Page 165 of Punishing His Runaway Bride

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"Yes," Sebastian said, still wearing that gentle smile.

Olivia stared at us for a long moment.

"I don't understand."

"I know," I cut her off. "But now's not the time. Leo's waiting for you."

She glanced at me, her lips parting like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

She turned and walked toward the ballroom.

Her heels clicked against the floor, growing fainter, until they disappeared around the corner.

The hallway held just Sebastian and me.

He stood there, champagne glass in hand, that smile still on his face.

"Ezio," he said. "Long time."

"What are you doing here?"

"Business trip," he said. "The company has a project to discuss."

"That so?"

"Yes."

I stared at him.

Still the same. Gentle, polished, smile perfectly calibrated.

But I knew he was lying.

"Cut the act. I mean, why the hell are you hanging around my wife, your cousin-in-law?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb."

He smiled, took a sip of champagne.

"Your wife? Ha. Five years ago," he said, "in France, she had no one."

"Five years. You've known each other for five years."

"Yes," he said. "Five years."

My fingers tightened at my sides.

Five years.

He'd been with Olivia for five years.

Helping her run the flower shop, helping her raise the kid, sharing every ordinary day.

And me?

What had I been doing?

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