Left at the Altar, Stolen by the Enemy - Chapter 9: Chapter 9
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My mother-in-law smiled warmly as she handed me a stunning jewelry set. "I heard your emerald set was damaged. You should wear this one from now on."
She beamed with pride. "Honestly, compared to those lifeless gems, having you as part of our family is the real treasure."
Henry, ever the shameless charmer, leaned in with a smirk. "Speaking of jewelry, I heard you own a gorgeous tourmaline set. Since bold designs don't suit you, why not gift them to Wendy?"
"You ungrateful boy!" my mother scolded playfully. "Already forgetting your mother now that you have a wife?"
Despite her teasing, she fastened the tourmaline necklace around my neck with gentle hands. "Still, no one wears it better than my daughter-in-law! So elegant—unlike those Hill girls with their tiny noses and beady eyes. Just not our standard!"
The Smiths were fiercely loyal, and I couldn't say I minded.
But the night took a turn when we got home. Ethan was waiting outside, looking like he'd been there for hours.
My feet had ached after walking, so Henry had carried me back. Now Ethan stood frozen, staring at us with a mix of confusion and bitterness. He blocked our path, his eyes clinging to me with desperate hope.
"Wendy, I didn't marry Cynthia. There was no wedding."
I arched a brow, my smile razor-thin. "And? That's your drama. Why should I care?"
He flinched. "How can you say that? I promised I'd marry you! The certificate with Cynthia meant nothing—I only did it to help her. You know I've always loved you. We were engaged."
"Engaged?" I scoffed. "Try ghosted. You vanished and married her. There was no engagement."
His shoulders slumped, guilt twisting his features. "Wendy, I messed up. I was impulsive. But you sold our home—erased everything we had. I'm empty without you. Please."
I shrugged. "Don't apologize."
His face lit up. "See? I knew you still—"
"Because I'll never forgive you," I cut in. "Not in this lifetime."
The hope in his eyes shattered. He crumpled to his knees, clutching his head. "It was one mistake! Eight years together, and you throw it all away? You swore you'd only ever marry me!"
I wrenched my arm free as he grabbed for me. "We're both married now, Ethan. Move on. You chose Cynthia—live with it."
But he wasn't done. "Henry's a playboy! Everyone knows he's got women circling him. You really think he'll stay faithful?"
Henry's expression turned thunderous. He kicked Ethan flat onto his back. "Unlike you, I don't two-time. No secret fiancées, no backup wives."
Then he spun to me, raising his hand like a pledge. "Sweetheart, last night proved it—I'm all yours. Zero distractions."
She beamed with pride. "Honestly, compared to those lifeless gems, having you as part of our family is the real treasure."
Henry, ever the shameless charmer, leaned in with a smirk. "Speaking of jewelry, I heard you own a gorgeous tourmaline set. Since bold designs don't suit you, why not gift them to Wendy?"
"You ungrateful boy!" my mother scolded playfully. "Already forgetting your mother now that you have a wife?"
Despite her teasing, she fastened the tourmaline necklace around my neck with gentle hands. "Still, no one wears it better than my daughter-in-law! So elegant—unlike those Hill girls with their tiny noses and beady eyes. Just not our standard!"
The Smiths were fiercely loyal, and I couldn't say I minded.
But the night took a turn when we got home. Ethan was waiting outside, looking like he'd been there for hours.
My feet had ached after walking, so Henry had carried me back. Now Ethan stood frozen, staring at us with a mix of confusion and bitterness. He blocked our path, his eyes clinging to me with desperate hope.
"Wendy, I didn't marry Cynthia. There was no wedding."
I arched a brow, my smile razor-thin. "And? That's your drama. Why should I care?"
He flinched. "How can you say that? I promised I'd marry you! The certificate with Cynthia meant nothing—I only did it to help her. You know I've always loved you. We were engaged."
"Engaged?" I scoffed. "Try ghosted. You vanished and married her. There was no engagement."
His shoulders slumped, guilt twisting his features. "Wendy, I messed up. I was impulsive. But you sold our home—erased everything we had. I'm empty without you. Please."
I shrugged. "Don't apologize."
His face lit up. "See? I knew you still—"
"Because I'll never forgive you," I cut in. "Not in this lifetime."
The hope in his eyes shattered. He crumpled to his knees, clutching his head. "It was one mistake! Eight years together, and you throw it all away? You swore you'd only ever marry me!"
I wrenched my arm free as he grabbed for me. "We're both married now, Ethan. Move on. You chose Cynthia—live with it."
But he wasn't done. "Henry's a playboy! Everyone knows he's got women circling him. You really think he'll stay faithful?"
Henry's expression turned thunderous. He kicked Ethan flat onto his back. "Unlike you, I don't two-time. No secret fiancées, no backup wives."
Then he spun to me, raising his hand like a pledge. "Sweetheart, last night proved it—I'm all yours. Zero distractions."
End of Left at the Altar, Stolen by the Enemy Chapter 9. Continue reading Chapter 10 or return to Left at the Altar, Stolen by the Enemy book page.