The Wrong Brother's Temptation novel Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Amber

“It’s… different but beautiful, yeah” I said carefully.

“Different good or different bad?” She walked closer, her heels clicking on the marble floor.

“It’s….nice.”

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“Well, I think it’s perfect.” She linked her arm through Aaron’s, leaning into him. “Don’t you think so, baby?”

Aaron looked around, his expression somewhere between impressed and overwhelmed.

“You did all this?” he asked, sounding amazed.

Every year I would spend hours decorating each corner, adjusting every little flower and ribbon so that Aaron’s mom would get those dreamy pictures that she would frame in her album later.

After the first time, Aaron had really stopped praising me. In fact, a couple of times he forgot the date altogether because he would be busy doing something else.

And now, he was praising Sandra like she had gone to harvest the flowers personally.

“Of course.” Sandra beamed up at him. “I wanted to make sure your parents‘ anniversary was absolutely perfect. Something they’d never forget.”

“How did you manage all of this in such a short time? You must be so tired” He asked, genuinely curious and she batted her eyelashes at him.

“Yeah, I do feel a little tired. It was such a short notice so I did what I could”

Aaron patted her back like she’d run a marathon.

“I’m proud of you, sweetheart” He said and leaned in for a kiss.

I looked away but couldn’t stomp the jealousy rising inside of me.

“Yeah Sandra, how did you even manage it all so quickly?”

She jutted her chin up, laying a hand on Aaron possessively as she replied,

“I booked the top event management firm in the city and they sent their entire team over. It was a rush job, but obviously worth it.”

“The top event management firm?” I repeated. “But they would have charged extra for a last–minute request. And these flowers…” I gestured to the elaborate roses and orchids. “Are they Juliet roses and ghost orchids?”

“Ghost what?” She stared at me and 1 almost lost it.

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15:11 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 32

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She had ordered the most expensive flowers and didn’t even know their names. Had she even cared to ask about the price at all?

“These flowers are pretty expensive, Sandra”

“So?” Sandra’s smile turned sharp and her tone defensive. “The Ashfords can afford it.”

“That’s not the point. Aaron’s parents usually like small, sweet stuff, not grand gestures.”

“She keeps criticizing everything I do!” Sandra whirled on Aaron, her voice taking on that wounded quality again. “I work so hard to make this perfect, and all she does is find problems! It’s like she doesn’t want me to be part of this family!”

She then turned to look at me. “What have I ever done to you to make you hate me so much? I am never bad to you, hell I barely even talked to you and all you do is judge me.”

“No, Sandra. That’s not what I’m trying to do”

“You almost raised your hand on me, you slapped Aaron yet I am trying to be nice and all you do is poke me to get a reaction and see me suffer.”

“Woah, what are you even rambling about?” I asked but it was Aaron who replied instead.

“Sia.” Aaron’s voice was gentle but firm. “Why don’t you go upstairs and get ready? The guests will be arriving soon, and you’re still in jeans.”

I stared at him.

“Are you serious right now?”

“Please, Sia. Just… not tonight. Okay?”

“Fine,” I bit out.

I turned on my heel and stalked toward the stairs, throwing my bag over my shoulder and with my hands clenched into fists at my sides.

I could feel Sandra’s triumphant gaze boring into my back.

I climbed the stairs two at a time, my anger propelling me forward.

When I reached the second floor, I grabbed the handle of the first door I saw and yanked it open, slamming it shut behind me with more force than necessary.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered, leaning against the door. “Absolutely unbelievable. That manipulative, lying, fake- crying bitch!”

I kicked at the can of coke lying near me and it rolled over the floor to stop near a pair of shoes facing the other side.

I slowly looked up and froze.

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1511 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 32

This wasn’t one of the guest rooms.

I had been in this room before.

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Of all the goddamn places I could have walked in, it had to be his room.

1 slapped my hands on the side of my thighs, cursing my rotten luck.

And standing in the middle of it all in front of the mirror with his back to me, in the process of buttoning a crisp white dress shirt, was Connor.

His hands stilled on the buttons as he looked up and our eyes met through the mirror.

For a second, neither of us moved.

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