Chapter 12
“What the hell are you doing here!”
Hayes‘ voice cracked, staring in shock at the face under the veil. “Where’s Len?”
Raina forced a timid smile, reaching for his hand. “Sis gave me the engagement. Hayes, I’m the one marrying you today.”
Hayes‘ mind went blank. He stared at Raina, repeating numbly: “Gave it to you… what do you mean?”
“Hayes, I’m a Thorne family daughter too.”
Raina blinked innocently, like it was obvious. “The Hayes and Thornes are joining together. If sis won’t marry you, naturally it should be me. I know you have feelings for me deep down…”
“What the fuck are you talking about!”
Hayes violently shook off her hand, the force sending Raina stumbling backward before she hit the ground hard.
“Hayes…” Raina’s eyes instantly welled up, tears threatening to spill. “Everyone’s watching. Can we just finish the ceremony first?”
“Who said I’m finishing anything with you?”
Hayes roared, whipping around to face Alaric Thorne, his stare ice–cold.
“So this is why you had the balls to show up today! Where did you hide Len? Who gave you permission to pull this bait and switch!”
Alaric Thorne trembled under his intensity but forced a placating smile:
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“Hayes, you’re being unfair! Lennox willingly gave up the engagement herself–I didn’t force her! I wouldn’t dare mess with your wedding even if you gave me a hundred chances!“‘
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“Besides, Raina’s my daughter too. It’s all about the alliance anyway–what’s the difference who you marry? And Raina said you’ve been so good to her lately, you must have feelings for her…”
“I don’t like her!” Hayes‘ expression was terrifying.
“My engagement with Lennox is between me and her–it has nothing to do with the Ji family! Who gave you permission to swap brides!”
“Bring me Lennox!”
He stepped forward, his presence suffocating. “I don’t believe she agreed to this. I know better than anyone how much she hates you people! There’s no way she’d give up our engagement!”
“You wouldn’t want me to use force, would you?”
Alaric Thorne paled, frantically pulling out his phone. “She really did agree herself–I’m not lying!”
He played a recording. Lennox’s cool voice filled the air: “Ten billion, plus cutting all father–daughter ties, in exchange for Raina marrying into the Hayes family. Sounds like a deal.”
Hayes‘ mind went completely blank. He couldn’t believe his own ears, muttering: “Impossible… that’s impossible…”
He spun around, heading for the exit: “I need to find Len and get answers!”
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A Billion–Dollar Goodbye: Too Late for Second Chances Mr Ev
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Chapter 12
Raina, still on the ground, desperately grabbed his pant leg, looking up at him through tears, trying to spark his pity:
“Hayes, sis already gave you to me. Even if you want answers, can’t we finish the ceremony first?”
“I’ve liked you for so long. I finally get the chance to marry you–don’t you have even a little bit of like me? You’ve been so… so good to me…”
Her voice broke with emotion, thick with hurt.
“No!” Hayes ruthlessly shattered her delusion. “I never liked you!”
“I was only good to you because you saved my life. That’s it!”
He spoke each word deliberately: “I won’t marry you. This wedding is canceled!”
Raina’s face drained of all color. She clutched his pant leg desperately.
Hayes yanked free from her grip, not bothering to spare her another glance, his mind focused only on finding Lennox.
“Hayes!”
Just as he was about to leave the stage, Raina’s voice came from behind him, edged with hysteria.
“Are you really going to abandon me? If you don’t marry me today…”
She pulled out a small knife from somewhere, pressing it to her throat with shaking hands. “Then I’ll just die!”
Hayes stopped dead in his tracks.
He slowly turned around. Raina thought her threat had worked, hope flickeri
in her eyes.
But the next second, Hayes‘ voice hit her like poison–laced ice, each word stabbing straight into her heart:
“Then go ahead and die!”
“Better yet, die somewhere far away where I never have to see you again!”
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