The Lady Nun Vows Revenge - Chapter 12: Chapter 12

"No way!" and "Impossible!" came tumbling out of Caleb and Sophie's mouths almost in perfect sync.
Everyone had assumed it would just be a simple vow—something Caleb would agree to without a second thought. But no one expected him to react so strongly.
What was even more shocking, though, was Sophie's equally intense response.
"Sophie?" Benedict and the others turned to her, clearly puzzled.
Sophie's face instantly froze. Realizing she'd overreacted, she quickly regained her composure and tried to force a smile. "It's not that... I just think the condition my sister proposed might be a bit too harsh.
"What if... what if Caleb changes his mind later? Maybe... maybe Eliza should leave herself some room, just in case?"
Benedict raised an eyebrow, sensing that something didn't sit right with what she said.
Matthew didn't react much. Anthony exchanged a thoughtful look between Sophie and Caleb.
Meanwhile, Dylan completely trusted Sophie and her innocent nature and didn't think too much of it.
"Sophie, I know you're worried about Eliza, but honestly, I don't think there's anything wrong with what she said," Dylan said, shrugging it off.
He snorted and gave Caleb a look full of disdain. "If you think so little of our Stonor girls, then just end it already. Do it right here in front of Father and all these guests—swear that no matter how much Eliza might try to chase after you, we'll never let it happen."
"Dylan!" Sophie called out urgently, alarmed.
But Caleb, even more upset than she was, jumped in. "No! I won't swear that!"
He shot Eliza a furious glare, convinced she had noticed his feelings for Sophie and was deliberately throwing up this cruel condition to stop him from being with her.
'No way am I letting this malicious woman win,' Caleb thought, feeling a renewed sense of determination.
He turned to Gabriel and spoke without hesitation. "Uncle, besides breaking off the engagement, there's one more thing I need to ask you. Please, help me with this."
Gabriel, sensing the tension in the room from Sophie and Caleb's reactions, narrowed his eyes. He tapped his fingers on the table, remaining silent as the others waited.
Adeline, Caleb's mother, could immediately see that her brother was getting angry. She wanted to pull Caleb away but knew it was no use. Caleb was too absorbed in his thoughts of Sophie.
He shrugged off Adeline's hand and, taking a deep breath, continued, "Please, Uncle, the only woman I want to marry is Sophie. So please, help me break off my engagement with Eliza and let me marry Sophie."
The room fell completely silent, and the Stonor boys' faces all darkened.
"Caleb Nevill, how dare you?!" Dylan shouted, furious.
Benedict, still calm, stepped in. "Caleb, you can't just treat my sisters like this!"
Even Matthew and Anthony, usually the more laid-back brothers, now glared at Caleb, their protective instincts kicking in.
Eliza couldn't help but sneer.
Seeing this, Dylan turned to her in disbelief. "You can still smile after all this? Eliza, what's wrong with you?
"Look at what your fiancé is doing to you, right here in front of everyone! Don't you even care? You're just letting him get away with it?"
Eliza flashed a sweet smile, completely unfazed. "I wouldn't dream of controlling him, Brother. Didn't you hear what he said? My fiancé has only one woman he wants to marry in this life—my dear little sister.
"Isn't that just... so romantic? Don't you think so, Sophie?"
Her tone was sugary sweet, but there was an edge to it, almost as if she were savoring the moment.
And as her words lingered in the air, everyone started to pick up on the underlying meaning.
At today's banquet, many of the ladies in attendance were no strangers to the backstage politics and subtle power plays that played out in the lives of the elite.
In the bustling heart of Hasen City, the drama between a younger sister and her brother-in-law wasn't exactly a new storyline.
If Sophie were truly an innocent girl, she would've known better than to act so familiar with her sister's fiancé.
But just moments ago, everyone had clearly seen how, even before Eliza had stepped into the courtyard, Sophie and Caleb were already chatting and laughing as if they were old friends, without a hint of reservation.
At first, the guests had assumed it was nothing more than the affectionate bond of cousins, and they didn't think much of it.
But now, with Caleb's increasingly affectionate gestures and Sophie's easy, comfortable manner, the crowd's glances began to linger on Sophie with more than just casual interest—there was something deeper in their eyes.
Sophie, sensing the subtle shift in the atmosphere, felt her temper flare. Her teeth almost ground together in frustration.
'Damn it!' she cursed silently. 'What's gotten into this idiot? She used to be as clueless as a lamb, always letting me pull the strings.
'But now she's making things so damn difficult. Someone must be behind this.'
She pressed her lips into a thin line, sneering. 'No matter what, she's still a fool. As long as Dad and my brothers are on my side, Eliza doesn't stand a chance of turning this around!'
Meanwhile, Eliza, who had also felt the change in the air, couldn't help but reflect on her past mistakes. "I was such a fool in my old life."
In her previous life, when Caleb had publicly called off their engagement, she had been crushed.
She'd begged him to reconsider right there in front of everyone, only to be met with his cold, dismissive gaze.
He had said, "I pride myself on my integrity. I can't stand underhanded games. Eliza Stonor, you've crossed a line. You're no longer worthy of being my wife."
After that, she became the laughingstock of Hasen City, and her reputation was destroyed overnight.
But now, Eliza had made a new choice. Once she let go of the things she could never have, she realized how much simpler life could be.
"Eliza Stonor, enough!" Caleb's voice was sharp and full of ice. His face darkened with anger. "This has nothing to do with Sophie.
"I'm the one calling off the engagement. If you've got something to say, go ahead. But don't think for a second that I'll change my mind."
His words dripped with disdain, each one clear and deliberate. "You. Don't. Stand. A. Chance."
The sound of the slap echoed across the room, so loud and sharp it silenced everything else in an instant.
Everyone froze, their eyes wide in shock, turning to Eliza on the stage. Even Benedict and his brothers couldn't believe their eyes.
After all, Everyone knew how deeply Eliza had been in love with Caleb. She had followed him around since she was a child, dreaming of growing up and marrying Caleb.
And now, here she was, slapping Caleb right across the face.
"Eliza! Are you crazy? How dare you hit my son?" Adeline was the first to react, her voice shrill as she screamed, raising her hand to strike Eliza in return.
But before she could land a blow, Eliza's grip on her wrist was like iron.