공유

Chapter 2

작가: The Evil Villain
By the time help showed up, my face was a mess of blue and purple from choking, my body twisted in agony.

That was when Yvette finally saw me, her body smelling like Ethan's cologne, as she came over to hold me. "Jayden! What's wrong?! You..."

The air was thick with a sickening smell of sweat and fear.

My stomach churned, and I could not help but shove Yvette away.

Her face went stiff, her brows knitting together as she stared at me. "Jayden! It was just one night, right? Why are you treating me like this?

"Ethan told you to go first, but you chose not to! How can you be mad at me?"

My heart clenched in pain, and I chuckled raspily. "Right. What right do I have to be mad at you?"

I finished, feeling blood trickle from my nose.

"I told you! I was just trying to help Ethan get better, you...

"Jayden! Jayden!"

Yvette's worried cries echoed as my world started spinning.

Darkness hit, and I went down like a felled tree.

Slap!

A smack snapped me back to reality.

When I opened my eyes, Yvette, fuming, threw her phone at my face. "Jayden! Can't you let anything go?"

I saw stars from the blow, fighting off the pain in my chest as I looked up at Yvette.

Her anger was written all over her face as she yelled, "Did you have someone post that stuff online? Do you have any idea that Ethan got fired because of you?!"

I glanced at the phone screen.

Yvette's phone was buzzing nonstop with scandalous headlines.

[Snow Mountain Scandal: The Groom Betrayed Before His Eyes. True Love or a Beautiful Lie?]

[Man Collapses on Snowy Slopes, His Fiancee Busy with Another Guy…]

Gripping my arm tightly, Yvette yanked me up from the edge of the hospital bed. "Come on, we need to go to the wedding and apologize to Ethan! Tell everyone it's not like those gossip-mongers are spinning it!"

I pulled away from her grasp, a bitter smile playing on my lips. "Why should I apologize? I'm not the one spreading rumors!

"And what if it's actually true?"

With a sharp 'crack,' Yvette's hand struck my cheek in a swift slap.

Rubbing her tingling hand, she sneered, "That's enough! So what if Ethan was my first? We're not married yet. It's my choice who I share my life with!

"And what about promises? Can you honestly say you've kept all of yours?"

I stayed silent, just gazing at Yvette, then red with anger.

Throughout our years together, I had kept every promise to her.

How could she say such things?

The sadness in my eyes hit her hard, and she came to her senses, wrapping her arms around me in a rushed apology. "Jayden, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant…

"Please help Ethan. Do it for me. You don't want to see me torn apart by the crowd, right?"

Yvette tried to continue, but I cut her off, the bitterness still lingering in my voice. "Fine, I'll do it."

She had not expected me to agree so quickly. A smile of relief spread across her face as she stepped out, calling Ethan.

She had not once asked about my injuries.

It did not matter to me–not anymore.

After this, I would only have one last thing to do for her.

I made my way to the wedding venue, which was already swarming with reporters hungry for a scoop, blocking every entrance.

As soon as I showed up, I was bombarded with flashes and questions.

"Mr. White, is the gossip about your fiancee online true?"

"Why didn't you intervene when your fiancée was in trouble? Did she really have an affair?"

"How did you feel watching your fiancee with another man?"

Their rapid-fire questions left me reeling.

Yvette, who was supposed to be in the bridal suite, pushed her way through the crowd.

Dressed in the million-dollar gown I had made for her, she took my hand, her face radiating happiness. "Everything online is a lie! Ethan and I are just friends. Nothing more could've happened!

"My husband and I are two peas in a pod! If I had betrayed him, would we be getting married?"

Yvette gave my hand a secret, sharp pinch.

Her ability to lie so effortlessly made my heart ache with a mix of sadness and bitterness.

'If this is your wish, Yvette, I'll make it come true,' I thought to myself.

I faced the press with a forced, awkward smile. "Yes. The rumors are false, and my wife and I are rock solid."

The ceremony went off without a hitch, quelling any lingering suspicions.

However, before we could even exchange rings, Yvette vanished.

Amid the hushed murmurs of the guests, I dialed a number. "I've decided. It's time to start the succession ceremony."
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  • The Calm Before Ruin   Chapter 9

    Dad was off to the side, watching with an air of detached amusement."Jayden, you can't afford to be this indecisive. How do you expect to lead like that?"His words were light, almost flippant, but they weighed on me like a mountain."Think about Yvette and Ethan. They've wronged you, and you've been nothing but kind. What did you get in return?"Are you just going to let them make a fool of you for the rest of your life?"His words stirred up memories I thought I had buried.Anger flared within me, and with a swift kick, I sent Yvette sprawling. She had been clinging to my legs, begging for forgiveness."Get her to the back of the boat!" I barked.The Soldati did not hesitate, grabbing Yvette and Ethan and tying them up at the stern.Yvette's screams cut through the air. "No! Jayden, I saved your life! Remember that!"She had played that card too many times, always pushing the limits, always hurting me without a second thought."We're square, Yvette," I said, emotionless.

