza smiled tightly and looped her arm through his. “It’s okay. He didn’t mean it. Let’s not make a scene.”

“Yeah, Farrow, don’t ruin the vibe,” someone chimed in.

I said nothing, just turned the wedding ring on my finger, feeling its familiar weight before finally slipping it

off.

When someone at the table stood to make a toast and the room’s attention drifted, I reached for Eliza’s hand

beneath the noise and slid the ring onto her finger.

Chapter 3

46.15%

“If we’re playing house,” I said quietly, “you may as well wear the whole costume.”

“It’s a little tight. Have him buy you a new one after the baby comes.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Savannah…what are you doing?”

Before I could answer, Maggie gasped, eyes glued to her phone. “Wait-Savannah, what the hell? You applied

to Global A-”

“Hey!” I cut her off quickly, forcing a smile. “Let’s not talk about that tonight. We’re supposed to be celebrating.”

The words had barely left my mouth when I suddenly felt a heated gaze on me.

I looked up, and there he was-Callum, still holding a glass mid-toast, watching me from across the room without my noticing when he’d turned.

Chapter 3

46.15%