Chapter 3
Once she processed what she saw, her face twisted, and she scoffed.
“I figured you had some dignity. Thought you’d slink away after realizing Alaric doesn’t love you. But no, you’re still here trying to seduce him? What a shameless little skank! I’ll rip your face off!”
She lunged at me, aiming for my face, but her moves were weak. I slapped her clean across the cheek before she could even touch me.
“Nicole! You hit me? Alaric’s gonna ruin your pretty little face!” Amara shricked.
I crossed my arms and watched her lose her mind. “Aw, thanks. I am definitely prettier than you.”
Right after I said that she dropped to her knees out of nowhere and started slapping herself.
“Nicole, call me pathetic, call me blind. I was the fool who begged to marry Alaric. Just don’t ruin the wedding. You can kill me afterward if
you want.”
I was still trying to figure out what she was doing when… Bam! A vicious kick came flying at me.
“Nicole! Are you just ignoring everything I said? How dare you bully Amara!”
Alaric came at me, fury written all over his face. That kick could’ve crushed half my ribs if it landed.
口
So what was I to him, really?
Just a guard dog, he fed weapons to? Something to use, yell at, and beat down once I wasn’t useful anymore?
I barely dodged in time, but the movement twisted my ankle in my heels. Pain shot up my leg, but I forced myself to look at him.
Alaric rushed over to lift Amara up. His eyes were cold until he saw my face.
For a split second, something lit up in his gaze. But then his voice. came out cold as ever.
“Nicole, no matter how pretty you try to look, you’ll never come close to Amara, not even a little.”
Amara clung to his arm, snilling.
“Alaric,Nicole forced it out of me. I didn’t mean to spill the wedding secret. I’m so sorry.”
Alaric pulled her into his arms like she was made of glass. His voice turned soft, warm. “It’s nothing. No one’s blaming you.”
I let out a bitter laugh.
A second ago, he was threatening to kill anyone who leaked wedding details.
Now? She lets the whole thing slip, and suddenly it’s “no big deal.”
(She could do no wrong in front of him. She was untouchable. Cherished. And me? I must’ve been the fool.
“So you’re really going to marry her?” I asked, locking eyes with
Chapter 3
Alaric.
I needed to hear it from him. I needed to see how he’d try to explain.
Maybe he’d look guilty and panicked and ask me to forgive him–tell me it wasn’t what it looked like.
But Alaric just frowned, totally unfazed.
“Yeah. The wedding’s tomorrow. You can come if you want. But don’t make a scene, Nicole. Don’t make me get physical with you.”
And just like that, whatever tiny hope I had left for him was gone.
Turns out it was never ‘not the right time‘ to marry me. It was just me who wasn’t the right person.
Now that it’s Amara, everything magically works out, even if danger’s closing in from all sides.
He didn’t just forget me–he had the nerve to offer me a front–row seat to their big day.
How can someone be this cruel?
I bit down on my lip, forcing back tears, choking out a bitter word. “Get out.”
But Amara just kept pushing it.
“Alaric, I don’t know many people here. I was hoping Nicole could be our bridesmaid. But I didn’t want to offend her.
Watching her act timidly and considerately made Alaric soften. He turned to me with that commanding tone of his. “Nicole, you already ‘know we’re getting married. Being a bridesmaid isn’t a big deal. You’re
not gonna make a fuss over that, right?”
“I don’t want to see either of you. Get. Out.”
That was it. I snapped. I grabbed the nearest stick from the corner and chased them out.
+
0828
