Chapter 40 Engagement Aftermath

Nicholas Andrieux The days following the engagement dinner were… tense. Alicia and I hadn’t spoken since that night. She had made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with me, and honestly, I didn’t blame her. Not entirely, at least. I knew I had kept things from her, and while I didn’t see the problem with that, she obviously did. Still, something about her reaction bothered me. It wasn’t just anger—it was something more. And I needed to know what. I tried texting her. No response. I tried calling. Straight to voicemail. So, I didn’t have much of a choice. I had to see her. In the days following the engagement, the news had exploded with coverage of the event. Everywhere I went, people were talking about it. About the merger between the Andrieux and Davenport families, about Alicia’s dress, her jewelry, her makeup—hell, even the damn decorations had become a topic of interest. The most frustrating part? Somehow, the paparazzi had gotten a photo of Alicia wearing th