“Why aren’t you a coward anymore?” Waylen asks furiously, “I think you liked it. I think you prefer these strange men.”
“What pointless jealousy,” Leilani thinks.
Leilani doesn’t want to argue with him. She takes the photo, places it facedown on the table, and tries to stand up. Waylen wraps his arms tightly around her waist, preventing her from moving. Robert returns to the room with the Peters’ maids, Leilani’s sisters and some other women Leilani doesn’t recognize. Bodyguards follow Robert into the room, wheeling a metallic blackboard between them.
“What are you trying to do?” Leilani asks confusedly.
“Why has he asked so many people to come to his room?” she wonders, “I hope Waylen isn’t going to do something dangerous or reckless again. I’m tired of his games.”
Robert gathers the photos from the coffee table and attaches them to the board with magnets. Then he grabs an instant camera and points it at Waylen. Waylen flashes a dazzling smile at the camera, causing the women to giggle and whisper admiringly amongst themselves.
“Try to learn what’s handsome,” Waylen says as he raises his chin.
Leilani has nothing to say, and she fights the urge to roll her eyes as Robert puts the photo of Waylen on the blackboard.
“Okay ladies, please pick look at these photos and tell me which man you think is the most handsome,” Robert says, “I’d appreciate it if you explain the reasons for your choice as well.”
“Why are you so childish?” Leilani hisses, “They’re just some old photos I forgot to throw out. What’s wrong with you?”
“I want to know why you were so dedicated to taking photos of such ugly men,” Waylen responds, “And I want you to learn what features make a man truly handsome because you seem confused.”
“So you’re forcing all these people to say you’re handsome?” Leilani asks disgustedly, “Stop being so immature and just let them go.”
“No way,” Waylen says.
Leilani feels the blood rushing to her face, but she presses her lips together and remains silent. The maids and her sisters approach the board one by one and take magnets from Robert. They giggle and stick the magnets below the picture of the man they find most handsome. Most of the women choose Waylen.
“Mr. Bamford is indeed the most handsome man I’ve ever seen,” giggles one woman, “He has beautiful eyes, perfect lips, and a noble nose. The men in the other pictures are very ugly. You can’t even compare them to Mr. Bamford.”
“Mr. Bamford has a great body and he’s very handsome,” says one maid with a blush, “All in all, he is perfect.”
Vanessa and Janetta Peters even curse and disparage the other men. They compare Waylen to a god or an angel. Leilani smiles coldly at the proceedings.
“Well, there you have it, Waylen,” Leilani sneers, “According to all these women, you’re the most handsome man, and no one can compare with you. Are you happy now?”
“Their praise can’t compare with yours,” Waylen whispers back, a sudden intensity in his voice.
“You’re crazy,” Leilani says.
“If Waylene asks me to do it, I must find a way to say that I find him unattractive,” Leilani thinks stubbornly.
“I just want you to learn to have good taste,” Waylen says arrogantly.
Leilani glares at him. She wants to rip the photo of him in half.
“Miss Gabrielle, it’s your turn,” Robert urges.
Gabrielle is the last woman to place her magnet. She holds the magnet gently and studies each photo carefully. Vanessa and Janetta stand behind her and watch her coldly.
“Do you really need to look at them all so closely?” Vanessa asks, “Obviously, Waylen is the most handsome.”
Gabrielle glances at Waylen anxiously and then looks back at the photos in front of her. Finally, she stops in front of one of the photos and places her magnet on the board.
“I think he’s handsome,” she whispers.
Waylen kicks the coffee table and the women gasp. Gabrielle has chosen another man. Even though Waylen gave her a generous gift, she chose another man. Waylen looks at the photo through squinted eyes and decides that the other man is ugly and short.
Leilani is equally confused by Gabrielle’s choice. Her little sister hates disagreement and usually matches her views to the most popular opinion. She’s shocked that Gabriel would be so bold.
“Besides,” Leilani thinks, “The man in the picture doesn’t seem very handsome.”
“Do you think he’s more handsome than me?” Waylen Bamford asks.
He makes an impatient gesture and Robert brings him the man’s photo.
“Different people have different tastes,” Leilani says, trying to assuage her husband’s rage.
Waylen glances furiously at Leilani before turning to Gabrielle.
“Tell me!” Waylen barks impatiently.
Gabrielle suddenly becomes anxious and uncertain. She looks back and forth between Waylen and Leilani and tries to figure out what she’s supposed to say.
“Brother-in-law, you are very handsome,” she stutters, “But you are my elder sister’s husband, and it doesn’t seem right to look at you that way.”
The answer seems to pacify Waylen, and Leilani exhales a quiet sigh of relief. Robert squints at the photo, examining it more closely. He gasps inadvertently and Waylen turns to give him a questioning look.
“Mr. Bamford, this photo shows Mr. Clifford,” Robert says, pointing at the image.
“Is this really Mr. Clifford?” Waylen asks Leilani.
The photo shows a young man sitting in the shade of a large tree, casually chewing a straw. Though the image is small, it’s unmistakably Andrew Clifford. Andrew has his head turned toward the camera and he’s smiling as if he’s just noticed that someone is taking the photo. Waylen feels anger and betrayal pierce through is the chest.
“Leilani lied to me,” he thinks, “She clearly knew Andrew Clifford before. Maybe they even dated.”
Leilani is equally surprised to see the picture of Andrew. She looks at Waylen and sees that his face has gone livid.
“I don’t know why he’s in the picture,” she said honestly, “I have no memory of ever taking that photo.”
“I swear to God, Leilani, you better not be lying to me. If you are, everyone will suffer,” Waylen threatens darkly.
He commands Robert and the bodyguards to search the villa for other evidence of a relationship between Andrew and Leilani.
“Everyone?” Leilani asks.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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