His Betrayal Her Lies by Angel de'Amor Page B

the foyer. The mansion used to be a
Masonic Temple in the early 1900s.
    As the group approached a set of double
doors, a skinny older man asked for their invitations. “Ma’am,” he
informed Taylor, “you are at table ten.” With one bony hand he
reached for the next person’s invitation, while raising the other
to signal a nearby usher to escort Taylor to her seat.
    Wall-to-wall reporters, CEOs, and editors
made her feel a little intimidated. These people were highly
recognized in the city. Taylor was seated in the last vacant chair
at her table for twelve. She looked around and didn’t know anybody.
The woman next to her extended her hand. “Hi. I’m Felicia Paris of
Paris Magazine, and you are?”
    Taylor took her hand and gave a firm
handshake. “I’m Taylor Gallagher of Dynasty Magazine.”
    The chubby, freckle-faced white woman shook
her blonde, curly hair out of her face, raised her eyebrow, and
twitched her lip to the side. “Oh honey, I’m sorry but I never
heard of your company. Are you new to the magazine industry?”
    “Um, yes, we have only been up and running
for a year now.”
    “Well, always glad to meet my competition. I
wish you great success.”
    Taylor smiled at the older woman and turned
her attention to the speaker who had just approached the podium.
Even from eight feet away, he had captured her attention. The way
he moved when he spoke, his mannerisms, his dark, deep-set eyes,
and the way his six-foot frame looked in that gray pinstriped,
double-breasted suit bewitched her. She let her eyes roam around
the other tables. He had mesmerized the entire audience. All Taylor
could do was zoom in on his full, chocolate lips and muscular
build. This man was beyond handsome; he was gorgeous. His wavy,
low-cut hair emphasized his dark brown eyes.
    There was applause after his speech ended.
Taylor had no idea what he had talked about. The announcer came
back on stage. “Everyone, Mr. Kalon Knight.” As the speaker took a
bow and left the stage, the announcer was still singing his
praises. “We would like to thank him for the generous donation on
behalf of his company, Angel Kids, to ensure that we continue to
have this great function. Mr. Knight’s organization helps kids
across the world buy reading materials. So please enroll on his
company website. For every magazine that you sell through his
website, ten cents will go toward a child receiving reading
materials in his or her home to enhance reading skills.”
    Taylor was impressed with Kalon Knight’s
mission. She made a mental note to check out his website later. A
small crowd had gathered across the room, women throwing themselves
at Kalon, no doubt under the guise of being interested in his work.
He might as well have been the pied piper, the way they followed
along after him as he glided across the room in long strides,
stopping every few steps to shake hands or engage in
conversation.
    Taylor took a few sips of her wine and tried
to look interested in the small talk going on around her. Inwardly,
she was trying to understand the intense enchantment she felt
toward this man. For Pete’s sake, I’m a married woman.
    “Look, I pulled up his website,” a
barrel-chested man two seats away called out. “Here,” he said
handing his smart phone to the brunette next to him, “pass this
around the table.” The table came alive with activity. Some
searched for their own smart phones to pull up the website. An
older lady peered over the shoulder of the brunette, her elbow
swiping a couple of cocktail napkins to the floor as she
repositioned herself to see the small screen. Taylor bent down to
pick them up, and raised her head just in time to lock eyes with
the hunk, who was preparing to take a seat at the next table.
    “I really enjoyed your speech,” one of the
groupies surrounding him gushed. “Can you tell me more about your
company goal?”
    No response. Kalon was focused on Taylor.
    The woman repeated her question.
    “Excuse me,