Chapter 9
At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace. Just as Jameson confessed to me and I was about to say yes, a loud, desperate voice broke through the air: “No, Ava, don’t agree to him!”
The sudden interruption caused an uproar among the guests. I looked up and saw Liam, someone I hadn’t seen in days. He stood in a well–tailored suit, but his appearance betrayed his exhaustion. His dark blue eyes, heavy with fatigue, reflected the pain he’d been carrying. He looked as though he were about to rush the stage, oblivious to the consequences.
Jameson instinctively stepped in front of me. I looked at him, my voice calm despite the chaos unfolding around me. “Please, go down first. Don’t make things more uncomfortable for everyone.”
“Ava, come with me,” Liam reached out to grab my hand, desperation in his voice.
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Jameson shoved his hand aside, his voice firm. “Mr. Alexander, please respect yourself. If you don’t, I’ll have to be rude.”
Before things escalated further, my father intervened, having Liam escorted outside. The guests, unfazed, soon forgot the disturbance. Our wedding proceeded as planned – the vows, the ring exchange, the kiss. Everything was perfect.
It wasn’t until the ceremony had ended that I saw Liam again, looking utterly lost. As soon as he spotted me, he rushed forward, his eyes wide with panic. “Ava, tell me this is all a lie!”
“Let’s go back. I’ve planned everything. I was waiting to surprise you,” he pleaded, his voice cracking.
I signaled for Jameson to stay back. “Let me talk to him.”
Jameson’s expression darkened. “Promise me you won’t leave.”
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I couldn’t help but laugh softly. “The wedding‘ s over. Why are you still worried about this?”
I kissed him on the cheek, offering him a reassuring smile. “It‘ ll be fine. Just wait for me here.”
Jameson, looking like a loyal puppy waiting for a treat, nodded, watching me intently.
I turned to face Liam, calm yet resolute. “Liam, I’ve made it clear. We’re over.”
“Now, look around. I’m married, and I have someone I love deeply. Please, let go. Don’t make this harder for me.”
His face went pale, and he shook his head as if refusing to accept the truth. “No, I don’t believe this. You can’t have fallen out of love with me so easily.”
“I know what you‘ re thinking. You must be angry about me being so kind to Evelyn, right?”
He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a
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diamond ring, holding it out toward me. “Look, it’s the ring you‘ ve always loved. I bought it for you.”
I let out a long sigh. “Why bother, Liam? Face the reality. See this ring?” I extended my hand to show him the diamond Jameson had designed just for me. “This is from the man who has loved me with his whole heart for eight years. Why should I give that up for you?”
“You and I, we were together for five years. How much of that time did you truly love me?” I looked at him with a mixture of
sorrow and resolve.
“You said you wanted me back, but why? So you could keep wavering between me and Evelyn? When I was in love with you, you were with her, treating me like I didn’t matter.”
“I sacrificed everything for you. I left home for five years, isolated from my family. I even gave up my health, silently bearing the pain and grief.”
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“Liam, did you ever truly love me?”
eyes
The words hit him like a punch. His watered, and all the hurtful things he had done to me came rushing back, raw and undeniable.
