Elena's POV
"I see they didn't manage to break you," Deacon said amusingly, leaning back in his seat like he was offering me the stage to perform.
Taking a sip from my wine glass, I shrugged in a half-boast and replied with a smirk, "Well, they tried. But if Bryson's family and pack didn't crush me, an angry princess surely won't."
Deacon chuckled softly and shook his head in awe. His normally sharp features relaxed into admiration as he began cutting his steak into bite-sized pieces. "Tell me everything," he said. "I want to hear it from your lips, not theirs."
Setting my cup down with a soft clink, I met his gaze steady. “Your mother... she was discreet, but intentionally emphasised how much of a 'second-hand bride' I am. The Grand Princess? She called me shameful. My ex-mother-in-law helped heat things up. And Julie-Bryson's cousin tried humiliating me by suggesting I'm unworthy."
I recounted it casually, as if we were merely discussing politics over dinner. But from the way Deacon's jaw clenched, it was clear he wasn't taking it lightly.
His shoulders stiffened, his back straightened. The veins on his neck bulged slightly as he growled lowly, "How dare they put you in the hot seat like that? Have they forgotten who your fiancé is?"
I raised an eyebrow at him, lips twitching, and tilted my head. "Oh, I reminded them. Quite firmly. I told Julie that
I might be divorced, but at least I'm not chasing after a man who clearly doesn't want me."
Deacon's brows shot up in amusement.
"And," I added, my voice laced with mischief as I recalled the stunned faces of the Grand Princess and the
Grand Princess... Let's just say I returned their words gift-wrapped, with all the elegance
sudden laugh escaped Deacon's chest, sounding rich and genuine.
wide smile spread across his
words he was about to say, but
him, trying to keep my voice calm. "You
the table, his expression softening. The candlelight caught in the golden flecks of his eyes
he said, his voice husky and low. "And I'll keep
night around us faded.
his declaration, I could hear nothing but the roar of my
ears.
人
undo me completely, he reached across the table. His fingers brushed against mine in a gentle, grounding touch. It wasn't grand or Sweeping, but it was enough to make my breath hitch and my
ground today," he said, his thumb tracing the back of my hand. "But
alone. Call
sighing. "I know... I just needed them to see me for
1/2
+28 BONUS
Chapter 140
short nod, his gaze unwavering. "Then we'll
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!