Forged My Marriage, Stole My Baby—Now I’m the Judge You Kneel To - Chapter 41: Chapter 41

On the highway to the airport, three black SUVs forced Thorne's car to a stop.
Tires screamed against asphalt. Before Rowena could even blink, Thorne had yanked her behind him.
The door got ripped open and there was Shane, looking like he hadn't slept in weeks, eyes red as hell.
"Rowena." His voice sounded like he'd been gargling gravel. "We need to talk."
Thorne let out this bitter laugh, his hand sliding to his hip.
Where he kept a blade.
Rowena gently touched his wrist and shook her head.
"Shane," she said, totally calm, "I thought we covered this already."
Shane's eyes zeroed in on their linked hands, his breathing getting erratic. "Bullshit... you loved me for five goddamn years!"
"Past tense." Rowena corrected him, meeting his stare head-on. "Now I'm in love with Thorne."
Those words went through Shane like a knife to the gut.
He searched her face desperately for any sign of doubt, but all he saw was her moving closer to Thorne, the way she looked at him.
Soft and sure.
Everything he'd been craving and would never get.
"How..." Shane staggered back. "I destroyed everyone who hurt you..."
Thorne snorted. "Except yourself. You're the one who fucked her up the most."
Shane suddenly collapsed to his knees.
"Just one more shot..." He clutched the car door, knuckles bone white. "Please, Rowena, I'll do whatever you want!"
Rowena looked away. "It's over. Has been for a while now."
"Like hell it is!" He completely lost his shit. "You're my fucking fiancée! He took you from me!"
Thorne had finally had enough and hauled Shane up by his shirt. "Want me to remind you how you treated your 'fiancée'?"
The torture board, the basement hell, all that blood when she was forced to bow at the funeral.
Shane went ghost white, mouth moving but no words coming out.
"Fuck off." Thorne threw him aside like garbage. "Come near her again and you won't walk away next time."
Back on the road, Rowena noticed her hands were trembling.
Thorne drove one-handed and laced their fingers together.
"He's done." His voice was steady. "Won't be bothering us anymore."
Rowena looked surprised. "How can you be so sure?"
Thorne's smile turned predatory. "Trust me on this."
That night's news had a breaking story.
Vellmore Corporation heir attacked, sustained minor injuries.
On screen, Shane had gauze wrapped around his head, glaring at the camera like he wanted to murder someone.
Rowena glanced at Thorne, who was brewing coffee in the kitchen. He gave her this innocent look. "Crazy world, right?"
Sure enough, Shane vanished completely.
No more stalking, no more random gifts, not even a single creepy text. Rowena's life went back to normal, but she felt weirdly hollow.
What really bothered her was that ever since she'd dropped the L-word in the car, Thorne hadn't brought it up once.
He still took amazing care of her, showed her the world, but never mentioned making things official.
Finally, on this rainy night, Rowena couldn't stand it anymore.
"Thorne," she caught him heading to his office, "we need to have a conversation."
Thorne cocked an eyebrow. "What's up?"
"That day in the car..." She fidgeted with her sleeves. "When I said I loved you, I wasn't just trying to get Shane to back off."
Rain hammered the windows as Thorne's expression went soft.
"I know." He exhaled slowly. "I was waiting for you to be completely sure."
"I am sure." Rowena stepped closer. "This whole trip taught me I'm not gonna let one toxic relationship ruin my shot at happiness."
Thorne's eyes got intense. "Then let me make this official..."
He leaned in close, his breath tickling her ear: "I'm your boyfriend, Thorne Lincoln."
Dating changed everything about their travels.
Under Iceland's Northern Lights, Thorne surprised her with a ring hidden in his camera bag.
In a Tuscan vineyard, they slow danced as an actual couple for the first time;
Even boring mornings became magical when she'd wake up to his face on the pillow next to hers.
And Shane? He really did disappear completely.
Until Rowena was packing one day and stumbled across some paperwork—Lincoln Industries' hostile takeover plan for Vellmore Corp, dated the day after their highway encounter.
"Thorne?" She found him in his study, documents in hand.
Thorne didn't even glance up. "Asshole deserved it."
Rowena stared for a second, then burst out laughing. "I figured you'd go more... medieval on his ass."
"Corporate warfare's more elegant." He finally looked up, his eyes dangerous behind those designer frames. "But if you're not satisfied with the results, I could always give something more..."
Rowena shut him up with a sweet kiss.