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I loved Belle. That much I knew.

I also knew I was about to use our wedding as bait and wasn’t going to tell her about it. So whatever came next, I’d have to hope my love was enough to make up for it.

37 LA’BELLE EVANS

I was shoving my towel into my bag when my phone vibrated with a text from Siani. I was sore from two hours of Pilates instructor training and couldn’t wait to get home to shower.

Siani

Bestie… [attached link]

I almost ignored it, because Siani sent me random celebrity gossip all day. Then I saw that it was a Page Six link.

Harlem’s Most Elusive Bachelor Off the Market—Cardez Montague confirms Winter Wedding.

Under the headline was a candid picture of us from Luther’s party.

I sucked my teeth hard.

He planted it. I didn’t have to finish reading to know that. Cardez was notoriously private. It was what stuck out to me the most when I was looking into him over the summer. His whole life was kept off anything that could be screenshotted or shared.

This was deliberate

My phone started going off with notifications, new followers on Instagram, a text from someone I worked with at Luxe.

I ignored the incoming call from my mother and called Cardez.

“Hey, ba⁠—”

“What the fuck, Dez?” I hissed.

“Let me explain⁠—”

“So you did plant it.”

“Yes, but⁠—”

I hung up before he could piss me off even more. I stuffed the rest of my things in my bag and left the locker room.

Marco was waiting for me in front of the Pilates studio. He saw the look on my face, didn’t say a word, and opened the back door.

Cardez called me three more times before we even pulled off. I sent him to voicemail every time. Then I saw his name pop up on the display in Marco’s car. Marco caught my eye in the rearview mirror.

I folded my arms. “You can answer it, but I’m not saying shit to him,” I said.

“Yo,” Marco said.

“Belle finish her class?”

“Yeah, she's right here, but she said she’s not saying shit to you.”

I kicked the back of his seat.

“Belle, stop being a brat and pick up the phone,” Cardez said.

I stayed silent, because fuck him. He waited for a beat, sighed, and hung up.

“You know he’s just gonna meet you at home,” Marco said.