Chapter 10
Fiona suddenly kneeled before me, her face crumpled with guilt.
“Lauren, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have fought with you over your brother and Noah. Please, don’t force me anymore. I’m not like you. You were born with everything, pampered and never worried about food or clothes. But I…”
“Enough! I don’t want to hear this anymore!” My brother snapped, cutting her off, fury blazing in his eyes.
These exact words had been repeated a thousand times since Fiona entered the Hartley Family. She would squeeze out a few fake tears every time and the whole family would rush to comfort her, scolding me. But this time, no one believed her
anymore.
Fiona, desperate, turned to Noah.
“Noah, you‘ re my fiancé! How can you
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just stand by and watch them treat me like
this? You promised you’d love me and protect me forever!”
‘Noah, disgusted, pulled his hand away
from hers and slapped her hard across the face.
“Enough! You’re the one who ruined the Hartley Family! You hid the truth and you pushed Lauren out of our lives! Fiona, how could you be so cruel? Both the Hartley Family and I have treated you well!”
Watching them rage, Davian chuckled softly.
“This is too much to bear? What would you say if you saw her true nature–how she plotted against Lauren with her deceitful and ugly face?”
Neither my brother nor Noah could find a response to Davian’s words. They merely looked at me, tears streaming down their faces as they muttered apologies.
“We didn’t know, Lauren. We had no
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idea. She tricked us. We only thought it was her who was supposed to marry into the Sinclair Family, so we were trying to make it up to her.
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“The three of us grew up together. I’m your brother’s best friend and your fiancé, your childhood sweetheart. The person we’ve always loved is you.’
,,
My brother nodded repeatedly, joining Noah in speaking of his love for me.
I let out a cold laugh and stretched out my hand, showing them the scars that marred my skin.
“This is your love for me?” I asked bitterly. “Don’t forget–you were the ones who threw me out of the Hartley Family, who destroyed our engagement.”
“I’ve paid back everything I owe you. You’ve seen the contract. Now, I have nothing to do with the Hartley Family anymore. I never want to see either of you again because you don’t deserve my
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forgiveness.”
Seeing my resolve, they were left speechless, as if struck by lightning. They couldn’t find a single word to argue back.
At first, their love had been confirmed. But the bias and cruelty that followed had been actual, too.
Over the years, I have given them countless chances. But each time, they chose Fiona and pushed me aside. The most
unforgivable thing in this world is betrayal. They tried to say something more, but Davian instructed the bodyguards to throw them out. They made several attempts to force their way back in, but each time they were repelled.
I stood on the upper floor, watching as they turned on each other, watched them accuse and blame each other. In the end, they vented all their anger at Fiona.
“Lauren, don‘ t pity them. They brought this on themselves. I’ll make sure to
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investigate Hartley Lao‘ s death to the very end for you.”
I pulled the curtains closed, shutting out the chaos outside. It no longer mattered to me. Instead, I turned my head to Davian and seriously asked, “Davian Sinclair, do you like me?”
He had done so much for me, far beyond
the bounds of obligation.
“How could that be…” Davian, he replied, turning his head arrogantly, but the telltale flush on the tips of his ears betrayed him.
I couldn’t hold back a laugh.
Flustered from being caught, Davian‘ s frustration flared. He grabbed my head and kissed me, his lips claiming mine in a passionate, lingering kiss.
Afterward, he told me an unknown story.
It turned out that he had already liked me when he was sixteen. He had even written
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a love letter and entrusted it to my brother to deliver. But my brother had turned
around and handed it to Noah instead. The two of them had teamed up to mock him. mercilessly. Davian had never let it go and their antics ignited our families‘ feud.
When he finished the story, his stubborn streak surfaced again as he slipped the Sinclair Family heirloom ring onto my finger.
an “Lauren, three years isn’t enough to
settle this debt. I want you to pay it back with your whole life.”
I held his hand gently, nodding in
agreement.
Da
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“I’m willing.
The past was painful to look back on. But fortunately, the rest of my life could be spent with the right person.
(The End)
