The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 346

Liora’s POV

I just barely made it into the parking space before the car let out one final groan, then sputtered to a stop, rocking back and forth on the wheels.

“Sorry about that, girl,” I said, patting the steering wheel. “That was a lot more driving in one day than I anticipated.”

Shirley almost seemed to respond with an exhale that smelled like exhaust and oil.

I sighed, passing my hands over my face, and didn’t get out right away. The list my father gave me was still sitting on the passenger seat, glaring up at me, almost seeming to mock me.

The list wasn’t the problem, though. It was the fact that my father had not only suggested that I marry fucking Ambrose, of all the people in the world, but had also taken the advice from a woman he barely knew.

I grabbed the list and climbed out of the car, deciding not to dwell on it. I was too exhausted from driving all day, and I had to be up early. The inevitable existential doom could wait until the morning.

I made it all of three steps before I heard a familiar voice muttering my name.

“Liora. Liooora.”

Arching a brow, I turned to see Callum walking toward me from across the parking lot. The first thing I noticed was that he was drunk—very much so, if the sway in his stride was any indication, not to mention the nearly-empty bottle hanging from his fingertips.

Weird.

He was smiling, too. Which was also weird, because Callum rarely smiled. Just as rarely as he got drunk, actually.

I turned fully, watching him stagger over to me. His eyes darted down to the list.

“What’s that?” he asked, reaching for it.

“Nothing.” I snatched the paper out of his way and stuffed it into my pocket before he could see it. “Are you drunk?”

He held up his thumb and forefinger, pinching them close together. “Perhaps a wee bit.”

“Oh my gods.” I placed my hand on my hip, not sure if I should be amused or… I didn’t know what else to feel, actually. “You are drunk.”

“So? You gonna call the cops or something?” When I didn’t answer, he took another swig from his bottle, then held it out to me.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “Just one of those nights then, huh?”

He hiccuped. “Something like that.” He sighed, picking at the label on his bottle, then said suddenly, “Bianca and I broke up. Or rather, I broke up with her. She was not happy about it. Neither are my parents.”

My heart did a stupid flip at the news, although I quickly shoved it down.

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”

Callum shot me a look. “Are you really?”

“I mean—”

“They only wanted me to marry her for her dowry. Can you believe that?” He took another swig of his drink. “So they could pay off their debts to a loan shark. Fucking… hiccup… Unbelievable.”

I stared at Callum, not sure what to say to that. His parents, who stupidly thought Bianca was the princess, wanted a dowry to pay off their debts. A dowry that never existed, and even if it did, they certainly wouldn’t get it now.