“Seriously, Carys, you can’t just slander Genevieve because you’re bitter.”
“If you were worth keeping, why would Donovan have divorced you?”
“So he divorced you. Fine. But now you’re claiming Ronan Finch is your boyfriend? Are you delusional?”
Just then, the door to the room swung open.
Before I could see who it was, a familiar voice sliced through the air.
“If you have a problem with your brain, you should see a doctor.”
“Ronan?! It’s really Ronan Finch!”
The woman who had just called me delusional turned to me triumphantly. “Did you hear that? He told you to go see a doctor.”
But to her shock, Ronan strode directly to me, his eyes scanning me from head to toe.
After confirming I was unharmed, he let out a quiet breath of relief and turned to face the woman who had been harassing
- me.
“You’re the one who was questioning her?”
The woman, realizing what was happening, stammered, unable to speak.
Someone tried to smooth things over. “It’s all a misunderstanding. Just a misunderstanding. Now that it’s cleared up, we’re all good, right?”
But Ronan had no intention of letting it go.
He turned to the peacemaker. “A misunderstanding? I’m one minute late, and you’re all ganging up on my girlfriend. What do you do to her when I’m not around?”
No one in the room dared to speak. yol ve plak L W W W W W W X Y
Except Genevieve.
“Ronan, don’t blame them. It’s all my fault.”
Ronan’s gaze snapped to her. “If you know it’s your fault, then apologize.”
Genevieve froze.
Donovan frowned. “That’s enough! We’re all former classmates. There’s no need to make things so ugly.”
Ronan acted as if he’d only just noticed Donovan. He raised an eyebrow. “Well, well, if it isn’t the ex–husband. What’s this? Here to beg for a second chance?”
The entire room gasped, eyes darting back and forth.
No one dared to make a sound.
Donovan’s face was a mask of fury. “What the hell are you talking about? Genevieve and I “Oh?”
are
getting
married.”
T
Ronan’s gaze shifted back to Genevieve, and a slow, cruel smile spread across his lips. “Funny. When you were chasing me, you told me Donovan was boring. What happened? Couldn’t find anyone better, so you’re settling for him now?” The statement dropped like a bomb. The room fell into absolute silence.
Genevieve’s face was as white as a sheet.
Donovan’s expression was darker than anyone’s. “Ronan, you shut your mouth! Stop slinging mud!”
Ronan scoffed. “Whether it’s mud or not, she knows better than anyone.”
He shot a meaningful look at Genevieve, then back at Donovan, and made a soft “tsk” sound
“I have to ask, Donovan, did you even bother to look into what she was doing during her three years abroad?” “What do you mean?”
“Why don’t you go find out for yourself?“.
Ronan took my hand. “The mood here sucks. We’re leaving. You all have fun.”
Downstairs, in the car, Ronan didn’t start the engine.
“You’re usually so sharp–tongued with me. Why were you so quiet back there?”
He stared straight ahead, his face stern. He looked genuinely angry.
I leaned over and gently turned his face towards me. “Are you mad?”
“A little.”
I leaned in and kissed him softly. “Not mad anymore, okay?”
He let out a short, exasperated laugh. “You think that’s all it takes to appease me?”
I thought for a moment, then climbed over the center console and settled onto his lap.
A dark flame flickered in his clear eyes. He remained perfectly still, letting me do as I pleased. Just as things were about to escalate, he caught my hands.
His voice was hoarse. “Let’s go home first.”
“Hmm?”
“Not enough space in here. Can’t perform at my best.”
He moved me back to the passenger seat. The moment he started the car, my phone rang. It was my mother.
I answered, and her voice exploded in my ear.
“What is wrong with you? Why are you siding with an outsider to bully your own sister?”
“Your sister has been emotionally unstable ever since she lost her dance career! Why would you provoke her like that?” “And that Ronan guy, what’s your relationship with him? You break up with him right now! I will not allow you to be with
him!”
“Not enough space in here. Can’t perform at my best.”
He moved me back to the passenger seat. The moment he started the car, my phone rang. It was my mother.
I answered, and her voice exploded in my ear.
“What is wrong with you? Why are you siding with an outsider to bully your own sister?”
“Your sister has been emotionally unstable ever since she lost her dance career! Why would you provoke her like that?” “And that Ronan guy, what’s your relationship with him? You break up with him right now! I will not allow you to be with him!”
She went on and on.
Every word an accusation.
I held the phone away from my ear until the stream of words seemed to stop. Then I brought it back.
“Carys Merrick, you get back here right now! Immediately!”
I spoke calmly. “I’m not coming back.”
Her voice shot up an octave. “What did you say?”
“I said, I’m not coming back.”
There was no place for me in that house anymore.
I hung up and looked at Ronan.
“Do you dare?”
He was lost in thought and didn’t catch my meaning. “What?”
“Ronan Finch, will you marry me? I’ll throw in the guesthouse.”
7
He froze for a single second, then slammed his foot on the accelerator. “Don’t you dare regret this.” When I arrived at the house, Genevieve was in the middle of a tearful performance for my parents.
“I barely even know Ronan. I have no idea why he would target me like that.”
“Donovan, you have to believe me. We were together through high school and college. You know my heart has always been with you. How could I possibly like him?”
Donovan held her, his voice full of pain. “I believe you. You’re not that kind of person.”
Genevieve continued, “I saw him a few times when I was abroad. He’s definitely going to use that can’t believe a word he says.”
to
smear my name. You
“I know.”
Genevieve was about to say more when she saw me.
“Carys, you’re finally back. I told Mom and Dad everything.
She approached me, her face a mask of They don’t blame you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
just stay away from him.”
“You were obviously tricked by Ronan. You should stay away from him from now on.‘ My mother snapped, “Since your sister said it’s that Ronan’s fault
I sighed softly. “I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“You’re still going to see him?”
I pulled the marriage certificate from my bag. “We’re married.”
“What?”
“What did you say?”
Genevieve snatched the certificate from my hand. A moment later, she shrieked.
“How could you?! How could you marry him! Does he have something on you? Is that it?”
She stared at the photo on the certificate, desperately searching for a flaw
“It’s impossible. How could he ever be interested in you…”
**
પંચનું પ્રથમ
“He wasn’t interested in me, and I’m a thousand times better than you! How could he marry you? You must have done something…”
She muttered to herself, completely oblivious to the color draining from Donovan’s face. My mother noticed.
དད་དང་ཡིག་འད ོད་ཡོད་་དང་དེ
She ripped the certificate from Genevieve’s grasp and threw it in the trash. “It’s just a fake. And even if it’s real, so what? Let her marry him. You have Donovan, and that’s all that matters.”
The name “Donovan” seemed to snap Genevieve out of her trance.
She blinked and said, “Yes, I have Donovan. I still have Donovan.”
She reached for his hand, but Donovan pulled away. Genevieve stared at him, a beat too late. “Donovan?”
Donovan’s face was ice. He turned and walked out.
A horrifying realization dawned on Genevieve’s face. It went completely white.
She scrambled after him. “Donovan! Donovan, wait, let me explain…”
Their voices faded into the distance.
My mother shot me a look of pure disgust.
The end
