He Gave Her Red Heels, I Quit Our Engagement

Chapter 2

My hands shook so badly I almost dropped the phone.

Tears hit the screen, and I opened the text message underneath, a charge of 12,800 dollars at a women's shoe boutique downtown. Exactly the amount on that receipt.

Footsteps approached outside the door. I locked the phone and set it back where it had been.

"Waiting long?" Caleb walked in with a glass of warm water. In his other hand was an orange gift box, his gentle smile.

"Guess what I got you?" He opened it to reveal the latest designer handbag, impossible to find in stores right now. "Early engagement present. Do you like it?"

Once, I would have thrown my arms around him and teased him for spending so much. Now it only felt ridiculous.

"It's beautiful."

He laughed and ruffled my hair. "I'll get you something even better for the wedding. You have plenty to look forward to."

I stared at him, my chest aching so much it hurt to breathe.

'If only none of this were true.'

*****

The next day, I stood in the shoe store's security office, my fingernails digging deep into my palms.

On screen, Caleb had his arm around the girl's waist, leaning down to listen as she whispered in his ear. He took the high heels she was trying on, knelt on one knee, and slipped them onto her feet.

The sales assistant spoke eagerly beside them, and he took her bag from her to hold while she finished. Once she'd bought them, she spun on her toes, her skirt flaring out. Caleb reached out to steady her, his gaze warm and fixed on her.

I checked the date on the footage. That was the night I'd stayed in the lab until dawn rushing to finish a project, so I'd asked for time off early. He'd messaged saying he was working late, and sent a photo of his coffee mug at the office to prove it.

'He'd lied.'

"Sir comes in all the time, Miss Vane," the assistant whispered beside me. "Always spends ages letting her try on every pair."

"Do you have any more of this style in stock?" I asked, my voice frighteningly calm.

She blinked. "We do, but the price—"

"Wrap every pair up for me," I said, cutting her off without hesitation.

I paid, carried six heavy boxes out to the car, and drove home.

*****

Caleb was stirring soup in the kitchen when I walked in.

"Back already?" He stepped out, then froze when he saw the pile of boxes at my feet. "What is all this?" His voice tightened.

I opened one slowly, pulled out the red-soled heels, and held them up. "Pretty? The assistant said this is their most popular design."

His face went pale. "Why buy so many all of a sudden?"

"All of a sudden?" I smiled. "You were the one who said I should wear them, remember?"

He opened his mouth to speak, then looked away, rubbing the edge of the soup bowl nervously.

Silence filled the room.

I stood up and grabbed my coat. "Something's come up at the lab. I have to head in."

"Now?" He looked up sharply, panic in his eyes. "The engagement is tomorrow."

"There's a problem with the data," I said evenly, walking out the door. "I'll be there all night. Don't wait."

I turned the key in the ignition, stepped on the gas, and drove to the location of Star's latest post, an independent fashion show that night.