Chapter 0235
Chapter 0235
Third Person POV
“Damn her! Damn her! Damn her!” Amanda screamed, slamming the door behind her.
The wedding guests were gone, though it was still early. They had fled, repelled by the tension radiating off David like a storm cloud. People had known, had sensed, that he was furious. And no amount of charm or forced laughter on Amanda’s part had been enough to salvage the evening.
This was supposed to be her dream. The culmination of everything she had wanted, everything she had fought and sacrificed to achieve. But it was ruined.
Ruined because, even now, David couldn’t stop thinking about Ella.
Even if his thoughts had curdled into bitterness and hatred, she was still there, lodged in his mind like a splinter. On their wedding day. On the day Amanda had dreamed of for longer than she could even remember.
The tears that stung her eyes weren’t the helpless tears of sadness. No, they were tears of rage, of frustration, leaking out because she had no other way to release the anger threatening to consume her.
David was drunk somewhere downstairs, sulking and whining about his “miserable lot in life,” as if marrying her had been some terrible punishment. As if their bond meant nothing.
Oh, she knew he’d apologize in the morning–he always did. But that didn’t make it hurt any less. It didn’t lessen the sting of his indifference.
It was becoming painfully clear to Amanda that if she wanted her happy ending with David, it wasn’t enough to ruin Ella’s reputation. No.
She was going to have to destroy Ella completely.
Not just her life, but her memory–so utterly and completely that nothing remained to haunt them.
The thought made Amanda laugh despite her tears, a dark and bitter sound that echoed in the empty room.
Ella POV
A warm, content silence filled the empty room. The last of our guests had finally gone, leaving Alexander and me alone in the soft glow of the candlelit space.
It was well past midnight, and the staff had agreed to leave the cleanup for the morning. For now, it was just us, surrounded by the remnants of a perfect evening.
I swayed slightly as I walked, my cheeks warm from the champagne. My nerves during our first dance had been impossible to shake, so I’d turned to a few extra glasses to calm myself. Now, I was tipsy–drunk, really—and feeling uncharacteristically lighthearted.
Alexander wasn’t much better. His brother and a group of his friends had kept him busy with an endless string of toasts, each one more elaborate than the last. It had left him unsteady on his feet, though he still carried himself with that same easy charm.
We walked back from the door where we’d just waved goodbye to the last of the guests, leaning on each other for support. I clutched the heavy skirts of my gown, trying to keep my footing steady, though I was clearly failing.
“Looking at us now,” I said, laughing at my clumsy attempts to stay upright, “no one would believe how gracefully we danced earlier.”
Alexander’s laugh was deep and warm, his gaze amused as he watched me struggle. “Yes, we were the picture of
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0235
elegance then,” he said with a teasing smile. “Now, we’re just two fools who c
Chapter 0235
Chapter 0235
Third Person POV
“Damn her! Damn her! Damn her!” Amanda screamed, slamming the door behind her.
The wedding guests were gone, though it was still early. They had fled, repelled by the tension radiating off David like a storm cloud. People had known, had sensed, that he was furious. And no amount of charm or forced laughter on Amanda’s part had been enough to salvage the evening.
This was supposed to be her dream. The culmination of everything she had wanted, everything she had fought and sacrificed to achieve. But it was ruined.
Ruined because, even now, David couldn’t stop thinking about Ella.
Even if his thoughts had curdled into bitterness and hatred, she was still there, lodged in his mind like a splinter. On their wedding day. On the day Amanda had dreamed of for longer than she could even remember.
The tears that stung her eyes weren’t the helpless tears of sadness. No, they were tears of rage, of frustration, leaking out because she had no other way to release the anger threatening to consume her.
David was drunk somewhere downstairs, sulking and whining about his “miserable lot in life,” as if marrying her had been some terrible punishment. As if their bond meant nothing.
Oh, she knew he’d apologize in the morning–he always did. But that didn’t make it hurt any less. It didn’t lessen the sting of his indifference.
It was becoming painfully clear to Amanda that if she wanted her happy ending with David, it wasn’t enough to ruin Ella’s reputation. No.
She was going to have to destroy Ella completely.
Not just her life, but her memory–so utterly and completely that nothing remained to haunt them.
The thought made Amanda laugh despite her tears, a dark and bitter sound that echoed in the empty room.
Ella POV
A warm, content silence filled the empty room. The last of our guests had finally gone, leaving Alexander and me alone in the soft glow of the candlelit space.
It was well past midnight, and the staff had agreed to leave the cleanup for the morning. For now, it was just us, surrounded by the remnants of a perfect evening.
I swayed slightly as I walked, my cheeks warm from the champagne. My nerves during our first dance had been impossible to shake, so I’d turned to a few extra glasses to calm myself. Now, I was tipsy–drunk, really—and feeling uncharacteristically lighthearted.
Alexander wasn’t much better. His brother and a group of his friends had kept him busy with an endless string of toasts, each one more elaborate than the last. It had left him unsteady on his feet, though he still carried himself with that same easy charm.
We walked back from the door where we’d just waved goodbye to the last of the guests, leaning on each other for support. I clutched the heavy skirts of my gown, trying to keep my footing steady, though I was clearly failing.
“Looking at us now,” I said, laughing at my clumsy attempts to stay upright, “no one would believe how gracefully we danced earlier.”
Alexander’s laugh was deep and warm, his gaze amused as he watched me struggle. “Yes, we were the picture of
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0235
elegance then,” he said with a teasing smile. “Now, we’re just two fools who celebrated too hard.”
“It was hard not to celebrate,” I said, smiling up at him. “Everything went so much better than I ever could have dreamed.”
“It was a raging success,” he agreed, his pride evident. “I still can’t believe we pulled it all off so perfectly.”
“This was the kind of wedding little girls dream of,” I said softly, unable to keep the wistful note out of my voice.
Alexander tilted his head, a faint frown tugging at his lips.Little girls dream of their weddings?”
“Not all little girls,” I admitted. “But some.”
“Did you?” he asked.
elebrated too hard.”
“It was hard not to celebrate,” I said, smiling up at him. “Everything went so much better than I ever could have dreamed.”
“It was a raging success,” he agreed, his pride evident. “I still can’t believe we pulled it all off so perfectly.”
“This was the kind of wedding little girls dream of,” I said softly, unable to keep the wistful note out of my voice.
Alexander tilted his head, a faint frown tugging at his lips.Little girls dream of their weddings?”
“Not all little girls,” I admitted. “But some.”
“Did you?” he asked.
