CHAPTER 11
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While I was trying to figure out how to escape their grip, a sharp voice cut through the air.
“Let her go!”
I turned in surprise. It wasn’t my fiancé Alex who had arrived, but Chloe.
She approached Griffin, who started to explain: “I-”
Before he could finish, she stormed past him directly toward me.
Standing before me, Chloe slapped me hard across the face.
“Tessa, I never thought you’d be this shameless! You’re so obsessed with my husband, following him around like a pathetic dog. You found out we’re getting married today, so you came to crash our wedding? How desperate can you be?!” Still held firmly by Griffin’s friends, I couldn’t defend myself and took the full impact of her slap.
My ear rang from the blow, and I tasted blood in the corner of my mouth.
Looking up at Chloe’s venomous expression, I laughed coldly. “Your husband? Who exactly is your husband?”
“Don’t play dumb. My husband is Griffin, of course—”
Even now, Griffin was trying to keep up his deception. He quickly interrupted her: “Enough! Take Tessa away from here. This is no way to behave at a courthouse!” With that, Griffin gave his friends another meaningful look, signaling them to remove me immediately.
They received his message, tightening their grip on me, ready to drag me away. Just as they started to pull me from the scene, I called out: “Griffin, you don’t want to marry me at thirty because you’re marrying Chloe instead, isn’t that right?” My words stunned everyone except Chloe.
Griffin was especially shocked–he had no idea I’d known about his plans to marry Chloe.
Suddenly, all my strange behavior over the past few days made sense to him. I had known everything.
No wonder I’d stopped hand–washing his designer suits. No wonder I’d been dragging my feet on the proposal…
A flash of panic crossed his face.
But Griffin quickly regained his composure. So what if I knew he was marrying Chloé?
I’d loved him for twelve full years, giving him my youth and devotion.
That kind of love couldn’t be switched off overnight. He just needed to offer me
some
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12:23 PM Mon 12 May
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small consolation prize, perhaps promise that even after marrying Chloe, I could remain in his life. With my love for him, I’d surely agree.
With this in mind, Griffin collected himself and said calmly: “I’ll explain everything to you later. For now, please go home.”
I burst into laughter–a sound that made Griffin’s skin crawl. “Even now, you’re still trying to deceive me?”
Griffin was about to respond when Chloe beat him to it: “Griffin isn’t deceiving anyone! You’re just taking advantage of growing up together to stalk him! Let me make this crystal clear: Griffin loves ME. He wants to marry ME. You need to accept reality and move on!”
“You’re nothing but a lovesick puppy. No matter how long you follow him around, Griffin will never love you! Right, Griffin?”
She turned expectantly to Griffin.
He felt the weight of her gaze and broke into a cold sweat.
If he disagreed, Chloe would make his life hell for weeks.
If he agreed… well, I was the collateral damage.
In the end, she was harder to pacify than I was.
Griffin nodded. “That’s right.”
Even though I already knew how Griffin thought, hearing him confirm it out loud felt like a knife to the heart.
Struggling to control my emotions, I looked directly at Griffin and asked evenly: “Is that truly how you feel?”
Griffin heard the unusual calm in my voice.
Something felt very wrong, but he reasoned that after loving him for so long, I was simply in shock.
Once he and Chloe had their marriage certificate, he could explain everything and smooth things over.
Today Chloe was his priority. He couldn’t let her be hurt.
So Griffin met my gaze and said softly: “Yes, that’s truly how I feel.”
Hearing his confession, I gave a bitter smile.
At least things were clear now. I wouldn’t have any lingering doubts when I married Alex.
“Satisfied with your answer? Now get lost and stop ruining our wedding day!” Griffin snapped, his eyes reflecting a flash of guilt as he urgently wanted me gone.
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Somehow finding strength I didn’t know I had, I broke free from the men restraining me. “I’m not going anywhere, Griffin. I’ve been perfectly clear–I’m not here for you!”
“I promised my fiancé I’d meet him here on my thirtieth birthday. He’s coming to marry me!”
“You’re still making up—”
“I’ve never seen anyone this desperate!” Chloe fumed. “Still trying to cling to
Griffin!”
Just as she raised her hand to slap me again…
A commotion erupted outside the courthouse.
Everyone turned to look.
А
A line of luxury cars had pulled up, forming an impressive motorcade.
In the center was a Rolls–Royce with consecutive license plates and an official flag.
It was immediately obvious that the owner was both extraordinarily wealthy and powerful.
A moment later, the chauffeur opened the car door, and a strikingly handsome man stepped out.
I felt my heart skip a beat–he was here.
The man I was about to marry.
