After My Fiance Cheated With My Best Friend

"Which girl?" Jayden Montgomery asked Reece Morrison with a casual air.

"The one we ran into at the entrance before, Carmen Pierce, once the belle of South City," Reece responded, clicking his tongue in admiration. "She's gorgeous, but the shadow of her father's conviction lingers. Seriously, who in London would want to marry her with that hanging over her?"

Jayden raised an eyebrow, his gaze steely. "How can you be so sure her father was guilty? Were you there to see it happen?"

Reece was taken aback by Jayden's sudden intensity. "Well, the court gave its verdict, right? Doesn't that settle it?"

Jayden shrugged slightly. "You know, appearances can be deceiving."

Reece leaned in, curious. "Jayden, do you think her father might have been framed?"

Jayden's expression revealed nothing. "Pierce Corporation was booming. Do you really think Nathaniel Pierce would kill over a few million pounds?"

He recalled meeting Nathaniel Pierce a year ago—a balanced, principled man who wouldn't sacrifice ethics for profit. Hard to imagine such a person committing murder.

Yet, the corporate world was a cold war. One misstep, and you're finished.

Reece raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "So, someone took him down?"

Jayden simply gave Reece a pointed look before heading into a law office without saying another word.

Reece caught up quickly.

"Jayden, Reece, good to see you!" welcomed a man with a suave demeanor, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses as he rose to greet them.

Warren Gray offered a polished smile. "I've gathered all the intel on Wallace Corporation's legal slip-ups for you to look over."

Jayden nodded in acknowledgment, "Appreciate the effort."

Reece couldn't help his curiosity. "Jayden, what’s the play here? Wallace has been a steady partner, and they wouldn't dare cross us."

Jayden's thoughts wandered to Carmen's innocent face, and he asked quietly, "What was Carmen Pierce doing here earlier?"

The question was directed at Warren.

Warren hesitated, intrigued by Jayden's sudden interest in Carmen, whose standing was somewhat tarnished in elite circles. Yet, he replied candidly, "She was seeking a lawyer for her sister’s divorce. I’ve assigned it to one of our junior associates."

Jayden's brow tightened with thought. "You handle it yourself."

It was a directive, not a suggestion.

Warren was taken aback. Jayden requesting his direct involvement in a case was unusual, except where Carmen was concerned.

Reece had a lightbulb moment. "Victor Wallace, CEO of Wallace Corporation, used to partner with Nathaniel Pierce. When Pierce Corporation crumbled, Wallace was quick to cut ties and blame Nathaniel."

Yet, the alliance between Montgomery Corporation and Wallace Corporation remained unaffected.

Reece couldn’t resist teasing, "Jayden, are you into Carmen? Wasn't she your nephew's ex-fiancée—"

Jayden silenced him with a sharp glance. "If you're tired of talking, I can fix that."

Reece clammed up, realizing he'd pushed the joke too far.

The shrill ring of a phone sliced through the tension.

Jayden pulled his phone from his pocket and, seeing the caller ID, his expression hardened. He declined the call without hesitation.

Warren glimpsed the caller ID and offered gently, "Jayden, it’s been two years since you returned to the Montgomerys. Aren’t you going to mend things with Old Mr. Montgomery?"

Jayden's eyes gleamed with icy determination. "He doesn't deserve that."

Silence descended, laden with discomfort.

Reece knew better than to broach the subject of Jayden's grandfather, aware it was a trigger for his temper.

Shifting gears, Reece noted Jayden wasn't wearing his usual watch. "Jayden, where’s that watch your brother Musa gave you? Haven't seen it on you lately."

He thought it might lighten the mood, but instead, Jayden's face grew even colder. "At the family estate."

Reece cringed internally. Why was he so good at finding sore spots today?

Meanwhile, Carmen sat in a cab headed to the hospital, staring thoughtfully out the window as the scenery zipped by.

She had hoped to leave a lasting impression on Jayden Montgomery, but clearly, she’d overestimated her effect. Maybe, to him, she was just another face in the crowd.

Her phone rang, pulling her from her thoughts. Seeing it was her close friend Lorelei Bell, she answered, "Hi, Lorelei."

Lorelei’s eager voice buzzed through the line. "Carmen, how did things go last night? Did you manage to catch Jayden's attention?"

Remembering Jayden's earlier iciness, Carmen sighed quietly, "Not quite."

"With your looks and charm, how could he not notice you?" Lorelei exclaimed, incredulous. "I mean, is he just oblivious or what?"