Get married to the rightful Bride.

Evelyn's POV

My phone slipped from my fingers, hitting the floor with a loud, sickening thud.

That sound… it echoed like a gunshot in the silence.

His head snapped toward me, his eyes locking onto mine, and for a second just a second I saw concern flicker there. But I wasn’t going to wait around for whatever came next. My instincts screamed louder than reason. I turned and ran my legs carrying me faster than my mind could catch up straight into my room. The door slammed behind me, and I twisted the lock with shaking fingers, my breath ragged.

Then came the banging.

“Open the damn door!” he roared from the other side. The door rattled with each pound of his fist. “Open it now or I swear I’ll break it down!”

I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I crumbled onto the bed like a broken doll, face buried in the sheets as my chest heaved with quiet sobs. I wanted to disappear. Just vanish.

What was I thinking? What did I expect some kind of miracle? That he’d come like a knight and save me, wrap his arms around me, and say he cared? I was so stupid. So damn stupid for hoping he’d see through the walls I’d built and actually give a damn.

Then, just as I was slipping into that numb silence, my phone buzzed on the floor.

I picked it up. The caller ID made my stomach drop.

It was him. The voice behind the threats.

His voice blared through the speaker, cold and menacing. “Make sure you call him tonight. Play your part. If you don’t hold up your end of the deal, your life won’t be the only one in danger. You know he doesn’t care about you. I’ll be watching. You and your mother.”

My breath hitched. My mom.

No one… no one was supposed to know about her.

“How ” I started to ask, but the line went dead before I could finish. I sat there, stunned, staring at the screen like it could give me answers.

My heart was pounding now, drumming so loud I could barely hear myself think. I clutched the phone so tightly it might’ve shattered in my palm. Pacing the room, I tried to make sense of it all of who this man was, how he knew about her. He's dangerous. How the heck did I get myself into this mess?

Then I noticed the banging had stopped. Silence.

Maybe he gave up.

Maybe he didn’t care enough to keep trying.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to do what had to be done.

With trembling fingers, I dialed Louis’ number with the blackmailing phone. He picked up immediately, his tone sharp and full of irritation.

“You again,” he snapped.

I steadied my voice the best I could. “I let her go today. But this isn’t over. You need to divorce her… and marry her sister. The one who was supposed to be your bride. You have one month. If not…” I paused, my throat dry, “...prepare for the worst.”

He was silent. And I couldn’t bear to hear his voice again. I ended the call before he could respond.

It felt like someone had ripped my heart out of my chest and thrown it in my face.

Maybe this was the right thing. Letting go. Letting fate do what it wants.

Maybe she was always supposed to be the one. Not me.

I collapsed back on my bed. This time, the tears didn’t come gently they flooded. I cried like my heart was breaking, because it was.

Because despite everything… I loved him.

And he never even looked at me like I mattered.

Somewhere between crying and trying to breathe, I drifted off. But the sound of my alarm yanked me back. I jolted upright, eyes wide, heart still heavy.

The clock flashed. I was late.

“Shit!” I scrambled off the bed, frantically reaching for my clothes, rushing to get ready.

As I stood in front of the mirror, brushing through the tangles in my hair, I couldn’t recognize the girl staring back at me.

She looked tired. Broken.

But still standing.

And somehow, that had to be enough.

For today.

I stepped out of the room slowly, hoping praying that Louis had already left. I couldn’t bear to see him. Not after what I saw. My stomach twisted just thinking about him. He was a demon.

My footsteps were quiet against the floor. Just a few more steps and I’d be gone.

But then arms.

Strong. Familiar. Unwelcome.

Someone yanked me into a suffocating hug, one so tight it stole the breath right out of my lungs. My heart pounded against my ribs like it was trying to escape. My eyes met his face.

Louis.

No. No. No.

I squirmed, tried to shove him away, but he wouldn’t let go. His grip only tightened.

"How are you doing? Are you okay? I couldn’t come yesterday, I’m sorry," he said, his voice soft too soft for someone who had broken me. But I didn’t care for his apologies. I pushed him off with more force this time, my fury bubbling to the surface. I turned away, but he ran after me, caught my wrist, held on like he had some right to me.

"Hope that bastard didn’t hurt you? I was so worried," he said, looking at me with those fake concerned eyes that used to make me feel safe.

Worried?

I nearly laughed except it wasn’t funny. It was insulting.

Worried, when I saw his lips on hers? Worried, when I heard the sounds coming from our bedroom our home as he kissed and probably slept with another woman?

I couldn’t take it. My blood boiled. My fingers trembled as I pulled out my iPad. The words poured out of me with a speed that came only from pain.

Do you take me for a fool?

You didn’t care. It’s so obvious.

You were home, kissing and having sex with another woman

in our home.

I hit send and shoved the screen in his face, my chest heaving. He stared at it, frozen. Good. Let it sink in.

I turned to leave again, needing to breathe, to feel something that wasn’t heartbreak but again, he pulled me back.

“Why do you do this?” he asked, his voice cracking. “You never give me a chance to care about you.”

I blinked.

A chance?.

He kept talking. “I’ll have my secret assistant dig up the person who’s been calling and blackmailing me. We should go to the station. Do you remember their face?”

My breath caught.

Panic.

The words hit me like cold water.

What was this?

Why now?

Am I going to get caught?

My pulse raced as I stared at him, the guilt clawing at my insides.