My Fiancé’s Secret Love is My Cousin - Chapter 10: Chapter 10
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Laurel's wide, innocent eyes locked onto me. "What are you doing here?"
I kept my voice steady. "A friend's at a conference nearby. Thought I'd take a walk while I wait."
She dragged her fingers through her tangled hair, studying me with unnerving focus. "You're lying." A sly grin twisted her lips. "I saw you walk in with some guy. Handsome, wasn't he?"
Then, like a dam breaking, she burst into wild, hysterical laughter.
"Does this make you happy?" She gestured at herself with a manic sweep of her hands. "Seeing me like this?"
I stayed silent, inching toward the stairs, putting space between us. Her laughter died abruptly, replaced by a bitter scowl. "Why does your life always turn out better than mine?" Her voice cracked. "College degree, great job, a rich boyfriend who actually cares—everything just falls into place for you. Why not me? Why not my life?"
I met her gaze, cool and detached. "And where did that get me? Brian and Jordan both ended up choosing you, didn't they?"
Laurel's lips curled into a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Love?" She let out a choked laugh. "You think they loved me? That's the funniest thing you've ever said."
Her words hit like a slap. I stayed quiet, watching as her face twisted with pain.
"So you don't know?" Her voice was hollow. "You don't know what Brian did to me after you died?"
I shook my head, dread coiling in my stomach.
She laughed again—sharp, broken. "He hired three women for Jordan and tied me up in a closet so I could watch my own husband screw them! Do you have any idea what that feels like? To have your heart ripped out while the whole world laughs at you?"
Her pain was raw, but her rage was a storm about to break. I tried to soothe her. "Laurel, I understand—"
"Understand?!" she shrieked, cutting me off. "How could you possibly understand? Everyone thought I had it all because I 'stole' your man. But the truth is, I lost everything. Brian, Jordan, their so-called love—if you can even call it that. I was a joke, a thief who couldn't even keep what she stole!"
Her words were knives. There was no reasoning with her now. "Laurel, just calm down—"
"Don't tell me to calm down!" she screamed, her voice rising to a fever pitch. "None of this would've happened if it weren't for you! Even after you're dead, Brian still can't forget you. Why do you get everything while I get nothing?"
Then, like a death sentence: "You don't deserve to live!"
She yanked a bottle from behind her back.
My blood turned to ice. "Laurel, what are you doing?!" I stumbled back, panic clawing at my throat.
She unscrewed the cap with eerie calm, her laugh sending chills down my spine. "Don't run, Angie. Let's end this together."
"Laurel!" My voice shook. "This is a crime! You'll go to prison!"
"Prison?!" she howled, eyes wild. "What prison? I'll be dead. And so will you!"
She lunged. I turned to run, but my foot caught on a loose stone. I crashed to the ground, pain shooting through me as I scrambled up—but Laurel was already on me.
The liquid arced through the air. I braced for the burn—
Then a body slammed into me, shielding me.
"Brian?" My voice broke.
He stood between us, face twisted in agony. Despite the pain, his hand brushed my cheek, his voice barely a whisper. "Angela… I won't let you die again."
Laurel froze. Horror flooded her face as the bottle clattered to the ground. "No! I didn't mean to—it wasn't supposed to be you!"
The commotion drew staff rushing in. Medics carried Brian away while security restrained Laurel.
Alastair burst onto the scene, face pale, eyes scanning me frantically. "Irene, are you hurt?"
I shook my head, numb. My mind reeled—Laurel's attack, Brian's sacrifice. He'd saved me. Did that mean…?
I grabbed Alastair's hand. "I need a favor. Get him the best doctor."
His jaw tightened, but he nodded. "He'll get the best care. Don't worry."
I barely registered his words as he guided me back to the hotel.
The next morning, Alastair knocked softly on my door. "Brian's stable," he said gently. "Do you want to see him?"
I rubbed my tired eyes. "Yeah."
"I'll take you."
