The Bride Who Said No: Escaping the Shadows of Yesterday

Freya suddenly realized she didn't resemble Eloise in the slightest. Freya was Freya herself, not a stand-in for anyone else.

The following morning, Ronan had his family doctor come to check Freya's injuries. Once the doc got a good look at how banged up she was, he got right to work patching her up and threw in some advice on the way out the door. Freya had intended to practice writing with her left hand in her apartment, but then she remembered it was the due date for library returns at school. With a sigh, she realized she had no choice but to head to the school library. As fate would have it, Jenny and Eloise were there, cramming for what might be the most difficult final exams in years, as rumored. It seemed every senior was burning the midnight oil in the library, desperate not to fall behind.

Jenny spotted Freya and immediately sauntered over with a smirk. "Well, isn't it Miss Dawson from the renowned Dawson family? What's got you wandering here alone to return books? Where's your ever-present sidekick, Luna? Did she finally ditch you now that word's out about the Dawson family's financial turmoil? Trying to avoid guilt by association with the sinking ship?"

The student council president at Summit University, Eloise, wielded nearly as much power as the faculty. Backed by a posse of female student council members, her influence was undeniable. Despite neither Freya nor Eloise securing the coveted spots for studying abroad, the council's disdain for Freya, perceived as imitating their beloved Eloise, was palpable.

The crowd sneered, "With the Dawson family's reputation in tatters, who wouldn't want to distance themselves, fearing backlash from Mr. Sutton?"

reduced to being Mr. Sutton's aide. It seems the older aide's days are numbered,

your little stunt with Preston backing you up and your vendetta against Ellie's family, Mr. Sutton's abandonment landed you in jail, all banged up Serves

school knew crossing Kieran meantza grim future for Freya. At Summit University, the social hierarchy was merciless,

once flaunting her

and

Mae to drop

deepened.

out to shove her. Freya caught Jenny's wrist in the left hand, gripping

Jenny screamed with the pain evident in her