Chapter 16
Hapet kept harching about her problems, not showing the slightest concern about his wounds or offering him any comfort. She was completely consumed with protecting
wave of crushing realization. In the past, if he’d gotten even a paper cut, Thana would’ve freaked out and dragged him to urgent care for a tetamus shot! Their house had been like a focking pharmacy because Eliana worried about everything–what if he got hurt flying, what if he had an allergic reactions, what if what if, What if. But now, with has back torn to shreds and blood soaking through his shirt, Harper couldn’t give a damn.
Miln was white as a sheet. He’d barely made it home from the family estate, and now he was running on empty. He tried to say something, but the room started spawning and everything went black||
he came to, he was staring at hospital duorescents. He could hear chaos nearby voices, camera clicks, the hum of equipment. When he struggled to sit up, he sai Harper in the middle of a forking media circus, streaming live,
−1 kmone everyone’s boycotting my restaurant right now,” Harper salil, tears streaming down her face for the cameras. “Prople think I use cheap materials, that my food sucks but costs too much, especially after those chandelier accidents. But you guys need to know the truth–someone sabotaged ust”
Then the bitch actually held up his and Eliana’s divorce papers to the camera. Milo’s brain
Harper was in fill performance mode now.
till foggy, but as her plan became dear, he tried to get out of bed
It was Mila’ exe. Eliana Hari! Milo never loved bar–their marriage was basically an arrangement. We were planning to be together after his divorce, but Ellana couldn’t handle being rejected. So she decided to destroy my business for revenge. The first chandelier incident? That was opening night, when 1 invited both Milo and Eliana Conveniently, that’s when everything went to hell!
“I never thought she’d he paychotic enough to endanger innocent people just to hurt me. Thank God Mile Cinally divorced her. He even gave up his family inheritance to be with me. I hope everyone can see we’re the real victims here.“]
Harper finished with a performance–worthy sab. Milo. fighting through his pain and exhaustion, hanged for those divorce papers
Hearing her destroy Flisna’s reputation with lies made him see red.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Elianya had nothing to do with your shitty restaurant falling apart–she’s been gone for werk |
Harper looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language
Yeah, I know that. But how else am I supposed to fix dis mess? Elana’s not here to defend herself, so it’s perfect. We’ll probably get tons of sympathy followers from this drame“]
Sheathed that perfect smile that used to make his heart skip. Now it made him sick.||
He couldn’t believe those heartless words were coming from someone he’d thought he loved.
Mão gripped the divorce papers like a lifeline–the only plece of Eliana he had left.]
“Lake in back” ne sad, lus voice deadly quiet
Harper cocked her head “What?“]
anything to you. Do you have any idea how much hate you just send her
I said take it the fork back who gave you permission to trash like that? She never did anyt way?
itis explodon made Harper’s perfect mask slip for a second. She’d never seen him this angry–especially not at her ||
When she recovered her yoke turned shrill with dishebet||
“Are you seriously yelling tine right now? After everything I’ve been through? Do you know what admitting i bed would do to me?d be completely used“}} “My reputation, my business, my e
my entire me would be over And for what–some pathetic housewife who couldn’t even keep you interested|| Lach word was like a bude to his chest, lim Madu finally saw Hupers from nature with crystal clarity ||
This disaster is your
Harpers face misted with gene can. The man she been manipulating for myths suddenly seemed like a stranger
Mplo, what the hell has gotten into your You love me, remember? Were supposed to be together now, why are you defending some nobody who never mattered
“She was just a placeholder until I come back, right? Whats the b
big deal if i use her to save impetr
Her voice got more hysterical, moore vicious.
actually caught feelings for that boting the mouse?)
The question hit him like a lightning bolt ||
Had he faler for Eliane
Images dooded his mind–Elana’s radiant smile on their wedding day, the way she’d wait up for him no matter how late he came home, how she learned to make his
dee exactly the way he liked, the quiet devotion in her eyes every morning for three years
He’d mistaken her steady, unconditional love for something ordinary. He’d thought real love had to be dramatic and chaotic like what he’d had with Harper–all passion and fights and grand gestures.||
But Eliana’s love had been the real thing. Constant, selfless, unshakeable. She’d loved him when he was nobody special loved him through his worst moods, loved him. even when he’d given her every reason not to
Harper had only s
only ever loved what he could do for her.
“Teal,” he said quietly, the truth hitting him to a freight train, “Yeah, I dat fall for her. I just was too fucking stupid to realize it until I’d already destroyed everything The words tasted like regret and revelation and the bitter understanding that he’d thrown away the best thing in his life for a beautiful illusion ||
He’d loved lana. Maybe he’d always loved her.
And now she was gone, and it was too late.
just been too blind to see that quiet, steady devotion was worth more than all of Harper’s drama combined.
