Chapter 10
After hearing my words, Jack slipped his hand into mine, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
With a gentle flourish, he slid a massive diamond ring onto my finger–the rock so huge it made the Blackwood brothers‘ combined offerings to Amber look like costume jewelry.
The way it caught the light wasn’t just a statement–it was a declaration of the Montgomery’s power.
And God, did it cut the Blackwood brothers deep.
“Rose, are you seriously throwing away eighteen years of history for some trust fund and social status?” Nathan spat, his face flushing red. “I never took you for such a gold–digger!”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Once upon a time, I’d wanted nothing but genuine love–no mansions, no luxury cars, just someone who chose me first.
And what did that get me?
A stinging slap across my face from Marcus. Nathan’s boot nearly crushing my leg that night at the hospital.
They had no clue my family had rebuilt its fortune.
No idea my mother had repaid every dime the Blackwoods ever spent on me.
No concept that the ledger between us had been balanced long ago.
The moment Amber came into the picture, they’ve been obsessed with her–like, all their energy’s gone into chasing after her..
They still thought I was that desperate orphan girl with nobody in her corner.
With Jack beside me, I didn’t need to hold back anymore.
“Security,” I said calmly, “please escort the Blackwood brothers out.”
Nathan thrashed against the guards who grabbed him. Funny how he had no problem assaulting me
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Slapped Today Cen
Chapter 10
when I was fresh out of the hospital, but couldn’t handle trained security staff.
When he realized he couldn’t break free, he resorted to what he did best–venom.
“Rose, you can’t be this heartless! I know you still love me deep down!”
Then, glaring at Jack: “Montgomery, for all your family’s prestige, you’re seriously marrying some sketchy chick like her? Don’t expect happiness from this marriage!”
Marcus maintained his trademark composure, watching me with that calculating stare of his.
“Rose,” was all he said, “you’ll regret this.”
After they were dragged away, a hush fell over the room.
Jack turned to me suddenly, his eyes searching mine.
“Rose, will you? Regret this, I mean?” His voice was soft. “If there’s any doubt, we can postpone the wedding.”
I gazed at the man before me.
Years of meditation had given him a tranquil presence, his features carrying the same compassionate serenity as his grandmother’s.
Unlike the Blackwood brothers with their performative charm hiding selfish cores, Jack was genuinely what old money should be–cultured, considerate, authentic.
No wonder my mother had been nudging me toward this marriage for years.
I reached up to trace the elegant line of his brow, then rose on my tiptoes to press my lips against his.
“I won’t wanna get all sappy like ‘I wish we’d met sooner,‘ because I don’t regret any choice that led me here,” I whispered against his mouth. “But right now? I can’t wait to start a family with you.”
Jack froze for a heartbeat.
Then he pulled me closer, deepening our kiss with an intensity that made my knees weak.
Turns out, real love doesn’t make you wait eighteen years.
Turns out, even a dumb fling can end up being the real deal, right?
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Clanned
Chapter 10
When the right person finally shows up, everything else–marriage, children, happiness–falls into place naturally, needless to wait endlessly.
After the wedding shop drama, the Montgomerys were ready to destroy the Blackwood family legally.
Mom held them back only because she still spare Mrs. Blackwood’s feelings.
She did, however, make sure security kept those brothers far away from me–like, restraining–order–level distance.
My life finally got back to normal, with wedding plans moving forward exactly as they should.
But damn, we completely overlooked Amber.
Of all the variables we calculated, she was the one that blindsided us.
God knows how she tracked us down, but as Jack and I were heading home after our wedding photoshoot, this woman literally threw herself into the street and dropped to her knees in front of
- me.
“Rose, I was so wrong,” she sobbed, mascara streaming down her face. “Please have mercy on me. I should never have tried to compete with you, never should have come between you and the
brothers…”
Through her whole crying, I pieced together what had happened.
Apparently, the Blackwood brothers had developed some serious “Rose withdrawal” after I left.
And Amber? Suddenly she wasn’t their golden girl anymore.
The final nail in her coffin came when Mrs. Blackwood discovered that Amber and her mom had been quietly selling off Blackwood family assets behind everyone’s backs.
Mrs. Blackwood was DONE–took them straight to court.
And those brothers who once treated Amber like she hung the moon? They didn’t lift a finger to help her.
Just watched silently as her mom got thrown in jail and Amber lost every last penny.
“Please,” she begged, reaching for me. “Just put in a good word for me. They’ll only listen to you
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Slapped Today Crowned Tomorrow
869h
Chapter 10
now.”
She tried grabbing my legs like some pathetic supplicant, but security yanked her away before she could touch my dress.
Jack hadn’t said a word this entire time.
The way he looked at her–like something stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
He just took my hand and said quietly, “Let’s go home.”
“Yeah,” I agreed.
The Blackwood drama wasn’t even on my radar anymore.
But we’d barely taken a few steps when the world started spinning around me.
My vision tunneled to black, and I collapsed right into Jack’s arms.
17:22
