Chapter 13: You Are Mine, Vanessa
VANESSA BELMONT
"Technically, I spent the evening with Ollie and Carver just showed up."
"You think it looks good for my fiancee to be in public with another man?"
"To be clear, there were two men."
"Ollie doesn’t count," said Nate. "He won’t fuck you."
I pushed Nathan away and slapped him. My palm hitting his cheek sounded like cracking ice. Or maybe that was my heart shattering into tinier pieces. My hand hurt because Mr. Jang’s face was like a piece of cold stone.
Nathan stared at me, stunned. Shame glinted in his eyes. "I’m sorry," he said. "I ... I shouldn’t have said that." He touched his cheek. "I’m just ... we’re getting married. We have to be circumspect with opposite-sex relationships."
I laughed. I laughed so hard I nearly fell to the floor. "You take Fiona to events with you all the time, and she hangs on your arm like she’s the wife. But sure, talk to me about my inappropriate behavior." Hurt and anger burrowed into my lungs making it hard for me to breathe. I rubbed my chest. My heart hurt so much.
"You’re different, somehow. Last week, you were needy and whiny. Desperate for my attention." He pinched my chin between his fingers. "This week? You don’t give a damn about me or our wedding. You wear clothes that show off your body. You attract other men’s gazes. I see them watch you, and I fucking hate it."