Too Pretty to Be Your Backup novel Chapter 90

He didn’t bother sugarcoating it. “Leila was kidnapped during the engagement party. The kidnappers demanded Amanda in exchange, so Travis agreed to the trade. That’s why there was no party.”

The room fell silent, the shock heavy in the air.

Leila was kidnapped, and they actually used Amanda to get her back? And Travis just went along with it?

Nobody had ever thought much of Amanda, but in that moment, everyone felt a pang of sympathy for her. It wasn’t hard to imagine how hopeless she must have felt.

Still, people reminded themselves, Travis was always out of her reach. She’d thrown herself at him, so it was no surprise she ended up hurt. It was her own doing.

No one else was to blame.

If anything, this just confirmed what everyone already believed: Travis cared more about Leila. Amanda was just a backup.

When Amanda finally came to, all she saw was a blindingly white ceiling. She blinked, confused, and then sat bolt upright in bed.

She pinched her arm.

“Ow…”

A shaky laugh escaped her lips. “Okay, that hurt. I’m alive.”

Amanda had always been the kind of person who looked on the bright side. When she’d jumped, it was a desperate gamble—better than waiting for Chad to finish her off. At least this way, she had a chance. However slim.

Now she just felt weak and a little hungry.

She glanced around the quiet, upscale hospital room. Empty. She hit the call button on the bed.

The door opened almost instantly.

That was fast, she thought, surprised. But when she looked up and saw Travis—perfect as ever, calm and composed—her relief vanished in an instant.

Suddenly, she remembered the feeling of sinking in the water, flashes of Travis diving in after her.

Wait. Did he really jump in too? The realization sent a chill down her spine.

She noticed the logo on the lunchbox—Imperial Kitchen. It was the most exclusive spot in town. Most people couldn’t get a reservation with all the money in the world. But Travis could just walk in anytime.

She’d begged him to take her there so many times. He never had time. Once a year was a miracle.

Now here she was, eating it in a hospital bed. The irony wasn’t lost on her.

The room was so quiet she could hear every tiny sound as she ate.

Travis watched her, silent, frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

“Why did you jump?”

She choked mid-bite, coughing hard.

Travis reached over and gently patted her back, but his expression didn’t change. He looked as cold and distant as ever, like nothing could touch him.