The Bride Who Said No: Escaping the Shadows of Yesterday

Chapter 9

Once a towering symbol of affluence and wealth, the Dawson family had crumbled under Leland's reckless gambit.

Before Freya stood her 18-year-old renegade so-called brother, a blaze of fury in her eyes as she lifted her hand and delivered a resounding slap.

The strike sent Leland reeling with disbelief etched across his face. "You, you hit me?"

The Freya Leland knew was gentle, her voice always laced with a softness, making her an easy target. Yet she stood her ground, her hand still stinging from the contact.

Freya fumed. "Damn right, I hit you! What gave you the audacity to barge into my room?"

Dawson, I'm so sorry! It was my fault for not stopping Mr. Dawson!" The maid quivered near the doorway, her voice

outburst sent the maid reeling,

was all Freya needed to understand the depth of Leland's

the chaos Johanna and

house? The Dawson family is hardly yours to claim, Leland." Freya approached the maid, her movements gentle as she helped her to her feet. The marks of abuse were evident, a silent testament to her suffering. Freya snapped, "The Dawson name may carry weight, but we're not above the law. Since when does labor

welled up in the maid's eyes as Freya defended her. She had longed to escape, trapped by Leland's threats, his misuse of his status as the Dawson heir to silence her,

Dawson, please let me leave!" Her pleas

drawn by the commotion, Johanna hurried upstairs. Seeing her son's swollen face, she instantly surmised

strike your brother? Have you lost your mind? What's your point with all this, calling off the engagement and

mince words. Leland isn't my father's biological son. He's of age, yet he