Chapter 9
“Sweetheart, you didn’t sleep at all last night, did you? You saw the news, right?“]
I kept my face buried in my father’s s chest as
as 1 pumbled. Tad, I was scared for you.”
Dad suddenly let out a hearty laugh. “lly girl. I’m perfectly fine. []
1 hadn’1 noted Holden standing behind my father. He looked at Dad’s back and said in a solemn voice. “Mr. Lavirina, we’ve located the men who hurt Miss Aurora How would you like to proceed? ||
Kori’s flying in today, right? Have him bring those hustards back with blu. All of them.“[]
Holden nodded and walked way
Dad looked down at me, my face damp with sweat ||
“Aurora,” he smiled, “your new life starts now.”
Chapter 1
When Byron Luwelton’s first love returned, her first act was to make a wager with his wife, Adele Delaalle ||
In
Nine times. If Byron drops everything for Scarlett nine times, she would have to surrender her position as Mrs. Luwelton.
Adele accepted the challenge.
by the ninth time, it took just one phone call from Scaten for Byron in leave Adele stranded on the road
“Adele, I need to handle an emergency.
Could you go home by yourself? Byron askril||
Without waiting for her response–ignoring the pouring rain, dareginding that she was having her period–he shoved an umbrella into her hands, his mind already mapping the quickest route to Scarlett’s place.]
“Text when you’re home,” he called out, fingers flying across his GPS screen, entering that all too familiar address]
Adele felt something crack inside her chest as she watched him do t
solent shivers down her spine.
The taillights disappeared into the storm, leaving her soaked within seconds. The wind cut through her thin dress, sending violent s
She walked. Her heels sliced into her skin, leaving bloody footprints on the pavement. Five agonizing hours later, she stumbled up the driveway to their Lakeride Manor.
Her cream dress now stained crimson, she collagued onto the gravel, clutching her stomach
Through the ran–blurred haze, Adele made out Scarlet’s silhouette approaching lips curled in triumph
“Hurts like bell, do 11?” Scarlett’s voice was honeyed poison. “Regretting that bet we made now? Did you really think after all this time, Byron would choose you? You’ve forgotten one important thing he’s always been in love with me. The affection he gave you? It doesn’t mean anything compared to what we’ve shared.“]
Adele pulled herself to her feet, swaying slightly. Her face, drained of all color, betrayed nothing but calm
Nem the whispered. You win. The divorce papers will be ready tomorrow.”
She staggered toward the house as the past crashed over her like the relentless rain
Scarlet: rthday bash freshman year. That first glimpse of Byron across the crowded room–tall, elegant, exuding old money confidence that made her heart do Backflips
That night. Scarien had introduced him as Chuldhood sweetheart, then introduced a tattooed bad boy her boyfriend she’d just made.
The look un Byron’s face, Adele could stil picture 11. Pure devastation barely contained behind that aristocratic maskine glance told her everything: Byron Lowelton was in love with Scarle
but scarlet was into messy relationships. She wanted motorcycle joyrides and bathroom hookups, not uptight, silver spoon type. She found Byron’s protective nature suffocating:0
So when såar caught Adele staring at him across the dining hall, the wheels started turning. “Accidentally inviting them to the same parties. Canceling at the last manute su they’ll be alone. Practically gift wrapping Byron to get him off her back||
Adele had watched fit inital coldness, the humiliation, the resignation, and finally, acceptance.
junior year, they made it official Two years later, he slid a three carat diamond onto her finger:||
Theye years of marriage followed–polite conversations over breakfast, separate bedrooms tunnected by a shared balcony, occasional companionable dinners. Not exactly a fairytale, but Adele had settled into it. Had even begun to believe they might find their way to something genuine ||
Until Scarlett crete lack she arranged to pwet het, proposing the bet
“I made a mistake,” she’d confessed, looking straight into Adele’s eyes. “I want him back, so here’s the deal–nine chances so here’s the deal: nine chances. If Byrou chooses Bve over you nine times, you’ll let him go ‘||
Something agree. Maybe she wanted to know whether he loves her
Apparently the results had been brutal ||
The first time their third anniversary—she’d planned an intimate stargazing pienic, knowing his secret “crisis” and he was gone, leaving Adele alone on a mountain all night, telescope gathering dew beside
robsession. One text from scarlett about
untadsed champagne]
disappeared for a week while Adele stay at home alone.
The final insult? He walked out during her grandmother’s funeral because Scarlet needed someone to have dinner with her
Adele had tried to hold on, but each time he left her made it clear that her love for him wasn’t enough anymore. ||
Back in their bathroom, she peeled off her rained clothes and stood under scalding water until her skin turned pink. She slipped into soft pajama, sipping it slowly until the warmth spread through her frozen heart
Then she retrieved the divorce papers she’ri had drawn up the day of the bet signed her name, and handed them to Scarlett.]
“Give these to him.”
She shook
Scarlett’s perfectly shaped eyebrow arched. “Why should I do this?”
“because he’ll sign anything you put in front of him without coding it. Saves me the conversation.“[]
Scarlett pocketed the papers with a smirk. ||
Don’t worry, sweetle. Once the dust attles. I’ll set you up with someone new. Someone even richer.”
Well
Scarlett’s snug expression faltered at Adele’s easy agreement. “Thats in? You’re just over hiny? Just like that?”
Adele luaghed. “I poured nine years down the drain for a man who couldn’t even look at it. He had nine chances to choose me. Nine. But he didn’t,” Sh her head. Td have to hate myself to hold on after that. From here on out. I’m the only one who matters in my life.
The door swung open, rusting through the tension.
Byron froze in the do
in the doorway, he fixed on Scarlet. “Wait–what? I just dropped you off at the ER. How did you get here?”
Scarlet didn’t bother exp
exgdaming her miraculous recovery from a nonexistent inkle sprain. She simply suntered over, papers extended
Test need your signature, darling, Right here.
Byron never even glanced at the document, eyes never leaving Starlett’s face as he scrawled his name where she pointed
Quly after the pen left the paper did he think to ask, “What exactly did I just sig?]
Scarlett laps parted to tell him, then curled into a secretive andle instead.]]
“A linde surprise froon Adele and an. You’ll find out in thirty days.” She patted his cheek. Trust me–you will be surprised when you see t
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