All Chapters of Dodged a Bullet: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

"Heath, I want to have a child with you. I know I'm not good enough for you, and I'm not willing to settle for anyone else. Let the child be my companion, someone to walk through the rest of my life with."I slowly woke up in Heath Grant's study, the soft murmurs of a woman's playful tone and a man's heavy breathing in the air.Through the half-open door, I saw beer cans scattered on the floor, and two people on the couch. One of them was my fiancé, Heath.The scene seemed frozen in time, and I couldn't tell whether I was filled with anger or shock. My feet wouldn't move an inch.Heath had just torn open the packaging when his hand froze. He whispered, "After we're married, I'll still see you.""But it won't be the same as now, will it? This is my last wish, Heath… Can you fulfill it for me? Just this once... let's leave each other with one last memory."The woman bashfully kissed Heath's lips, a tear slipping from her eye, as if unwilling to let go.Then I realized who she was:

Chapter 2

News of the canceled engagement and broken business partnership reached Heath all at once. He thought it was just a joke, a childish stunt.I was absentmindedly flipping through a childhood photo album that the maid had dug out for me when his call came through. The moment I answered, the sound of wind rustling and a girl's laughter filled my ear."Julia, I know you've been sick and feeling down these past few days." Heath's voice was warm, almost apologetic. "But you can't just joke around like this. Your dad's company is in financial trouble. Without the Grants' help, you wouldn't have been able to maintain your family's status. I've been busy with preparations for our wedding, but once that's done, I'll come to see you."Heath continued speaking as if everything was fine, pausing only to wait for a response, but he never hung up the phone.Then, I heard Winona's voice, as clear as day, coming through the speaker."Heath! Let's go one more round. This time I'll beat you for

Chapter 3

Winona, sensing the awkward atmosphere, let out an awkward laugh and extended her hand toward me."Hi, you're Julia, right? I'm Winona," she said, her voice overly cheerful. "Don't get the wrong idea. Heath didn't tell you the truth because he didn't want you to misunderstand. We're just friends now." Looking at her pale, delicate hand, a wave of disgust hit me, and I felt the familiar sensation of nausea rise in my throat. The foul memories of that night resurfaced like a sharp sting, and I could almost smell it again, the revolting odor that filled my senses.I couldn't help but remember the image of those hands, crawling on his back, asking him to give her a baby. When Winona noticed my silence, she reached for my arm, attempting to be friendly, but I quickly slapped her hand away. "Don't touch me."She stood there, looking helpless, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she glanced toward Heath behind her."Julia, calm down," Heath said, his voice tinged with irritatio

Chapter 4

The next day, Winona somehow got a hold of my contact information and asked to meet me at a café in the city center. Coincidentally, this café was near the bridal shop I had planned to visit, so I decided to swing by.While I waited, my phone buzzed with a flurry of messages. It was a video from Naomi, shot from a third-person angle by her boyfriend. It was followed by Naomi's ranting commentary. The background of the video seemed to be from after the party had ended. Several of Heath's old friends were still lingering in the private room. "Did you sleep with Winona?" one of them asked in shock. Heath, holding a beer can, responded quietly, "I just can't get over Winona... and we were both drunk. It wasn't intentional. We talked about it afterward, and we agreed to stay friends. Julia won't find out. Even if she does, I'm still her best option. She'll marry me, be part of my family. As for Winona... this is just a pre-marriage fling. A late gift from God."One of them scoffed.

Chapter 5

I yanked my wrist free from his grasp, grabbing a napkin from the table and wiping off the spot where Heath had touched me, disgust written all over my face."Didn't you get the memo about the broken engagement? What does my marriage have to do with you? If you're sick, go see a doctor. If you don't understand basic human speech, go sign up for a language class."Heath furrowed his brow, unable to believe that the woman in front of him—who had once been so gentle and kind—was the same person now tearing into him. After I freed myself from his hold, my steps quickened.The wedding was approaching fast. Flynn and I still had to choose our wedding attire, finalize the venue and guest list, and coordinate tasting sessions for the reception. There was so much to be done, and I didn't have the time to dwell on sadness or the feeling of betrayal.What mattered now was the future—mine and my parents'—and I couldn't afford to waste energy on past mistakes.But just as I was about to walk o

Chapter 6

I gave a faint smile but said nothing.From the very beginning, Heath had never truly cared about me. If he did, he would have noticed that Flynn and I had grown up in the same neighborhood, living together until we were fifteen. Later, my family moved south for business, while the Turners, involved in politics, moved north. That was when our families drifted apart. If it weren't for that, I would have never met Heath."Julia and I are childhood sweethearts. To be able to marry her is the best thing to happen to me," Flynn said with a warm smile. "And I'm glad her parents entrusted her future to me.""Ha! How could that be? You clearly love me! You planned the entire wedding yourself; there's no reason for you to give up!" Heath insisted, frustration evident in his voice. "Is it because I didn't visit you when you were sick? Or those few words I said defending Winona in the private room? I never knew you were this petty."Heath stared at us in disbelief, not even noticing Winona be

Chapter 7

Heath seemed caught off guard by my coldness. His urgent expression faltered, and I could almost see the pleading in his eyes. He whispered my name, and for a brief moment, it was like we were back at the beginning. His voice had that same hint of sorrow, like when he remembered Winona leaving. I could still picture us sitting on the grass at the school playground, him leaning on me as I did everything I could to comfort him and make him smile.Back then, Heath had said, "Julia, I'm so lucky I met you."I glanced at my watch, letting out a soft sigh."Heath, you don't have a chance anymore. I won't turn back. If you can't let go of Winona, then be with her. Stay away from me. Don't come to me with your problems anymore. Your first love is back. She's filled the hole in your heart, and the fiancée who wasn't as loved is finally walking away. You should be happy. Why are you making it sound like I'd betrayed you instead? Let's part on good terms. We're still in the same circles, so

Chapter 8

Less than a day passed before Naomi secretly sent me the scandalous news about the Grants.Winona had somehow gotten her hands on Sadie's contact information and arranged to meet her at a coffee shop. She even hired a paparazzi, thinking she could exploit Sadie's likely maternal instinct to protect her unborn grandchild. Once Sadie gave her blessing, Winona planned to leak the news that she and Heath were engaged, turning it into a public affair.But to her surprise, Sadie wasn't buying it.Without even glancing at the pregnancy test report on the table, Sadie tossed it straight into the trash."Winona, once you took my money back then, you should have left my son alone. Do you really think I'll accept some stranger as my grandchild just because you popped out a piece of meat? Don't be foolish," Sadie snapped, her voice sharp. "My son is twenty-eight, not eighteen. If he wants to fool around with women, that's his business. But if you want to marry into the Grants, fine. Start by r

Chapter 9

Naomi rushed over and hugged me. "Alright, alright. You've found a good man. I'll stop talking about him; it'll ruin the mood!"That night, I slept soundly, and the wedding the next day went off without a hitch.After the ceremony, Flynn held me in his arms like I was the most precious thing in the world. The faint scent of alcohol on his breath made me feel a little tipsy."Julia, I love you. When I said... that marrying you was the best thing to happn to me, it wasn't just for show. My family was tough on me growing up, and you were the only sunshine in my childhood. I used to think we might never end up together, but... I'm so glad we didn't miss out on each other. I know that maybe right now, you see us as just a relationship of convenience, but as long as you're by my side, even if it takes a year, two, or even ten, I'm willing to wait for you to open up to me."Flynn's heartfelt confession made my heart flutter. I didn't know how to respond. At some point, the room grew war

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