Page 10 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

“Do you need help?”

“Yes, I might have to move your walking buddy.”

“Who was my buddy again?”

She squinted down at the page, running her finger over the dark pencil imprints. “Looks like it was . . . Victoria.”

“Ah, she was always a banger.”

“Excuseme?”

I laughed. “What! Victoria is attractive!”

“Mother, are you hearing this?”

Mom perked up, her eyes sparkling with obliviousness. She shot us both grins. “I amnotgetting in between the two of you.”

Jen feigned shock while I chuckled with victory. As Mom turned back to Dad, I leaned over the table to get a better look at the sheet in front of Jen. There were names scribbled everywhere. I could hardly even figure out what she was doing.

“It looks like a mess,” I commented. “Do you want me to clean up those lines?”

“No, I can read it just fine, thanks.”

“Oh, touchy.”

She laughed. “I think I'm starting toreallyfeel the stress.”

“Well, that's what your big, awesome brother is here for!”

“I sure hope you don't mind taking one for the team.”

I raised a curious brow in her direction. “And what do you mean by that?”

“Well, it looks like the best way to not disrupt literallyeverythingis to swap Victoria and Clara.”

I dropped my fork down on my plate. I had eaten most of my food, but there were still a few pieces left I had wanted.

But I didn't want them anymore.

I kept my eyes on my plate while the anger rose in my gut, filling my chest with enough expletives to make my mother blush.

I cleared my throat. “You want to switch Clara to me?”

“I mean, it's the best course of action for now.”

“There must be a medley of alternatives.”

She eyed me suspiciously. “And?”

“AndI don't mind what you need to do as long as you don't pair Clara with me.”

“I'm not going to adjust my wedding just because of a failed high school relationship.”

I sighed wearily. “It was obviously way more thanjusta high school relationship—we dated for years, Jen.”

“I know you did.”

“So, just consider how it might make me feel, okay?”

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