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Chapter 20: A War of Hearts

Author: Lisa k. Smith
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-14 19:33:25

Alistair, you ought never to have kissed her.

With narrowed eyes and a deadly smile curling her lips, Evangeline stood at the threshold. Her voice clearly carried malice, and the strain between them was strong enough to cut right through. When Belle saw Evangeline, her stomach turned like a sharp knife pressed to the incision Alistair had just opened in her heart.

"You'll regret this," Evangeline said in a whisper but with great force.

Alistair stiffly stood; his jaw tightened. "It's not your concern, Evangeline," he shot, his voice slicing across the room like a razor. You never will and you do not own me.

Alistair's voice was frigid, meant for Evangeline rather than Belle at this point, yet the words hung thick in the air, as though he were attempting to persuade himself more than anybody else. Anger, uncertainty, frustration, a tsunami of feeling, pounded Belle through. She had never felt this exposed, this vulnerable in front of anyone, and most definitely not in front of Alis
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