Something about you
Chapter 1
The so–called golden boy of the East Coast
elite had fallen for a disabled pregnant woman.
He was determined to ditch me, the “it girl” of
the Hamptons social scene.
My family was counting on a strategic marriage,
so I dutifully arranged therapy for the woman’s
legs and even sourced the best doctors for her
delivery.
Little did I know she’d succumb to postpartum
depression, taking her baby with her in a tragic
leap from her apartment building.
Years later, that golden boy, now a ruthless
titan of finance, swallowed my family’s business
whole, stripping us of our fortune and leaving
us facing prison time.
く
“This is the price you pay for destroying my
love!” he sneered. “Now we’re even!”
Then I woke up.
That very golden boy was publicly proposing to
the same 38–year–old disabled pregnant
woman.
Disgusted, I stalked over to a corner booth, where Tony “The Hammer” Balducci, the Midwest Mafia Prince, was lounging in a leather jacket, a thick gold chain glinting on his chest.
I straddled his lap, tugged his chin up, and
purred, “Kiss me, Tony. Like you mean it!”
- 1.
The private room at the Bowery Hotel was
buzzing.
Liam Von Darlin the quintoccontiol Font Const
<
Liam Van Derlyn, the quintessential East Coast
blue blood, was down on one knee, presenting a diamond ring to a woman in a wheelchair.
A wave of awkward silence rippled through the room as everyone glanced at me.
After all, I was Chloe Huntington, Liam’s
fiancée, or rather, ex–fiancée. He was
proposing to someone else right in front of my
face — a slap in the face.
Someone nervously chuckled, “Liam, easy there, Chloe’s right here.”
“Come on, buddy, this is going a little too far.
She’s, like, 38, pregnant, and has a whole
history of her own!”
“Just apologize to Chloe, man, she’s not gonna
hold it against you.”
These were high society gatherings. We all
<
understood the unspoken rules.
Liam could fool around with other women, but
he’d never put a gold digger into the Van Derlyn family.
Everyone knew a merger with my family was crucial for maintaining the status quo.
But Liam, blinded by whatever nonsense this was, wouldn’t listen. He was dead–set on this
woman, Sarah Jenkins.
A 38–year–old woman, beautiful despite her disability, and apparently brimming with the
kind of “inner strength” the media loves to write about.
Liam just scoffed at everyone’s warnings. “I’m
not kidding. I love Sarah, and nobody’s going to stop me.”
He turned to me, his eyes like chips of ice.
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“Chloe, I told you before, I don’t love you. Don’t
force this. I won’t change my mind.”
Three sentences, designed to make me back
down gracefully.
I stared at him, numb.
Sarah, meanwhile, was recoiling, playing the righteous card. “I won’t be the other woman. Liam, stop this. Apologize to Miss Huntington.”
Despite Liam’s over–the–top pursuit, Sarah had consistently refused him.
She insisted she knew her place. She was well aware of my engagement to Liam.
And she hated cheaters, she always said.
So Liam staged this whole scene to clear her
conscience.
く
Publicly breaking things off with me, promising
Sarah the world.
“Chloe,” he added, “our engagement is off. Got
it? Stop trying to keep me from Sarah.”
All eyes were on me.
Some even offered sympathetic platitudes.
“Chloe, don’t mind him, he’s just messing
around.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart, he can’t just cancel
your engagement.”
“Just ignore him, I’ll take you somewhere else…”
Our families are intertwined, and nobody
wanted contracts and partnerships to fall apart because of my love life.
Someone tried to steer me away, but I pulled
free. I stood up slowly, facing Liam.
<
“Fine,” I said. “I agree. Engagement’s off. From
now on, the Huntingtons and Liam Van Derlyn
have nothing to do with each other.”
The room went silent. Liam actually looked
relieved.
He added, “This is better for both of us.
Marriage is the end of love, and we’d just end
up miserable together.”
Yeah, he was right. With him, I was headed for
misery. But he and Sarah were just digging
themselves into a different kind of grave. How
could Sarah even comprehend what it meant to
run a huge family.
I glanced at Sarah, who was now wearing a
smug little smile. She immediately composed
herself. “Miss Huntington, it wasn’t my intention
to steal your fiancé.”
I nodded “Of course not Liam is garbag
and
<
I nodded. “Of course not. Liam is garbage, and
belongs in the trash where he belongs! You’re
the one who deserves him.”
Sarah flinched. Liam frowned. “Chloe, why be
so bitter just because you can’t have what you
want!”
I laughed. “Love you? Love your arrogance? Or
love how blind you are? You’re not even worthy
of my love!” I stalked over to a corner. And
there he was. Tony Balducci. “The Hammer.”
The outsider, the guy everyone at the party
looked down on because he wasn’t from New
York or LA. Perfect.
He looked up at me, his dark eyes narrowed. In
the dim light, the thick gold chain around his
neck nearly blinded me.
I didn’t hesitate. I swung a leg over his lap,
straddling him. I reached out and hooked my
finger under his chin. “Tony,” I purred, “Kiss me.
<
Like you mean it.”
His eyes widened in surprise. Everyone in the
room watched, holding their breath.
Tony looked confused. “What’s your problem?”
His words were heavy with that Chicago accent.
Suddenly, the scene was more tolerable.
I smiled, tears stinging my eyes, and asked,
“Marry me. Will you?”
He pursed his lips, his handsome face
unreadable.
Then, his mouth crashed down on mine. A raw,
demanding kiss that ripped through me. His
hands gripped my waist, holding me tight.
Tony’s gold chain clanked and clattered with
every movement.
He finally pulled back, leaving my mouth bruised
and bloody. He licked his lips, like a husky after
<
a good meal.
“I’ll come to your place with a proposal,” he
growled. He glanced at the ring in Liam’s hand
and chuckled. “That cheap junk ain’t worth it.
Wait till you see what I bring.”
He turned to leave, then hesitated, leaned back,
and pecked me on the cheek. He pointed a
thick finger at me, warning, “Don’t you dare
change your mind! And if you do, I’ll do
anything to get you back! It’s your fault for
tempting me.”
