He Scorned His Substitute Wife, Now He Begs Her Back novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: Her Terms, Thrown Back

Livia turned and faced the head table, and four hundred people turned with her.

"You mean the fifty thousand dollars," she said.

Tierney's smile held.

"A check from a family that paid for a wedding under a false name," she said. "I'd call that fraud, wouldn't you?"

"I'd call it a bus ticket."

A few people laughed, then stopped themselves.

"My mother wrote it in my name, Livia Carrano, on the day I walked out," Livia said. "Everything I've taken is in writing, and I'll show any of you the bank record."

She waited a beat.

"Can you say the same? Your retainer is fifteen thousand a month. Open your account for us, Tierney. I'll open mine."

Tierney looked at Aldo.

Aldo was looking at his gold pen.

"I think," Tierney said, "that I need some air."

"Then go out on a terrace," Mirella said sweetly, "and enjoy the view."

The sound that went through the ballroom was nearly a roar.

Tierney left on Aldo's arm, and he did not look back at his son.

Nobody stopped Livia on her way to the doors.

She did not look for Luca.

She knew where he was without turning her head.

He caught up with her at the elevators.

"Livia," he said.

"Don't say anything."

"I wasn't going to."

"Good." She pressed the button. "Mirella's suite is on the nineteenth floor. She's taking Zia to a diner. She gave me the key."

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