  • The Calm Before Ruin   Chapter 8

    Ethan, having lost all leverage, kept his head low in my presence.Yvette was clueless about my father's identity, but he was all too aware.The moment it dawned on him, his first instinct was to ditch Yvette and make a run for it.However, my guys had him cornered, and all he could do was plead."Jayden, I'm begging you–let me go. I realize my mistake!"I was ignorant of who you were. Heck, I'd never have spoken to you like that if I knew who you were!"Ethan's head hung so low that it nearly touched the ground.Soon enough, the scene turned gory.Blood trickled from his temple, joining the blood from his mangled hand, slowly pooling into a crimson stream.Still, Ethan could not run, could not even flinch.He just stood there, straight as an arrow, awaiting my verdict."Why are you even apologizing to this nobody, Ethan?!" Yvette, biting back pain and anger, desperately reached for Ethan's arm. "Call the bodyguards, now! Get them here! Once they're here, I want heads to rol

  • The Calm Before Ruin   Chapter 7

    Yvette's screams echoed, again and again.I did not need to guess; I knew Yvette's knees were shot.My father tossed a gun and a knife at my feet. "Jayden, she's your problem. Tell her what it really means to be on top."The meds had kicked in, and I was feeling better.However, Yvette was still hurling insults at me. "Jayden! I'm gonna kill you! I swear I will!"I looked at the woman I had loved for years and felt nothing. I hesitated, not going for the gun.I was going to make her pay for all the pain she caused me, pay back every last bit of it.Yvette caught the gleam of the knife, and her eyes widened with fear. "Jayden! Are you out of your mind?! I'm your wife, remember?"Right. We had not divorced yet. She was still my wife, I reminded myself.Dad gave Yvette a dismissive look and chuckled. "Think you're good enough to marry a mafia heir? Take a good look at yourself!"I was taken aback.Dad did not mince words. "I knew what Yvette was all about when you first came

  • The Calm Before Ruin   Chapter 6

    Ethan was trembling so badly that he could not stop.He held onto Yvette's hand, trying to calm her. "Yvette, this doesn't seem like just drama. How about you both sit down and talk it out?"Yvette, having been slapped, was not about to 'sit down and talk it out.'She jerked her hand away from Ethan, standing with her hands on her hips. "Jayden, make him apologize right now, and I'll let go of the slap he just gave me."I almost laughed out loud.At 18, my dad had charged into the mafia world alone, fierce and fearless.The former Don met his end at the barrel of my dad's gun. My dad was the only outsider who took over the reins of a mafia family.No one dared question his judgment.If my dad heard a single word of dissent or saw a look he did not like, that person would end up on the wrong side of his gun.Over time, the mere mention of my dad sent shivers down everyone's spine.In the business world, my dad's reputation was legendary.Meanwhile, I had always seen Yvette as

  • The Calm Before Ruin   Chapter 5

    "Ah!"Yvette's scream shattered the silence, the bullet a hair's breadth from piercing her flesh.Yvette's face went pale, and she stumbled backward, collapsing onto the ground."Jayden!"Someone had pulled me out of the water.At the sound of that familiar voice, I mustered whatever strength I had left and opened my eyes tiredly.The moment I saw my dad, the tears broke free. I sobbed, gasping for air as if I might suffocate.Every inch of me throbbed with pain, like I had been steamrolled.My hands were a bloody mess from the ropes, stinging like crazy.Yvette was still trying to make sense of the chaos when the Soldati closed in on her.Ethan looked just as confused and said to Yvette, "Did Jayden hire these guys? Did he plan to take you down today?"Yvette's confusion quickly turned to realization.Facing the barrels of guns aimed at her and Ethan, Yvette let out an icy snort and marched straight toward me. "Jayden! You think some hired actors will make me back off?"D

  • The Calm Before Ruin   Chapter 4

    "Letting you have Ethan is the last thing I'll do for you."Once we've signed those divorce papers at the courthouse, we're done. For good."Yvette froze, but she quickly composed herself, massaging her temples and scoffing, "Cut the drama, Jayden. You're the one who wanted to marry me, remember?"Ethan's only asking for one little thing. You've got me. Isn't it enough to grant him this?"Her voice softened, as if she were talking down to a child, "Come on, no more tantrums. I'll get you a bigger, shinier ring, okay?"I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to face Yvette."You've had your 100 chances, Yvette."For a second, she looked lost, her face a mask of confusion. "What 100 chances?"My fingers clenched involuntarily, and a bitter laugh escaped me.All this time, I had put up with Yvette's hurts, clinging to a promise. A promise she did not even remember.I brushed away a tear, steadied my shaky voice, and said, "This is where it ends, Yvette. We're through."Here's to

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