Marry My Billionaire Second Husband - Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Peasants in the Palace
“She is not your wife,” Ronan hissed out, holding his hand out so that Caleb couldn’t act on any funny ideas he might possibly have. “You are divorced.”

“Neither is she yours,” Caleb snapped back. “Why are you so protective over her, Sullivan?” Then, Caleb reeled back and a knowing smile crawled onto his face. “I didn’t realize that Matteo Montgomery didn’t mind sharing his women.”

He then stepped forward and jutted his finger into Ronan’s chest, hitting him dead in the center in beat to what he said.

“Or are you so desperate to catch up to him that you don’t even mind his sloppy seconds?”

Ronan’s hands went straight for Caleb’s, swatting his hand away before he clenched his fist, ready to swing it in Caleb’s face. However, he was stopped by a resounding slap, the sound echoing through the ballroom and quickly gaining the attention of the guests standing around them.

The people of high society had seen their fair share of fights, and they knew that they shouldn’t step too far in if they wished to maintain a partnership with both parties. However, when things got physical, it was difficult to turn a blind eye.

Amelia had wormed out of Ronan’s protective barrier, and she now stood in between Ronan and Caleb, her eyes red and her palm searing from the slap she had landed on Caleb’s cheek. She seemed to be doing a lot of that these days, and Amelia had to admit, it felt good finally having the upper hand.

“Not all men are like you, Caleb,” Amelia seethed. “Some know their boundaries and can befriend another woman without immediately wanting to worm in their panties. But I suppose you wouldn’t know any better, considering how you are a lying scumbag who decided to cheat on your spouse while married.”

Caleb’s hand reached for his cheek, lightly touching the tingling surface. His jaw shifted as he glowered, nodding to himself.

“You’ve grown a backbone, Amelia,” Caleb said.

His eyes stared dead into hers, causing a tremor to dart through Amelia’s spine. However, she stood her ground, refusing to let her gaze waver.

“But news flash: Ronan Sullivan is the last man you should be protecting when it comes to leaving a trail of broken hearts. You aren’t part of the circle, so you wouldn’t know, but he has left many more beds cold and empty in the morning than you can possibly imagine. He isn’t a good man.”

“And you are?” Amelia countered, her voice ever so collected.

“At least I can guarantee that I am a better lover than he can ever be,” Caleb said, his voice low, barely even above a whisper. He made sure that their conversation remained out of prying ears, especially now that more and more pairs of eyes were starting to look in their direction. “You and I’s marriage is enough proof of that.”

“What are you doing here, Miss Kentwood?”

Caleb withdrew immediately, and when he turned to face Kelsie Friescent, he now wore a face full of smiles. He moved closer to her, creating distance between himself and Amelia before pulling Kelsie into his arms.

Kelsie, however, paid him no attention, keeping her eyes solely on Amelia.

“You aren’t invited,” Kelsie said. Although she wore a bright, friendly smile, there was no warmth in her eyes. “Please leave before I have a word with the security team. As you can see, this is a pretty high-profile event.” Her smile broadened, filled with venom. “I am sure you wouldn’t want this to be the headliner for tomorrow, especially after your string of flashy scandals.”

“We were invited by Matteo,” Ronan piped up, coming forward. “As his personal assistants, we have to be here in case he needs us.”

“If it was just you, I would totally understand,” Kelsie said, gesturing to Ronan. “But for Amelia… rumors claim that she hasn’t been in the office for a whole week. Surely she isn’t employed there any longer?”

“You―”

“Please understand, Ronan,” Kelsie said, her tone gentle, as though she was speaking to a long-time friend. Although, Amelia imagined that to an extent, they surely were at least long-time acquaintances since everyone in this circle knew everyone. “This is Emmeline’s most precious day. As her best friend, I don’t want to see anything ruined for her, especially after everything that Miss Kentwood here has done.”

“Ronan, it’s fine,” Amelia said. She turned to face Ronan and smiled. “Come on. We’re obviously unwanted here.”

“Amelia―”

“Let’s go.”

Without another word, Amelia lifted up her skirt and sped away, careful to keep her dress safely out of any wine Kelsie Friescent might materialize out of nowhere. She wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened the last time, especially when this dress was a gift from Horace Hawthorne. She didn’t even dare imagine how expensive it might be.

They made their way to the backdoor, and Amelia could feel everyone’s gazes on their backs until it was eventually cut off by the slamming of the door. Once they were out of sight, Amelia exhaled loudly.

“Why did you do that?” Ronan asked, exasperated. “Are you going to let them just walk all over you every time you encounter them?”

“Of course not,” Amelia said. “But there’s no point standing there arguing with them. The papers will have a field day and Kelsie Friescent is right about one thing― I have no intention of becoming tomorrow’s headline.”

“But we’ve now been evicted like rats,” Ronan said, wrinkling his nose. “Kelsie Friescent will definitely be giggling about this over tea with Emmeline Hawthorne when she passes the news to that spoiled brat.”

“I may not be their guest, but the man who invited me has a larger speaking power than both of them combined,” Amelia said with a harrumph.

She whipped her phone out of the small purse she carried, tapping on the screen and scrolling until she found the name she was searching for.

“We just need to find another way in. That’s all.”