Ethan POV
“Get me the strongest alcohol you’ve got here,” I said to the bartender who left immediately to get my order.
I could not think of anything else to do.
No one, absolutely no one is on my side.
Had I known that my past would come to haunt me like this, I’d have thread carefully.
I can’t? But he can’t!
How had I forgotten that he’s nothing but a workaholic?
Any businessman in his right mind will be willing to give away his daughter to him.
I don’t mind Mr. Shaw. After all, he’d want nothing else than to see his company strive and elevate.
But does that make you get married? Do you get married for money and fame?
I thought it was all about love.
And why do I get myself entangled in this game of love? Ugh!
I’d have been fine. I’d still be in a club now trying to get down with a bitch.
Had it been I wasn’t so desperate to get ahead of my kitten. No! Had it been I had not hidden her in my room that day, I wouldn’t be in this mess.
But it’s been too late to regret. No! I don’t regret falling in love with Dawn, and I’m never gonna regret it.
I’d rather die than let her marry some good-for-nothing asshole.
“Getting drunk tonight?”
I snapped my gaze beside me and my eyes settled on Mel who just plopped down on the chair near me.
She’s wearing a tight short red gown and not that ugly bridal ball gown she wore earlier.
“What is it to you?” I snorted.
“This is your drink”
“Hmm… ” I poured myself a glass.
“If my husband is getting drunk,” Mel snickered. “Don’t you think I should find out why?”
Ignoring her, I gulped down my drink in one go.
It burnt my throat and left a chill on my tongue, but I do not care.
It’s still better than the stinging pain in my heart.
I poured myself another drink, but before I could gulp it down, Mel snatched it away from me.
“Give that back!” I snarled.
“No!” Mel passed her we’re tongue over her lips, moistening them and making them glitter under the multicoloured light in the bar.
Damn her! Does she think she can seduce me with that look?
She must think that her dressing almost nakedly could make me get down with her again.
No! Tell her she’s fucking wrong?
“Don’t you think,” she breathed out. “Husband and wife should share their things?”
“I’m not your husband!” I growled.
Thanks to the blaring song, I’d have gotten all the attention in the whole house.
Mel smiled. She took a long sip from the glass and edged closer to me.
“Are you not?” She seethed, her alcoholic breath fanning my neck. “Now, Ethan.”
“Stop this madness, Melinda.” I sighed.
“Alright,” she chuckled.
Mel suddenly pulled herself down on my lap. Her short dress hitched up, leaving her thigh bare and naked.
“What are you doing?” I growled.
“Don’t you know?” She leaned forward such that our faces were only inches apart.
I could feel her breath, mixed with the alcohol and her scent on my face. “To offer you some nice deal.”
“What… What…”
I spluttered, not because I’m drunk, but because something is now groping my dick under my pants.
What the fuck!
Mel grinned at me, her other hand running over my chest as she licked her lips seductively.
“I’ll cancel this marriage of a thing,” she slid her hand into my pants to fondle with my d***k, “Only if you spend a night on my bed.”
****
Dawn POV
“I can’t believe it,” Henry snorted angrily, dumping my clothes inside the box. He snapped it shut and zipped it furiously. “I thought you said he’s changed. Yet, he went ahead handing out his wedding card when you’re still stuck in his large for nothing house.”
I don’t know who sent Henry this house address, but waking up this morning, I found him outside the house, knocking and making noise with the doorbell.
Dad is never gonna stop until he gets what he wants. He won’t leave me alone until I give him what he wants.
And this is how much he’s willing to destroy my relationship with Ethan that he sent me a photo of Ethan and Mel in a hotel.
“You get the card too?” I asked.
“You bet!” Henry snorted. He dragged my bag with him and held my hand tightly as though he was afraid to let me go. “I was invited… By the so-called man you love. Mom reckons I should get you. She thought you’d try to hurt yourself”
Hurt me? For what? Because Ethan is being forced to get married?
