The Abandoned Bride's Flash Marriage - Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Gwyneth felt Zachary's hand on her arm like a dirty stain. She shook it off with a jerk, her eyes blazing with disgust. "Stop pretending, Zachary. You've crushed my trust one too many times. You think some belated ring can fix this? It's never going to happen!"
Zachary felt like he'd been punched in the gut. His throat tightened, and he struggled to find words. He wanted to say something—anything—to make things right, but every attempt felt weak and useless against Gwyneth's anger.
The room had gone completely silent. The waitstaff and the hired crowd, who had been cheering moments ago, were now frozen in shock. The romantic atmosphere had evaporated in an instant.
Gwyneth took a deep breath, her eyes cold and resolute. "Have some shame and stay out of my life," she said, her voice steady.
Then she turned and walked away, her posture rigid with determination. Each step seemed to drive home the finality of it all. There was no going back.
Zachary stood there, feeling like he'd been punched in the chest. His heart ached, and he could barely breathe.
Until moments ago, he'd been sure Gwyneth would never leave him. But now he knew the truth: the girl who had once loved him with everything she had was gone, and he was the one who had pushed her away. She wasn't coming back.
'No way. This can't be happening. Gwennie is mine,' he thought, not about to let her go.
Stepping out of the hotel, Gwyneth felt the icy air rush into her lungs, and for the first time, she felt truly alive. But her fingers still trembled uncontrollably.
She walked straight to the convenience store down the street, grabbed a bottle of cold water, and took a long, slow sip. She needed to pull herself together. Later, she had to meet Harrison's grandfather, and she couldn't show up looking like a mess.
Actually, after agreeing to help her coworker with this business deal, she'd sent Harrison the hotel address. He'd said he'd swing by to pick her up. He should be here any minute now.
Unbeknownst to her, the moment she stepped into the store, Zachary bolted out after her. "Where did she go?" he muttered to himself, looking around frantically.
He stood there, clutching the ring in his hand, feeling completely at a loss. After just a few days apart, Gwyneth seemed like a different person. He didn't know why everything had gone wrong.
Right then, Harrison's car pulled up. Stepping out in a tailored suit, Harrison frowned at Zachary's dazed expression. 'Isn't Gwyneth here for work? What's Zachary doing here?'
Harrison's face turned stern. He was about to look away when Zachary approached. "Mr. Lopez?" Zachary's voice was tinged with surprise and a hint of excitement.
He'd never expected to run into Harrison here. Pushing aside his worries for Gwyneth, he greeted Harrison warmly and handed him his business card.
Harrison glanced at the card, then back at Zachary, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he checked his watch. "Sorry, I'm here for a meet," he said curtly.
"Sorry to bother you," Zachary replied, stepping back. "If you ever need help with any projects in town, just give me a call."
Harrison's expression grew colder. "Thanks," he said. "But I'm newlywed and don't have the bandwidth for projects right now."
"Ah, I see. Congratulations," Zachary replied, his tone shifting. Knowing it wasn't time for more business talk, he turned to leave.
Right then, Gwyneth emerged from the store and froze when she spotted Zachary. 'What rotten luck!' she cursed inwardly.
Zachary's face brightened as he took a few steps closer and called out, "Gwy—"
But his phone suddenly rang. It was Abel, his voice urgent. "Mr. Flynn! Ms. Emerson took a tumble down the stairs and broke her leg. She's in hospital now."
"What?" Zachary's brows furrowed, and he instinctively started to move, but then stopped. He turned back to Gwyneth. "I need to—"
"Do what you have to do," Gwyneth said, brushing past him without a glance.
Zachary hesitated for a beat, and then, with Abel's insistent prodding in his ear, he quickened his pace and left.
Gwyneth's heart felt like it was freezing over. But it was okay. She had already made up her mind to leave.
She turned to Harrison. "Let's go back to see your grandpa."
Harrison watched Zachary disappear, his eyes flickering with irritation. But he softened his expression as he ushered Gwyneth into the car. "When we're with Grandpa, just be yourself. If you don't like something, say no. No one's going to judge you."
Gwyneth had been looking down, but she looked up, puzzled. "There's really nothing I need to worry about?"
"You're already more than capable of handling yourself. What more could I ask for?" Harrison's casual words somehow settled her nerves.
Nearly the entire Lopez family was gathered in the hall of the Lopez manor. All eyes turned to Gwyneth the moment she entered with Harrison.
Gwyneth's fingers were twisting nervously, but Harrison gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry," he murmured. "They're just curious. And we're just business partners, right? Be yourself."
To the Lopez family, that small, affectionate gesture spoke volumes. It was clear Harrison had taken a liking to his new wife.
Liam, the family patriarch, smiled warmly and waved Gwyneth over. "Gwyneth, come here, dear."
She walked over, her voice soft and polite. "Yes, Liam?"
Liam's smile grew. "She's a good girl, Harrison. You better treat her right. And Gwyneth, if he ever gives you any trouble, you call me. I'll set him straight."
"Thank you, Liam," Gwyneth said, her voice sincere. "Harrison's been very kind. He even went out of his way to pick me up today."
There was a brief, stunned silence. Harrison being thoughtful seemed so impossible.
Liam blinked in surprise, and then laughed heartily.
Harrison knew Liam well enough to anticipate the endless questions that would follow. Seeing the crowd closing in on Gwyneth, he decided to take charge. "I'll take her upstairs for now," he said, his tone firm but polite. "We'll catch up later."
"Wait, what about everyone else?" Gwyneth asked, glancing back at the family.
"They'll find something to do," Harrison replied, his cool gaze sweeping the room. The family members exchanged glances but stayed silent.
Gwyneth hesitated for a moment, and then decided to go along. If they could escape the crowd, why not? She followed Harrison up to his room.
Harrison's room was as stark and uninviting as he was, with only the lush garden visible through the window adding a splash of color to the otherwise cold space.
After Harrison had left to greet the other family elders, Gwyneth found herself drawn to a poetry book on the shelf. Its well-worn pages and curled edges hinted at frequent use. She'd never pictured Harrison as the poetry-reading type.
As she opened it, a bookmark slipped out. Gwyneth bent to pick it up, her eyes widening in surprise. "This looks just like the one I used in high school," she murmured.
But that old bookmark had been lost years ago. Maybe it was just a coincidence. She picked it up, intending to put it back, but noticed a few photos were about to fall out of the pages.
She reached to tuck them back in, but a hand closed the book before she could—Harrison's.