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he really think he can buy me with flowers?
I didn’t bother reading it. “Throw it away,” I said, waving a hand dismissively.
The maid hesitated. “Are you sure? There are gifts as well. They‘ re piling up in the hall-”
“Throw them all away,” I snapped, my tone sharper than I intended. “I don‘ t want anything from him.”
“Yes, Miss,” the maid said quickly, gathering the flowers and leaving the
room.
It didn’t stop. Every day, more bouquets. arrived, along with extravagant gifts I refused to open. Each one went straight. into the trash.
When Bryant found out, he was livid.
“He’s testing my patience,” Bryant growled, pacing the room as I watched from the couch. His fists were clenched, his eyes dark with anger. “I should go to
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him. End this once and for all.”
“No,” I said firmly, sitting up. “You won‘ t.”
He stopped, turning to me with a frown.
“Amanda-”
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” I interrupted, my voice softening. “Gabriel isn’t worth it. He’s desperate, that’s all. Let him be. Let him realize that he can
never have me back.”
Bryant exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. After a long moment, he nodded. “Fine. But if he crosses the line again… I’ll make him pay.”
Days turned into weeks, and life began to settle into a new rhythm. Despite everything that had happened, Bryant and I continued planning our wedding. We decided to make it intimate, keeping the guest list small and the details quiet. After Nadia’s attack, we couldn’t risk drawing.
unnecessary attention.
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The preparations brought a sense of calm, a sliver of happiness I hadn‘ t felt in a long time. For the first time, I allowed myself to believe that nothing could stop us from finally being together.
By the night before the wedding, everything was ready. The dress, the flowers, the vows–it was all perfect.
I sat in my room, scrolling through pictures of the venue on my phone, imagining how beautiful it would look tomorrow. My heart swelled with anticipation.
Then my phone buzzed.
At first, I thought it was Bryant, checking in on me like he always did. But the number on the screen was unfamiliar.
I hesitated, then opened the message.
“Don‘ t proceed with the wedding. If you do, you’ll ruin your family.”
A chill ran down my spine.
I stared at the message, debating whether
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to respond, but my fingers froze over the keyboard. Who would send something like this? Is it Nadia? Gabriel?
I shook my head, deciding to block the number. But just as I was about to, another message came through–this time with a video attachment.
My chest tightened as I read the caption:
“If you marry Bryant, I’ll make sure the world knows about you and Gabriel‘ s scandal–and you’ll embarrass your whole family.”
My breath caught. With trembling fingers, I tapped on the video.
It started innocently enough, showing at dimly lit room I recognized all too well- Gabriel’s bedroom.
My heart sank as the image shifted, revealing the unmistakable sight of us together.
Naked. Tangled. Intimate.
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I couldn’t breathe.
Covering my mouth with my hand, I forced myself to watch, each second feeling like a knife twisting in my chest. I hadn’t even known he had recorded us.
The camera angle was deliberate, capturing everything. Every kiss, every touch.
When the video ended, I sat there frozen, my phone slipping from my hand onto the bed.
My mind raced with questions. How could Gabriel do this? When had he done this?
And why–why now?
The realization hit me like a truck. This
was Nadia. It had to be…
She had threatened me, vowed to ruin me, and now she had the perfect weapon.
Tears blurred my vision as anger bubbled to the surface. My family. My reputation. My future with Bryant–all of it hung in the
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balance, dangling by a thread Nadia was threatening to cut.
My phone buzzed again, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at it. I buried my face in my hands.
Tomorrow was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. Now, it felt like it might all come crashing down.
