The line was out the door, a sea of black, stuffy polyester. Old rich members of Manhattan’s upper crust were discussing their stock portfolios when they should have just been shutting the fuck up. I couldn’t see past the people in front of me. Not that I wanted to see anything in there. I wanted to go home, to my safe place inside Soraya.
Having to take a leak like no one’s business, I whispered in Soraya’s ear, “Keep our place in line. I’m gonna find a bathroom.”
“Okay,” she said, looking a bit wary of my leaving her alone.
I left the line and followed the path of Persian rugs to the restroom. After I’d pissed like a race horse, I was on my way back to Soraya when I spotted Liam’s mother, Phyllis, comforting a little girl in the hallway. The child was crying, and it broke my heart.
While the girl’s back was turned to me, she seemed to be about four years old. She had to be Liam and Genevieve’s daughter. I’d never seen her before. I’d only known that Liam knocked Genevieve up pretty soon after I found out about their affair. At the time, that news had only made things worse. But at this moment, I felt nothing but sympathy for a child who’d lost her parent. I knew that kind of pain all too well.
Phyllis looked startled to see me, but I couldn’t walk past her without paying my condolences.
I felt nauseous as I said, “Hello, Phyllis. I’m so sorry about Liam.”
Looking distraught, she simply nodded and held the little girl tighter before walking away. I trailed behind them when I noticed a black pom pom had fallen out of the girl’s hair onto the rug.
Clearing my throat, I walked a bit faster to catch up with them. “Excuse me. She dropped something.”
When the girl turned around, it was the first time I’d gotten a look at her. Kneeling down and holding the pom pom out, I’d forgotten what I was supposed to say next. The wind had been completely knocked out of me. There were no words…just a complete state of disbelief and confusion. Because if I didn’t know better, I would have thought I was looking into the face of my mother.
CHAPTER 15
SORAYA
WHAT THE HELL WAS TAKING HIM SO LONG?
The line was moving faster than anticipated, and Graham had yet to return from the bathroom.
It was now possible to see the open casket. How upsetting it was to witness such a young, handsome guy lying there dead. I knew he had wronged Graham, but Liam didn’t deserve this. I could see that he had blond hair and a handsome face. He looked so peaceful. I truly hoped he was in a better place.
Loads of white floral bouquets surrounded his casket with banners that read, Son, Friend, Husband. There were long, cream-colored candles lit. It was a beautiful setup. The best that money could buy.
I looked behind me. Still no sign of Graham.
My eyes then landed on her.
Looking stoic, she was sitting in the seat closest to the casket.
Genevieve.
My body went rigid, an unexpected surge of possessiveness running through me. Like Liam, Genevieve also had blonde hair. My boyfriend had been fucked over by Barbie and Ken. And I was more like the Bratz doll rebound.
My boyfriend. I guess he was, wasn’t he?
Anyway, Genevieve was physically the opposite of me, petite with almost a ballerina’s body. She was beautiful. While I hadn’t expected anything less, I had hoped that maybe, by some chance, she would just be average-looking. Not the case.
But it wasn’t just her looks that gave me an upset stomach. It was more so coming face to face with someone whom Graham had given his heart to. He’d loved her. I wasn’t sure that he’d ever feel the same about me. Perhaps I never realized how much I wanted or needed that until this moment.
As she spoke to the people giving their condolences, I looked at her eyes. Those were the eyes that used to gaze into Graham’s. I looked at her mouth. That was the mouth that kissed his lips, sucked his cock. I then looked down at her modest breasts hidden beneath a black sheath dress. My boobs were way bigger. That made me feel good for about a millisecond until my eyes traveled down to her thin legs. Those had been wrapped around his back.
Jesus, Soraya. Stop torturing yourself. So THIS was what full-blown jealousy felt like.
When I looked behind me again, the woman in back of me smiled. “How did you know Liam?”
“Um…I didn’t. I’m actually with Graham Morgan.”
“Genevieve’s former fiancé?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Fiancé?
“If it’s Graham Morgan of Morgan Financial Holdings, yes. They were engaged to be married before Genevieve and Liam got together.”