The Ruined Bride of Velvet Nights by Brick Moving Ant

Chapter 20

“Really? Then explain why you were living at Navier’s Lakeside Villa during that whole month–long divorce waiting period.”

Lysander hurled his phone into Celeste’s lap. On screen was the damning investigation report about

her.

“If I hadn’t dug deeper, I’d still be in the dark.”

“You and Navier coordinated quite brilliantly. This whole Ophelia impersonation act–you were betting I’d go soft over that face of yours, weren’t you?”

He gripped Celeste’s throat violently, his mind a chaotic whirlwind of conflicting emotions, acting purely on instinct.

Though tears involuntarily sprang from her eyes from the pain, Celeste remained remarkably composed. Instead of panic, she displayed her first genuine smile in days.

“Of course, you were supposed to fall for it. You love Ophelia, don’t you? I played my role perfectly. Why still chase after Navier? I can be your Ophelia–I’ll play that role for the rest of your life if that’s what you want.”

“Navier doesn’t love you anymore. She’s finally started a new chapter. Stop disrupting her life, Lysander.”

She said his name in Ophelia’s exact intonation.

Lysander reflexively loosened his grip on her throat, disgust churning inside him.

forming on her neck, he felt

Stanley, from now on, just be Ophelia’s stand–in. I won’t love you, and I definitely won’t marry you! Get any ridiculous ideas

one final glare, signaled for his security team to watch her, then turned away without hesitation. He boarded the waiting helicopter, bound for England to bring Navier back.

or another, she owed him an explanation!

the security team, trying

Bride of

24.8

to harm her, handled

this weakness, she made a desperate dash toward Lysander’s helicopter.

she was too late.

already lifted off.

pursue him now,

a distant speck.

she finally regained her composure and stood

gone, she needed to accelerate her plans.

been searching for three days. He’d walked the

New York–finding someone here was like searching for a needle in

streets did nothing

to see Navier, demand answers and bring her back

the more desperately he searched, the more elusive

was about to give up, convinced she’d left England, he spotted them on that same familiar boulevard: Navier and a foreign man walking hand–in–hand, unhurriedly crunching through