Chapter 13 - 14 Crash
I answered the call.
‘Louisa...’ I sounded sheepish, even to myself.
I could ghost Rhys with no regrets, but Louisa was a different story. She’d always treated me like family—sometimes more than my actual family did—and I couldn’t bring myself to be cruel to her.
If she was calling now, she probably already knew about the split. Either Rhys had miraculously grown a pair and told her, or he’d been his usual cowardly self and she’d sensed something was off.
‘Mira.’ She cleared her throat like she was bracing herself. ‘I know Rhys has been a complete idiot, but you’ve been engaged for two years. The wedding’s next month, sweetheart. This isn’t the time to throw a tantrum.’
So he did tell her. Colour me shocked. Or maybe Catherine was the one who pushed him into it, like she did with everything else.
I didn’t want to upset Louisa. I really didn’t. But there were some hills a girl had to die on, and this particular hill had ‘no to marrying a man who drools over his ex’ spray-painted all over it.
‘Louisa, I think you already know what went down between Rhys and Catherine,’ I said, voice as even as I could manage. ‘They’re perfect for each other. Honestly. He’s always had a thing for her. It’s best to let them get on with it.’
‘Mira, don’t be like this. I know you love Rhys.’ Her voice was soft, almost pleading. ‘I’ll give him a proper talking-to, get him to end things with... with that woman. Sweetie, I know you’re hurting—’
That cracked something in me. Just a little.
I swallowed hard, eyes stinging.
I’d been braced for Louisa to tear me a new one—for ruining the Granger name, for embarrassing Rhys in front of Skyline City’s upper crust, for not playing my part as the dutiful almost-daughter-in-law.