I kept my voice steady. "A friend's at a conference nearby. Thought I'd take a walk while I wait."
She dragged her fingers through her tangled hair, studying me with unnerving focus. "You're lying." A sly grin twisted her lips. "I saw you walk in with some guy. Handsome, wasn't he?"
Then, like a dam breaking, she burst into wild, hysterical laughter.
"Does this make you happy?" She gestured at herself with a manic sweep of her hands. "Seeing me like this?"
I stayed silent, inching toward the stairs, putting space between us. Her laughter died abruptly, replaced by a bitter scowl. "Why does your life always turn out better than mine?" Her voice cracked. "College degree, great job, a rich boyfriend who actually cares—everything just falls into place for you. Why not me? Why not my life?"
I met her gaze, cool and detached. "And where did that get me? Brian and Jordan both ended up choosing you, didn't they?"
Laurel's lips curled into a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Love?" She let out a choked laugh. "You think they loved me? That's the funniest thing you've ever said."
Her words hit like a slap. I stayed quiet, watching as her face twisted with pain.
"So you don't know?" Her voice was hollow. "You don't know what Brian did to me after you died?"
I shook my head, dread coiling in my stomach.
She laughed again—sharp, broken. "He hired three women for Jordan and tied me up in a closet so I could watch my own husband screw them! Do you have any idea what that feels like? To have your heart ripped out while the whole world laughs at you?"
Her pain was raw, but her rage was a storm about to break. I tried to soothe her. "Laurel, I understand—"
"Understand?!" she shrieked, cutting me off. "How could you possibly understand? Everyone thought I had it all because I 'stole' your man. But the truth is, I lost everything. Brian, Jordan, their so-called love—if you can even call it that. I was a joke, a thief who couldn't even keep what she stole!"
Her words were knives. There was no reasoning with her now. "Laurel, just calm down—"
"Don't tell me to calm down!" she screamed, her voice rising to a fever pitch. "None of this would've happened if it weren't for you! Even after you're dead, Brian still can't forget you. Why do you get everything while I get nothing?"
Then, like a death sentence: "You don't deserve to live!"
She yanked a bottle from behind her back.
My blood turned to ice. "Laurel, what are you doing?!" I stumbled back, panic clawing at my throat.
She unscrewed the cap with eerie calm, her laugh sending chills down my spine. "Don't run, Angie. Let's end this together."
"Laurel!" My voice shook. "This is a crime! You'll go to prison!"
"Prison?!" she howled, eyes wild. "What prison? I'll be dead. And so will you!"
She lunged. I turned to run, but my foot caught on a loose stone. I crashed to the ground, pain shooting through me as I scrambled up—but Laurel was already on me.
The liquid arced through the air. I braced for the burn—
Then a body slammed into me, shielding me.
"Brian?" My voice broke.
He stood between us, face twisted in agony. Despite the pain, his hand brushed my cheek, his voice barely a whisper. "Angela… I won't let you die again."
Laurel froze. Horror flooded her face as the bottle clattered to the ground. "No! I didn't mean to—it wasn't supposed to be you!"
The commotion drew staff rushing in. Medics carried Brian away while security restrained Laurel.
Alastair burst onto the scene, face pale, eyes scanning me frantically. "Irene, are you hurt?"
I shook my head, numb. My mind reeled—Laurel's attack, Brian's sacrifice. He'd saved me. Did that mean…?
I grabbed Alastair's hand. "I need a favor. Get him the best doctor."
His jaw tightened, but he nodded. "He'll get the best care. Don't worry."
I barely registered his words as he guided me back to the hotel.
The next morning, Alastair knocked softly on my door. "Brian's stable," he said gently. "Do you want to see him?"
I rubbed my tired eyes. "Yeah."
"I'll take you."
End of My Fiancé’s Secret Love is My Cousin Chapter 10. Continue reading Chapter 11 or return to My Fiancé’s Secret Love is My Cousin book page.