Year Five The Perfect Goodbye Plan novel Chapter 86

“Why are you apologizing? None of this is your fault.”

When Kent looked at her, the chill in his eyes faded, replaced by a gentle smile. He reached out and softly ruffled Silvia’s hair. “Honestly, I’m glad that in a moment of trouble, I was the first person you thought of.”

Did this mean Silvia was starting to trust him? The thought struck Kent, and he couldn’t help but imagine the possibilities.

Seeing how much better his mood was, Silvia hesitated, the explanation she’d prepared dying on her lips.

Maybe he was simply too much of a gentleman, and that’s why he thought it was only natural for her to turn to her fiancé for help.

But Silvia couldn’t quite forget about Nannie. She pushed aside the fleeting sense of loss that rose in her chest.

“Your makeup’s smudged,” Kent said, noticing Silvia still seemed down. Assuming she was thinking about Shipley, he deftly changed the subject and picked up the lipstick from the vanity.

One hand gently tilted Silvia’s chin, while the other, careful and precise, applied the color to her lips.

A deeper smile curved Kent’s lips. Silvia stared at him, momentarily dazed.

If she was honest, Kent was even more handsome than Shipley. When he wasn’t smiling, he seemed cold and aloof, almost unreachable. But when he did smile, it was like a warm wind in early spring, melting away the last traces of winter.

Silvia blinked, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“First time putting lipstick on a woman,” Kent said lightly. “Don’t judge me.”

They looked at their reflection in the mirror, standing so close their bodies brushed. The air between them was thick with an unspoken intimacy.

Silvia pressed her lips together, then laughed. “Not bad. Looks like you’ve got some hidden talents.”

Whatever gloom had lingered in her heart melted away, driven out by Kent’s easy touch.

At eleven o’clock, the engagement party officially began.

Nerves tangled her thoughts until Lola gently placed her hand in Kent’s. The warm strength of his grip brought her back to the present.

She looked up at the tall, striking man in front of her. Meeting his calm, steady gaze, her worries eased.

Maybe there was no point in worrying about the future, Silvia realized. As Kent had promised her on the phone, she needed to trust him.

With two of the city’s most powerful families united, no one dared say a word against the match—everyone hurried to offer their congratulations, afraid to be the last.

The ballroom was filled with laughter and light, the air buzzing with good wishes.

Suddenly, the doors—left slightly ajar—swung open. A young woman in a pristine white dress stepped inside. She was lovely, almost ethereal, her smile sweet but her eyes fixed on Kent, filled with sorrow.

“Kent,” she called softly, her voice trembling, “why didn’t you tell me you were getting engaged today?”