The Exception Read Online Free

basically it. Today was my wedding day and I ran.”
    “If you never loved him, why did you accept his proposal?”
    “Because I had no choice. He was my fiancé since I was a child. Planned by my parents and his. He was the one I had to marry.”
    “Wait a minute.” He shook his head. “Was this an arranged marriage?”
    I laughed. “If you really stop to think about it, I guess it was. His parents and my parents have been best friends since they were teenagers. He is the heir to his father’s law firm and I am the daughter of the prestigious Donald Bell of DB Simpson & Co.”
    “You mean one of the largest global financial firms, DB Simpson & Co?”
    “Yep. That’s the one.”
    “Wow. Oh boy. Wow.”
    “See. You’re speechless.”
    “Not really. I mean, why would you marry someone you’re not in love with? I just don’t understand why you didn’t say something before the wedding.”
    “Because I never had any control over my own life. From the day I was born, my life had already been planned out. Where I would go to school, who my friends would be, who I could and could not socialize with, and my career. Shit. I don’t even want to be a lawyer.”
    “I take it you’re an only child?”
    “Yeah. Well, sort of. That’s another story.” I shook my head.
    Drew looked at his watch. “We have a couple of hours left.”
    “Thanks, but I don’t really want to talk about it. It’s just that I never was allowed to make my own decisions. My mom and Grant’s mom planned the entire wedding. I didn’t have a say in anything, not even my wedding dress. The one I wanted wasn’t expensive enough and my mother said it made me look fat. So she picked the dress she liked and I just agreed to it. I didn’t care and I didn’t have any fight in me. Going against my parents was a losing battle.”
    “And now?” he asked.
    “I guess you could say I snapped.” I gave a small smile. “I don’t know who I am, Drew. Every time I look in a mirror, I see a total stranger staring back at me.”
    “So you’re going to Hawaii. Why?” He cocked his head.
    “I needed to escape and what better place than Hawaii. I’m starting my life over and, little by little, I’m going to find out who Jillian Bell really is.”
    The corners of his mouth curved upwards. “Good for you.”
    “Thanks. It’s really liberating.”
    “So what about your parents and Grant?”
    “Who knows and who cares? I don’t think he even loved me anyway. He was a cheater and a liar. Hell, his bachelor party was last weekend in Vegas and he slept with two strippers at the same time.” I looked down.
    “Ouch. What a dick. I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be. I’m not. I’m feeling really tired from that whole turbulence experience. I’m going to try and get some sleep. So, would you wake me if I’m still sleeping when the plane lands?” I bit down on my bottom lip.
    “Of course I will, and if you need my shoulder to lie on, it’s available.”
    “Thanks, but the window is fine.”
    I propped the pillow against the window and laid my head down against it.

Chapter Five
    Drew
     
    Wow, her story really hit a spot in my heart and I felt sorry for her. I could feel her pain as she talked about leaving her fiancé at the altar, and her parents, shit, I couldn’t imagine growing up like that. Just as we were about to land, Jillian opened her eyes and looked around.
    “We’ll be landing in a couple of minutes. I can’t believe I’m landing in Hawaii in the dark.” I smirked.
    “You had to have known when you booked the flight,” she spoke.
    “This wasn’t my original flight. My other flight was delayed due to mechanical issues and then it got cancelled. This is the flight they put me on. I was supposed to arrive around three thirty pm, not nine fifty pm.”
    “This was the only flight that had first class available when I booked it.”
    “And when did you book this flight?” I asked.
    “Two weeks ago. It was a backup, just in case.