I know better than to believe them. No! Are they not the same person who tried to force me on Nicole? Or is Mel not the same bitch that desperately wants to get married to Ethan?
“Bet that asshole is somewhere with his bitch. Probably making out.”
I sent a hideous glare at him but he shrugged it off and continued anyway.
Alright! My brother, Henry, is too talkative to be a guy.
“And I saw that on your phone,” Henry turned to me. “That picture of them in the hotel.”
“I bet you do,” I mentally rolled my eyes. “Because you’d been there when Dad sent it.”
Henry stopped abruptly, making me collide with the box.
I hissed, snapping my gaze up to him.
“You do not think we made this, do you?”
“No. I’m too heartbroken to think about that now.” I mumbled.
Henry opened his mouth to reply, but as though he decided against it, he closed it back. His gaze lingered for a fraction of seconds on mine before he tore it off.
“Let’s go,” he said.
We both climbed down the stairs and headed to the parlor where we met Cliff.
I do not want to admit this. Of course, I’ll miss this place, but saying it out aloud did seem like I’m jinxing it.
“I’m sorry,” Cliff stepped before us, blocking any route of escape. “Master tells me never to let her out of this house.”
“I bet your master did not tell you what he’s up to with his mistress outside this damn house.” Henry chortled.
Cliff’s face grew a brighter shade of red. He ran a nervous tongue over his quivering lips.
He looks scared, yet he’s not ready to give up.
“He gave me the order…”
He looked at me as though trying to tell me I needed to help him out.
Me? What can I do? I need to go or else, Dad is going to do worse than this.
“You don’t need to keep following his order anymore, Cliff.”
On hearing the familiar voice, I flew my head up, and my eyes landed on my betrothal.
Nicole entered fully, but before he could close the door behind him, two grown-up men rushed in, roughly pushing Nicole out of the way.
“You’re going nowhere. Dawn!” Ethan growled, his voice laced with anger, yet carried this authority that made the people in the room flinched in fear. “You’re staying with me.”
I wish I could.
Henry huffed. “Says who?”
Ethan gritted his teeth. His long blonde hair looked disheveled, and his face looked pale like someone who’s been drinking and could not afford a good night’s rest.
He shook his head, his misty eyes leveled with mine, telling me all I needed to know.
“It’s not what you think,” Ethan sniffed. “I’m not… I’m not getting married to her.”
Ugh! Of course, I know. I’m not just some random girl who believes blindly.
I just have to do this… at least, for now.
I sighed.
I fetched my phone from my pocket and took a step toward Ethan.
“This…”
Ethan gasped. His eyes widened at the phone being brandish before him.
This is what they want, and I am giving it to them
If I want to keep Ethan, then I’d have to lose him first.
“I can explain, Dawn.” He growled.
“Really?”
A lone tear crawled down my eyes, trickling down my face.
“It’s not what you think,” Ethan said desperately.
Fuck! I’ve never seen him look so sad, yet so sexy.
Blame me, but I won’t lose this man to a bitch.
Over my dead body!
“Not what I think?” I smirked.
I tried so hard to let my voice sound dull, and keep my tears rolling.
“Is that so?” I sniffed.
I fetched out the invitation card and dumped it on his palm.
If Ethan was looking panic-stricken before, then it’s nothing to what his face held now.
As he stared down the card, his chest rose and fell under the wrinkled white shirt he wore.
“Believe me, Dawn….”
I shook my head.
“I trusted you, Ethan.” I sniffed. “I loved you because I trusted your word blindly. How could you?”
Ethan grabbed a handful of his hair, and frustratedly, he lets out a loud howl.
“I…”
“C’mon, Dawn.”
Henry wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me on his chest, leaning my head against his wide chest.
“He doesn’t,” he croaked, his hand gliding up and down my body like a mother consoling her child. “He doesn’t deserve your love.”