8
At his declaration, Jax’s father, Caleb’s father, and Aiden’s father, along with skylar’s father, all looked utterly distraught. Aiden’s
mother sobbed until she gasped, then completely collapsed into unconsciousness.
The wail of ambulances filled the air. All those who had fainted were rushed to the hospital. My engagement party with Liam, desp- ite this unexpected interlude, was not ruined; it continued as planned. Under the watchful eyes of my father and the Sterling family,
Liam and I exchanged our tokens of commitment.
Just as Liam was about to slide the diamond engagement ring onto my finger, a familiar voice echoed from outside the hall: “Will- ow! You can’t marry him!” I looked up. Aiden stood there, but he was far from his usual arrogant self. His face was a canvas of brui- ses, blood streamed from his nose, and several front teeth were missing. My father roared at him, “You animal! You dare show your face here again! What right do you have to interfere with my daughter’s happiness?!”
Aiden had been beaten by a group of bodyguards as he tried to force his way in to see me. He wiped the blood from his nose, taki- ng one step after another towards me. Just as he was about to reach me, Liam instantly stepped in front of me. The flash of mur- derous intent in Liam’s eyes made Aiden flinch. Aiden, who moments before had seemed to have a thousand words to say, now stammered, hesitant. “Willow, Skylar and I… there’s truly nothing going on. You must have misunderstood!” He was pleading now.
She seduced me, I just couldn’t resist, I just…”
Hearing his excuse, I stepped out from behind Liam and slowly approached Aiden. A sliver of hope flickered in Aiden’s bruised eyes He promised me, “Willow, I’ll never upset you again. It’s all that manipulative snake Skylar’s fault, it’s all her fault!*
But then Skylar suddenly appeared behind Aiden, screaming at him. ‘Aiden, you’re the real scoundrel! You caused my mother to
But then Skylar suddenly appeared behind Aiden, screaming at him. “Aiden, you’re the real scoundrel! You caused my mother to become paralyzed, and my father to kick me out of the house!” She raged on. “You were the one who told me that once you married Willow and inherited her vast fortune, you’d treat her like a trophy wife, nothing more! And now that everything’s exposed, you’re blaming it all on me?!”
Aiden’s face twisted into a snarl, and he lunged at Skylar, slapping her repeatedly, trying to silence her. Seeing the two of them figh- ting, I had the bodyguards separate them and drag them away. As he was being dragged off, Aiden screamed at me, “Willow, even if you marry Liam, you won’t be happy!” “Are you going to be a lonely widow for the rest of your life?!” A bodyguard’s fist connected with Aiden’s jaw, silencing him.
The banquet ended, and the guests dispersed. Liam gently took my hand, his voice soft. “Marrying me, do you… regret it?” I chuckl ed, gently shaking my head. “Compared to those three messing around, I find you far more… whole.” My gaze dropped, subtly taking in Liam. “After all, I have a purity complex. I can’t accept emotional or physical infidelity!” I smiled, my eyes lingering on him. “And you, you are absolutely whole.”
The next second, I was swept effortlessly into his arms. Losing my balance, I instinctively clung to his neck. Liam’s warm breath feathered against my sensitive neck. A surge of raw desire flashed in his eyes as he murmured, his voice husky, “Then tonight, I’ll show you just how whole I truly am!”
