They Didn't Regret It Until I Left

Before I could confront Lauren, the Quinn brothers barged in, acting like she was the victim.Roger snapped, "You went too far. It's just a pendant. You've had everything. Why the fuss?"Gerard piled on, "Lauren has a rough time living under your roof. Now you're humiliating her."I was confused by their baseless accusations, like I had done something horrible.Lauren looked a bit like me, and we became friends naturally. When I learned she was struggling, I quietly sponsored her.I hired her as my tutor and brought her home.I paid her well, giving her clothes and makeup. She cried, holding my hands and vowing to repay me.But what she really did was frame me.Lauren returned the pendant. She was tearful but secretly pinched my arm.I flinched, pushing her away. She fell, hitting her forehead on the table. It was swollen instantly.The pendant dropped and broke in two. She did it on purpose."I know you look down on me, but I didn't steal it," Lauren choked up. "I don't kno

...Ryan Carter walked in.Responsible as ever, he'd been planning our wedding since I mentioned the engagement over the phone.I thought his family was average, but they turned out to be the Carters from Brynhelm. The Carter family was a powerhouse dwarfing the Quinn and Brown families combined.The wedding flowers were flown in from overseas. The engagement ring was a record-breaking diamond from a Christie's auction, called the North Star.At first, I didn't want Ryan to feel obligated. It was just one wild night.But he looked at me seriously. "You don't know this, but I've liked you since college. The Quinn brothers were always around, so I held back. When I heard you cut ties with them, I flew to Arvandor. Thank God I got my chance."In college, Ryan was quiet and voted the campus heartthrob by underclassmen. Tons of girls chased him, some for a whole year, but he never budged.Now, as the Carter heir, he was said to have high standards for his partner, rejecting every hi

"Yeah, totally. Have a good trip back," I said indifferently.Roger felt lost, sighing, "Lauren is just insecure. That's why she came to Brynhelm alone. Don't hold it against her."I shrugged. "Why would I? I'm busy getting married, not sweating small fries like her."I grabbed my new, limited-edition bag and headed out. Lauren's eyes flashed with jealousy when she recognized the brand.My driver opened the car door, but as we started to pull away, Roger blocked the front, and Gerard clung to my window."Think twice. You barely know the guy. Marriage is not a game. Come back with me, and I swear I'll treat you better.""What did we do wrong? Don't be reckless. Come back with us, and everyone is happy. You won't get another chance."I glanced at Lauren, who'd followed them out. Her glare was venomous.Then I turned back to the smug brothers. "I'll say this one last time. I'm marrying for my happiness, not to spite you. Leave me alone."I signaled the driver to go. The Quinn bro

Lauren sobbed, "No, I swear. That's my brother. I didn't get surgery. I'm all natural."Done with her act, Roger tossed his phone at her. "Here's the detective's report. Look for yourself. Your shady past started at 15."...Lauren shook as she read her rap sheet. She dropped to her knees, but it was too late.Roger slapped her. "You're full of lies! You make me sick! How dare you come between us and Angie?"Her schemes went beyond lies. To replace me, she had surgery and copied my scent, eating habits, and even my voice.Once, I was set for a horse-riding competition. The Quinn brothers ditched me for some charity event with Lauren. She tampered with my saddle, causing me to fall off the horse and miss the finals.My team found the sabotage and told me. Enraged, I called Lauren out. "Why did you mess with my saddle? I was almost killed."She brushed it off. "You're fine, aren't you? Oh, you didn't make the finals? Good.""Are you insane? I paid for your college. I helped you!