Chapter 17
Chapter 17
“Avery, I was wrong. I know you’re angry, but can you please not punish me like this?”
“And that Lucas, do you really believe he wants to marry you out of love? He’s just trying to please Grandpa by marrying you. With his position, why would he settle for being your ‘rebound‘ ?”
My chest tightened.
I’d always found Lucas‘ feelings for me hard to read, but I had never considered this.
But… when I first agreed to marry him, wasn‘ t I using him too?
“Avery, please come back with me. I swear,
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I’ll never look at another woman again.”
William reached for both of my hands, unable
to hold back.
His fingers were cold against my skin.
I glanced down and noticed the couple‘ s rings, ones I hadn’t even realized were gone, back on his fingers.
Seeing my gaze, he quickly pulled a woman’s ring from his pocket.
“Avery, look, I’ve brought our engagement ring. Let me put it back on for you, okay?”
Before I could even respond, he grabbed my finger, ready to slip the ring back into place.
I yanked my hand away.
Looking up, I stared coldly at him.
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“William, you say Lucas is only kind to me because of Grandpa, but knowing how much Grandpa values me, how could you treat me this way? Why?”
“I…..”
“Even if Lucas is using me, I’m okay with
it.”
I enunciated each word carefully, “And Grandpa has already set the wedding date. He promised me that if you keep harassing me, he’ll sever all ties with you.”
William, already shaky on his feet, staggered noticeably.
“Impossible.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “Grandpa
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“William, you say Lucas is only kind to me because of Grandpa, but knowing how much Grandpa values me, how could you treat me this way? Why?”
“I…..”
“Even if Lucas is using me, I’m okay with it.”
I enunciated each word carefully, “And Grandpa has already set the wedding date. He promised me that if you keep harassing me, he’ll sever all ties with you.”
William, already shaky on his feet, staggered noticeably.
“Impossible.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “Grandpa
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would never allow you to marry my uncle. We’ve been engaged, we’re close…”
I interrupted him impatiently. “William, go marry your Amanda.”
“No!”
He shouted, his agitation clear. “She‘ s good for nothing but to vent my frustrations. I could never marry her. Not in this lifetime!”
“William, how could you say that about me?”
Before he could finish, a frantic voice suddenly rang out from nearby.
It was Amanda.
She didn’t look much better than William.
Normally composed, her face now appeared
Chapter 17
unrecognizable, unmade–up, with bruises
marring her skin and dark marks that spoke of rage and anguish.
Tears streaked her face, smudging the makeup that was left, leaving her looking almost grotesque.
She pointed at me, her eyes welling with
more tears.
“William, you clearly called her dull, like a piece of wood, annoying! You swore you‘ d love me forever…”
“Shut up!”
In a sudden, explosive outburst, William raised his hand and slapped her hard,
sending her sprawling to the ground.
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Amanda screamed, her sobs louder now,
echoing in the tense air.
I didn’t want to bear witness to their bitter fight any longer.
I turned to leave.
But just as I stepped away, Amanda scrambled to her feet, lunging at me with surprising speed.
“Avery, I won’t let you walk away from this!”
99%
I spun around just in time to catch a flash of the knife in her hand, its blade gleaming under the light.
Before I could even react, William yanked me into his arms, spinning us both away from the
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danger.
The knife found its mark, plunging into his
arm.
A collective gasp of horror rippled through
the crowd.
I froze, my eyes locked on the blood soaking through William‘ s sleeve. Only then did the full weight of the moment hit me—he had
taken the blow for me.
A passerby quickly restrained Amanda; the knife ripped from her grip.
Yet William still held me close, his grip unyielding despite the pain.
His brows were furrowed in pain, sweat dampening his forehead as he gasped,
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“Avery, are you okay…”
