Page 178 of The Boss Situation

“Dead,” he snaps back, his voice dripping with disdain as the word hangs in the air. “Thankssofucking much for asking.”

“Oh,” Harper gasps, her face turning pale as the conversation spirals out of control. She knows how Asher is. “I spoke to my brother this morning, and I told him the good news.”

“Which is?” Asher asks as if he didn’t just put Micah in his place.

She beams at her boyfriend, holding up her hand like a trophy. The diamond ring catches the light and sparkles brilliantly.

“We’re engaged!” she squeals.

My heart sinks as I force a grin. “Oh my God, Harp. Congratulations.”

In an impulsive move, I slide my ring off my finger and hand it to Asher under the table, who quickly tucks it into his pocket before they notice. The gesture feels bittersweet, but I can’t steal this moment from her. I rise and wrap my arms around Harper tightly, almost suffocating her with my joy and anxiety.

“I’m so happy for you,” I say as tears glisten on her cheeks, reflecting the candlelight like tiny stars. “This was your dream.”

“I know,” she replies, her voice full of emotion. “How lucky are we that we both found our person?”

“So lucky,” I say, meeting her eyes, searching for any sign of doubt, but all I see is confirmation.

I want to support her even if my gut screams otherwise.

“Congratulations,” I say to Micah, refusing to get too close to him.

Asher doesn’t say anything.

My insides twist like a pretzel as I watch Harper gaze at Micah with that foolishly-in-love look. He leans in for another kiss that feels rehearsed and hollow. It’s a performance more than a connection. It strikes me as odd, like a familiar song that’s being played slightly out of tune. I see through him, but I refuse to let my mask slip in front of this man, not now, not ever.

“It was like a dream,” Harper gushes as she relives the proposal. “The opera had just finished, and I was crying because it was so beautiful. Then Micah got down on one knee and proposed, right there in the middle of the crowd.” She twirls a loose strand of hair around her finger.

“Wasn’t that your dream proposal?” I ask, giving her a smile that feels too wide.

“Yes,” she whispers, lost in the memory.

“I remember us gushing about it. Let me guess. The show was …La Traviata?” I tease.

“Actually, no. It was a rendition ofRomeo and Juliet,” she replies.

“Hmm. A tragedy,” Asher interjects, unamused. He leans forward, openly judging Micah with his brows furrowed. “Why that one?”

He’s onto him too. His reaction is proof that I’m not imagining this.

“My love forheris undying,” Micah replies, his gaze sliding toward me. It’s uncomfortable and unsettling, like a flame burning too close to the skin.

I quickly look away, my skin crawling under the weight of his stare, every nerve ending screaming for me to escape. I gulp down the rest of my wine and refill my glass, desperately trying to find the courage to finish this night on a positive note, but darkness falls around us.

“I have the perfect bottle of champagne to celebrate the special occasion,” I say, my voice a little too cheery for my own liking. “It’s your favorite, Harp.”

Her eyes light up at the mention of the almond champagne I have flown in from France. It’s the kind that sparkles like liquid gold. I brought a bottle for us to celebrate my engagement. It’s okay though. I’ll find another time to tell her when it’s just us.

“I’ll be right back,” I say.

She practically bounces in her seat with excitement.

I slip inside the kitchen to grab it, my heart racing with both anticipation and dread. I’m a roller coaster of emotions. Just as I reach for the bottle, a warm body presses against me from behind. Strong arms wrap around my waist with an intimacy that sends alarms ringing through my head.

I freeze when I realize it’s not Asher.

“Now you’re into it, unlike last time,” Micah whispers into my ear, his breath hot and laced with a menacing undertone that makesmy stomach churn. “It happened almost like this, didn’t it? All those years ago?”

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