I Bought a Penthouse, but Fiance Made Me Live in Attic

1: 1

The day I moved into the eight-million-dollar full-floor apartment, my fiance Raymond Henson showed up with Yvette Vance's whole family, six people, and moved them in.

He came marching into the living room with the luggage, glowing, and started handing out rooms in that loud, pleased-with-himself voice.

"Katherine, you take the biggest bedroom on the first floor. Best light in the place."

"Cecil Vance, you and Minnie take the guest room next to it. That one looks straight out at the lake. Great view."

"The kids and Yvette can go up to the second floor, right next to me."

Five rooms, all spoken for. Something dropped in my chest, and I said, "Raymond, and where do I sleep?"

He pulled me off to the side and dropped his voice, wheedling, pitiful.

"Mel, they're family to me. It's their first day here. I can't shove them up in the attic, can I?"

"Just rough it in the attic for a couple of days. You've always been the reasonable one. Do me this one favor, okay?"

I watched the whole crowd in the living room whoop and go diving into the rooms I'd put together so carefully, and all at once I didn't feel like arguing.

I quietly shook his hand off and looked at him, cold.

"Raymond, this is my apartment. Remember that. Mine."

He decided I was just throwing another fit and dropped it, turning to call cheerfully to his so-called family.

"Katherine, Yvette, hurry up and pack a few things. I'm taking everyone to a five-star hotel for king crab and grouper filet."

Up in the third-floor attic, I lay down with ice in my chest and called the agent straight off.

"Miss Finch, the full-floor apartment in Building A of Crown Ridge, I need an urgent sale. Line up buyers to come see it as soon as you can."

1

Louisa Finch's voice came back puzzled.

"Miss Swanson, didn't you just finish renovating that place for your wedding home? Why the sudden urgent sale?"

"There's no wedding," I said, calm.

I hung up, opened the company intranet, and put in a request to transfer to the Seaford branch office.

Done with all of it, I lay quietly on the makeshift plank bed and looked up at the ceiling.

Downstairs, Raymond and his people were still glowing, telling him how capable he was, how huge the new place was.

"Raymond, I could tell you were sharp even as a boy. I always knew you'd make something of yourself."

"Raymond, a place this big must've cost a fortune. Your job must run you ragged."

His childhood sweetheart was probably clinging to his arm, gazing at him with that mix of worship and heartache.

"It's nothing, nothing. Big company, good perks. My bonus on one project is only two hundred grand, and honestly that's on the low side."

Raymond, showing off while pretending not to.

At once another wave of gasps and praise went up in the living room.

He swept a hand through the air.

"It's all pocket change. Come on, let's go get that king crab and grouper. After, I'll take you all for a foot soak and a massage."

"Ah, Raymond, you're the best, I could die for you." Then the smack of a kiss.

I didn't have to see it to know. His precious little sweetheart had thrown her arms around him again to show how she felt.

After one more round of fawning came a scramble of footsteps. They were getting ready to head out.

A soft voice spoke up.

"Raymond, should we ask your wife to come along? She didn't seem too happy."

Before he could answer, a snippy, disgusted voice cut in.

"Ask her for what? Sits there with that dead face all day. Just looking at her is bad luck."

"If she hadn't thrown herself at you shamelessly, you think Raymond would ever have looked twice at some pushy old woman like her?"

Cecil snapped at her, "Watch your mouth. She's marrying your brother."

"What did I get wrong? Raymond's a big manager, he's got this gorgeous place, he's good-looking too. He could have any woman he wants."

"She's stingy and sour every single day, gets on my last nerve. She just doesn't want us living here, that's all. Raymond already said as long as I'm happy, I can stay my whole life."

Yvette's shrill voice carried through the whole living room, not bothering to hide one ounce of her contempt for me.

And my wonderful fiance didn't say a word in my defense. He only laughed lightly.

"Right, right, Yvette can stay as long as she likes. I promised you a big house when we were kids, and I'm not going back on it now."

Another smack of a kiss, and a burst of laughter.

I tilted my lips up and slowly closed my eyes. Raymond, this is the last chance I'm giving you.

After dark, the attic door slammed open. Raymond charged in, beside himself, roaring at me.

"Melanie Swanson, why the hell did you change the PIN on the Regent Hotel card behind my back? Give it to me, now. Katherine and everyone's sitting there waiting for me to pay the bill."