Page 57 of Beautiful Lies

“I did. But things change.” His gaze drifts across the table, lingering on me. “I changed.”

I notice the shift in his tone and study him carefully. “What does that mean? Did something bad happen?”

“Yeah,” he admits quietly. “Something bad did happen. I left you—and I shouldn’t have.”

I blink several times, wondering if he really just said what I think he said.

“I can admit when I’m wrong,” he adds. “And I know when I’ve made a mistake. Leaving you was the biggest mistake I ever made.”

God. Black hole, swallow me now.

Of all the things he could ever say to me, I never expected that.

“Chad—”

“Wait.” He holds up a hand. “Please. Let me finish.”

“Finish what? What do you want me to hear?”

He gives me a barely-there smile. “Me asking you for another chance.”

His words hit like a punch to the gut. My heart slows. My lungs lock.

All I can do is stare.

“Australia was great… until it wasn’t,” he continues. “Everything was perfect. Until it wasn’t. And that was everything. Then I realized it was because I didn’t have you.”

“You just left, Chad. I didn’t even know you were leaving. That’s not how you treat someone you want in your life, much less someone you claim to love.”

“No, it’s not. But I was a coward. I didn’t know…” His voice trails off.

“You didn’t know how to tell me,” I finish for him. “You wanted to leave, and you didn’t want to take me with you.”

His silence is enough. The perfect answer.

An unexpected wave of hurt grips my chest. It annoys me. Because it messes with my moving-on flow.

Maybe it’s because Iknowhe didn’t want to take me with him.

And from his socials over the years, I already knew why. Month after month, there was always a different girl. Which toldme everything: he wanted other people. Women who weren’t me.

“Look, Chad?—”

“Please.” He cuts me off again. “We’ve been friends forever. Believe me when I say I won’t make the same mistake twice. When I got the job opportunity here, I took it with both hands because I planned to get you back.”

I need to tell him I’m getting married. I need to set him straight before he goes any further.

“I just want you to think about it.” He gives a small, hopeful nod.

“Think aboutwhat?” A harsh voice answers for me. One that’s haunted me since last week in William’s office.

The voice came from behind me, deep, clipped, and edged with something dark.

I freeze. God, that can’t be who I think it is.

Knox is supposed to be in L.A. until tomorrow. Sheila told me I’d be meeting him at the Astoria, the venue hosting the engagement party.

Chad’s brows shoot up as his gaze shifts past me, his expression flickering from confusion to unease.