“What…” I stammered, confused. “What’s this?”
As Bradley held open the door, people came in by the droves. By the time they were finished, my entire apartment was adorned with vases and vases full of roses. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“Jasmine, just hear me out…”
I stared at him and scowled.
How dare he try to win me over with his money?
Did he really think this big show would get me to sleep with him?
I knew he was just a player, and I wasn’t about to let him hurt my feelings again.
This was absolutely insane.
“Come on, Jasmine. Please just give the guy a chance to explain…” Brianna grinned.
She held one of the roses underneath my nose to give me a whiff. I furrowed my eyebrows. Damn it, Brianna!
I was terribly confused.
“Go on…” Anne chimed in. “I mean, look at all the effort he’s gone through for you.”
Great.
He had now turned my friends against me.
I couldn’t believe the nerve of this guy, using my own friends to try and butter me up.
What in the world was he up to?
“Will this change your mind?” he pleaded.
He took a bag that his driver was holding and started to take its contents out. I recognized the packaging from my favorite restaurant.
“We scoured the city to figure out which place you get your Chinese takeout. I wanted to show you that I do listen to you. I hope I picked the right one…”
The smell of the sweet and sour chicken teased my nostrils.
“What?”
I was shocked.
He did listen.
“What happened to the landlord?” I tried to divert their attention, but it didn’t work for long.
“He mentioned that you hadn’t paid your rent…” I was embarrassed when the words came out of Bradley’s mouth.
Now he knows that I’m broke as a joke.
“But I took care of the rent for you. I felt I was sort of obligated after everything that I put you through.”
“But you can’t just…” I was frazzled.
I knew that this obligated me to do things for Bradley that I wasn’t willing to do. I couldn’t believe that he would do this to make me indebted to him!
“Now it’s time for you to listen, Jasmine,” he stated. “I’m very sorry for treating you the way that I did. But you have to realize where I’m coming from…”
He turned and shot Gretta a glance. I watched as she ushered all of the guests out of my apartment and back down the stairs. Brianna was trying to peek over the woman’s big German shoulders, but then gave up and retreated with the rest of the group.
I waited patiently for him to continue on with his speech, still confused about my feelings.
My cell phone started to vibrate on the counter.
“Throughout my adult life, men have been throwing their daughters at me. They do it in an effort to get me to marry just to keep old money together,” he explained. “I know that these women don’t like the real me. They don’t even try to get to know me. They are only around for the money, the prestige, and the lifestyle that I can give to them…”
“Well, I am not one of those women and I can’t compete…” I argued.
He grabbed my hand in his and squeezed. “The dinner was a test… A sort of publicity stunt…”
“What do you mean?” I was really confused now.
I couldn’t believe that he would play so many women or put them through a silly test.
“I needed to show my business partners that I had given each of their daughters a fair shot. That I had at least considered them before I chose the one who I would ask to marry me… Unfortunately, they all failed the test.”
“I don’t understand… I…”
“I was trying to find someone with morals and values. I need someone who can stand up to me. Someone who is worthy of standing by my side and being my partner. Someone who is intelligent and confident, not some girl who’s just eye candy willing to sex me up just
Similar Books
