The CEO's Hidden Love: Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires novel Chapter 677

"Holy smokes."

Jeffrey had to stifle the curse before it slipped past his lips.

Well, Derek was still there now. His desperate gaze flicked to Karen.

Karen reached over, taking the grocery bags from Jeffrey's hand, and said to Derek, "Dad, Jeffrey's got a call from work. Let's head upstairs."

"Well, sure," Derek wasn't born yesterday, but if his daughter didn't make a fuss, neither would he. He followed her up the stairs.

Only when they were out of earshot did Jeffrey turn his glare on Paige.

"Are you nuts? I've been avoiding you like the plague, isn't that clear enough?"

He had never met such a clingy ex. To think she'd actually show up outside Karen's parents' place.

"I tried reaching out through friends, but you wouldn't answer. I had no choice but to look up that woman you're with." Paige's voice wavered, unable to say 'fiancée', her vision blurring with tears. "Jeffrey, you said you'd never marry. You lied to me."

He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, grabbed a pack from his car, and tapped out a cigarette. "Met someone who changed my mind. What, I need your approval now?"

"When you broke up with me, wasn't it because I wanted to get married and you didn't? All this time, I convinced myself that we split because we were different. You were a bachelor for life. I told myself to let go, to stop thinking about you, and then you turn around and propose to her?"

Jeffrey wasn't interested in her roundabout complaints. He focused on his smoke, and when she finally stopped talking, he said nonchalantly, "Yeah, I'm marrying her."

"And what about me?"

"An ex, what else?"