Ethan staggered to his feet, his lips curling into a sneer as he watched Nathan’s protective grip on my waist.
“Real classy, Emily,” he spat. “Bringing your new boytoy to do your dirty work. Still the same entitled little princess, I see.”
Jessica piped up with fake sympathy, putting on that sickly–sweet voice she always used around him. “Maybe you should calm down, Emily. You’re just making things worse – you know how Ethan gets when he’s mad.”
Unbelievable. As if he wasn’t the one who cheated first–even fathered a child behind my back.
And now I was the unreasonable one? I was the one being childish?
My fists clenched as I glared at Ethan.
“Get out. The only reason I didn’t drag your family through the mud over your affair was out
of respect for how you once helped my mother. But don’t mistake my silence for forgiveness.”
Ethan’s smirk deepened as he pulled Jessica into his arms.
“You’d dare drag my family into this?” he challenged. “Fine, Emily. I’ll give you one last chance–either accept Jessica, marry me, and live peacefully…”
“Or we end things here. No coming back this time.”
The arrogance was unbelievable. After everything, he still expected me to come crawling back like some pathetic groupie waiting for his attention. Like I was still that naive girl who’d put up
with his bullshit.
Nathan’s arm tightened around me as he spoke, his voice icy.
“Save the dramatic exit, Ethan. Our families already sent out the engagement announcements yesterday.”
Ethan’s face darkened. He snatched out. his phone, scrolling through his family group chat- now flooded with messages demanding explanations about our called–off wedding.
His eyes snapped back to me, disbelief flashing across his face.
–
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6.02%
“Emily, you-‘
I signaled for the boutique attendant, cutting him off.
“Mr. Caldwell will cover the damages for the ruined gown,” I said smoothly.
“Wouldn’t want him making a scene over nothing.”
With that, I changed out of the wedding dress and left with Nathan.
But Ethan wasn’t done. He caught my arm outside, his grip bruising.
“Since when do you get to change fiancés, Emily?” he hissed. “How long have you sneaking around with him?”
been
I twisted my arm free and cracked him across the face – the sound echoing through the
boutique.
“At least I don’t fuck my assistants,” I spat.
My phone blew up with calls and texts from Ethan for hours afterward. I blocked his number
before the car even pulled out of the parking lot.
Yet the next day, he showed up at the Harper residence–with Evelyn and Jessica in tow.
Since my mother’s passing, only my grandmother and I remained in the family home.
Grandma Dorothy suffered from dementia, her memories fragmented–but she never forgot
how Ethan had once saved her daughter.
Now, hearing his twisted version of events–that I was the one abandoning him for another
man–she turned on me in outrage, her cane raised.
Jessica seized the moment to stir the pot.
“Emily, Ethan loved you for five years. How could you just throw that away? Don’t you feel guilty?”
Evelyn’s voice dripped with condescension.
“Darling, you should be grateful my son was willing to marry a woman pushing thirty. The dating pool isn’t kind to…experienced women like yourself.”
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My pulse roared in my temples.
Ethan knew Grandma’s condition. Yet he’d brought them here to manipulate her.
He was disgusting.
Noticing my glare, Ethan adopted a magnanimous tone.
“I know you’re upset about Jessica,” he said. “So here’s my compromise–she’ll live separately after we marry. I’ll only visit the child once a week. Happy now?”
Before I could respond, Grandma frowned.
“Child? What child?”
Jessica beamed. “Mrs. Harper, I had Ethan’s baby!”
Evelyn patted Grandma‘ hand. “Now now, blood is blood. When Emily produces a proper heir, we’ll treat the children equally…within reason.”
Grandma’s expression shattered.
Her cane swung wildly, driving them toward the door.
“OUT! You vile, scheming wretches! You expect my granddaughter to raise your bastard? Over my dead body!”
Her voice shook with fury.
“That life debt you’ve been holding over us? Consider it paid in full. Get out of my house–and
never come back!”
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