The Heart Left Behind (Cole and Yvonne) novel Chapter 98

Breaking things off with Lorraine didn't impact me as much as I thought it might. Love had always been just one part of my life, never the whole story.

It was Hayden who wouldn't let it go. No sooner had I come to terms with the situation than my phone rang. His name lit up the screen.

"What's going on? Didn't you just say you were planning a wedding? Now, you're calling it off?" His voice was sharp, almost accusing.

"News travels fast," I replied dryly. Considering he'd been overseas since our last meeting, his sudden insight felt uncanny.

"What happened? A fight?"

"It wasn't a fight." I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "We're just not right for each other."

"What do you mean you guys are not right for each other? Did you only figure that out now?"

He didn't buy it, and I didn't expect him to. But there was no reason to air all the details. Some things should stay private, especially when they could harm someone else's reputation.

"Hayden, it's my business."

I could feel his frustration over the line. Hayden always had this overbearing sense of responsibility toward me, as if being the older brother gave him the right to meddle. Sometimes, he was worse than Grandma.

Before he could say anything else, I hung up.

"Mr. Joplin." A voice from the doorway sounded. It was Murphy. "Ms. Langley is here."

Yvonne? What now?

I assumed she was here for the land dispute, but the second she walked in, her fury hit me like a wave.

"You're not seeing Xavier anymore," she declared, venom dripping from her words.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you even know what you're saying?"

She took a deep breath, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, I do."