Flash Marriage: A Night To Remember のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 31 - チャプター 40

"Kelly, sweetie," I leaned down to her level and gently ran my hand through her hair. "I promise we'll come back another time, but Mom isn't feeling too well right now."Kelly pouted, her bottom lip sticking out in disappointment. It tugged at my heart. I knew how much she had been looking forward to this trip, but I had to do what I had to do.I took her hand softly, squeezing it gently. "I promise I'll make it up to you."She sighed, her small hand resting on top of mine. "Okay, Mommy," she said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "But I really wanted to see the lions today."My heart clenched. “I know, baby. We’ll come back soon, I promise.” I kissed her forehead, hoping that would ease the sting of disappointment. She gave me a weak smile, nodding in understanding, though I could see she was still upset.Brenda shot me a look, silently asking if I was okay. I nodded, but I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep up the charade of calm. Ivan and that woman, whoever she was, were

“That’s for the patronage,” I said, waving to Mr. Hawkins as he headed out after placing a large order of flowers. “I hope to see more of you.”“Very well, Veronica. Say hi to that little angel for me,” he replied, pushing open the door with a smile.I took a deep breath, returning to the ledger to finish logging the sale when a voice, one I hadn’t heard in years, froze me in place. That voice, cold and commanding, had chased me out of Canada three years ago.“Good morning. My son said he got some flowers from this shop yesterday. I’d like to order more for his wedding ceremony.”The words echoed in my head like an alarm. Slowly, I looked up, and there she stood—Mrs. Carlos. Her eyes widened with shock, her mouth forming a perfect O.“Veronica Carlisle?” she gasped, her voice breathy with disbelief. “Oh my, what a coincidence.”I clenched my jaw, the memory of her threat hitting me like a wave, and I could feel the anger bubbling up inside. This was the woman who had forced me to leav

The next morning, I woke up feeling drained, a dull ache throbbing in my head. I took some painkillers before dragging myself to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. By the time I’d finished making pancakes, Brenda and Kelly walked in, the bright energy between them a stark contrast to how I felt.“Good morning, Mom,” Kelly chirped as she made her way over to the tray of pancakes, her small hands gripping the edge of the table as she stretched to peek at what I’d made. “Mommy, I want to see. I want to learn how to make breakfast.”I smiled at her eagerness, but before I could respond, Brenda swooped in, tickling her sides. “Hey, baby, don’t grow up too fast!” she teased, making Kelly giggle. “When you’re a bit older, I’ll personally teach you everything you need to know.”Kelly pouted, crossing her arms dramatically. “But that’s so far away! My teacher says I’m like a tiny pebble.” She held her fingers close together to demonstrate, her face serious in the way only a determined child cou

“All I’ve been waiting for is a moment when you’d stand up to my mother,” Ivan whispered into my ear as he held me in his embrace.His words sent a rush of confusion and anger through me. I pulled out of the hug hastily, glaring at him, my heart pounding with disbelief. How could he say that now, after everything? I turned to Nora, who stood a few feet away, her arms crossed, staring at me with amusement in her eyes.“You think this is funny?” I snapped, my voice shaking with emotion. Nora raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “Funny? No, just… interesting. I didn’t think you had it in you.”Mrs. Carlos groaned in frustration, her eyes darting between me and Ivan, her anger barely contained. “Mark, Frank. Get this lowlife out of here.“The whispers in the dining hall increased with gasp and chattering. As the two bodyguards standing by the door rushed towards where I was ready to pull me away but Ivan came between us, his figure blocking them from reaching me.“No one is ta

I froze, my hand still on the door handle, heart racing. The words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. Ivan’s voice, calm but filled with certainty, echoed in the quiet room.“How… how do you know?” I whispered, my eyes darting in surprise as I clenched the golden-brown purse in my hands. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him, terrified of what I might see in his eyes.“I’ve known for a while,” he said softly, stepping closer. “It wasn’t hard to figure out, Vera. She looks just like me. I noticed it the first time I saw her, and she has the same energy. But I didn’t say anything because I thought I was wrong. I figured you must’ve been married by now. But after some digging, I realized you were single.”I clenched my fists, trying to keep myself steady. “You’re spying on me?” I scoffed, finally turning to face him, my anger simmering beneath the surface. “I don’t understand why you’d go to such lengths after three years of silence. Apart from your mother’s threats, I wanted to lea