I thought I was being so smart—finding a way to keep my mother and the rest of Colombo happy while still being able to live my life. And here I was, about to marry a broke liar who’s clearly in it for my family’s money.

I looked around at the guests, all of them lapping up my father’s words. I even spotted Amaya in a corner. Why the hell was she here today? I thought back on her chatting away with the various aunties last night. What if she was the one who fed the information to Aunty Josephina? But then my gaze fell on Spencer and it didn’t seem as important anymore.

“We should go for a walk,” I mumbled in his ear the moment my father finished.

“Yes, of course,” was all he replied, leading me outside. We sat down on a bench under the large mango tree.

“People inside can see us, you know,” I reminded him.

“I’m counting on it,” he replied.

He was waiting for me to take the first shot. I could sense it.

Well, no one ever accused me of shying away from a fight.

“You’re full of shit and you know it. Just because you’ve got my father wrapped around your finger, don’t think for a second that you’ve fooled me too.”

Spencer looked upset. He rubbed his hair and looked agitated but didn’t say anything.

“You were smart—I’ll hand it to you. The proposal I couldn’t turn down, the cozying up to my parents, but I really hope you don’t think, Spencer, that I’m afraid to end everything. Because I could.”

“Then why haven’t you?” His voice was cold. Deathly cold. I’d never heard it like this before. The look on his face, the uneasy way he was tugging on his hair, it was all a show. His voice was composed. He was in total control.

“Why haven’t you?” he asked again.

I was too surprised to answer.

“I know why, Kaavi. It’s because you’d do anything, and boy do I mean just about anything, to keep your pristine reputation intact. It makes it so easy to figure you out. You’d rather die than lose face.”

I forced a laugh.

“If you think you can coerce me into a goddamned marriage by holding my reputation hostage, Spencer, you are far stupider than I thought. This is Colombo, remember; this is my town. Would it cause a scandal? Sure. But a few months and a few large donations to various charities, and maybe a huge party, is all I need to make everyone forget. No. This bullshit ends now. I want you gone by tomorrow.”

I started to get up but Spencer grabbed my hand.

“Sit down, Kaavi. I’m not done.”

“Oh, but I am.”

“Sit the fuck back down and listen to me or you’ll fucking regret it.”

Who the hell did he think he was?

But he hadn’t loosed his grip on my arm, and I couldn’t push him off without causing a scene.