The Bride Who Said No: Escaping the Shadows of Yesterday

"Naylor? Who the heck is Naylor?"

Freya shot Luna a puzzled look as they sat across from each other in the school cafeteria, amidst the hum of student chatter and the clinking of cutlery.

Luna, who was fiddling with her phone, replied nonchalantly, "Oh, that's one of our seniors."

Handing her phone over, she added, "Apparently, he's from the Marshall family. But the Marshalls don't live in Echo City anymore. Heard they moved overseas after Naylor's death. Now, the forums are alive with gossip about Eloise, claiming she, Naylor, and Kieran grew up together. The rumor has it that Eloise and Naylor got carried away, and she ended up pregnant. They were planning to make it right with a shotgun wedding, but then Naylor tragically died in a car accident, and soon after, Eloise had a miscarriage. The reason Kieran's been so devoted to Eloise all these years is because of a promise he made to Naylor on his deathbed. There's nothing romantic between them."

As Freya scanned the information on the phone, she saw numerous photos of Eloise and Naylor entering a maternity store, the images clearly several years old, hinting at a story from a bygone era.

Could the rumors actually be true?

A frown creased Freya's brow.

If so, why had Kieran abandoned her to rush to the airport for Eloise in the past?

"Reya? Reya?" Noticing Freya's dazed expression, Luna asked, "What's up? You look so out of it."

Handing back the phone, Freya remarked, "But this doesn't

obligation, not love. Otherwise,

"Who says he didn't?"

stepping in, Eloise would have

Kieran outright rejected

the video on

when she played

card did he agree."

once, I thought the guy had some integrity, albeit not much. But given Kieran's influence he could have easily protected. Eloise He chose

silent for

Kieran had wanted to, no matter who came after her, he could

Yet, he didn't.

she wrong about

Freya shook her head.

did it matter? Kieran still sided