Chapter 68
With a pitiful look, Addison whispered, “I’m the one who upset her. Even if she had someone ruin my reputation, I shouldn’t have barged into her birthday party like that. What if she tells Mr. Rodgers something and cuts off your allowances? I’d hate to drag you all down because of me.“%
Her voice broke into sobs, and the guilt in her tone immediately darkened the expressions of the three men around her.
The thing they hated most was being reminded that they were, at the end of the day, living under someone else’s roof.
Darren’s face turned cold. “I’ve got two hands and two feet. Even if she cuts me off, I’ll survive.”>
Melvin patted Addison gently on the head, trying to calm her, and coaxed, “Don’t worry. Audrey can’t run their business by herself. Sooner or later, she’ll come crawling back, begging the three of us to help her run their company.”
He added with a sneer, “You didn’t ruin anything. If she hadn’t tried to mess with you in the first place, none of this would’ve happened. She’s the one to blame.”
To them, all that had happened was Audrey losing face at her own party. They didn’t stop to think about the bigger consequences.
Feeling uneasy, Melvin finally pulled out his phone and sent Audrey a message.§
[You went too far today. There’s no need to throw your life away by marrying a useless cripple. If you just apologize to Addison, I’ll still marry you.]
In his mind, he pictured her lighting up with joy the second she read his message.}
But when he saw the notification on his screen, his smile disappeared.}
She didn’t just deleted him as a friend. She’d block him, too.
Audrey’s POV
The second half of my birthday party took everyone’s breath away. Dozens of helicopters flew over the venue, raining down pink roses worth millions.”
From within the sea of petals, Luke, his expression cool and composed, was carefully wheeled out of one of the choppers.
He started making his way toward me, eyes filled with something gentle and steady.§
My father’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What’s he doing here?!“}]
The guests were just as stunned.
Sure, they called him a cripple, a man ruined by his accident, but they hadn’t forgotten who he really was. Luke Davidson, the sole heir of the most powerful family in Washington, D.C..
If not for the Davidsons’s insistence on marrying someone of equal status, he probably would’ve been married off years ago. Probably had numerous ladies lining up to propose to him even.§
Afetr all, the Davidsons were old money, the kind of legacy that had ruled Washington, D.C.’s upper crust for generations.”
Meanwhile, we, despite our wealth, were new money – flashy, but without depth.
As such, everyone assumed I’d end up just another trophy wife, a pretty face in a forgotten marriage. They were convinced the Davidsons wouldn’t take this engagement seriously.”
And yet, Luke smiled and said, “How could the groom not show up to his own engagement party? Hope I’m not too late.”
He then took out a bouquet of freshly flown–in Bulgarian roses in front of me, and held them there, waiting for me to take them.
I didn’t let him stand there awkwardly. With a bright smile, I reached out and accepted the bouquet.
“You’re right on time.“#
For the first time in years, the chill that always lingered between his brows melted away. He looked almost warm. Not just to me, but to everyone in the room.
That kind of tenderness, for someone known to be ruthless, left everyone in stunned silence.
Before his accident, Luke was infamous for being a cold–blooded tyrant. Afterward, he became even more distant, even cutting ties with his own father without blinking.
Just as I took his hand, Melvin appeared again at the entrance, his face stormy.
His return didn’t go unnoticed. Many of the guests began whispering.
“Did Melvin come back to fix things?”
“Probably realized he acted out of anger. Looks like he’s here to win her back.“%
“He and Miss Rodgers grew up together. They’re childhood sweethearts. So, if he apologizes, she would surely break off this engagement with Davidsons ”
Before I could react, Luke’s grip on my hand tightened slightly}
His face remained calm, but his eyes told a very different story 2
