บททั้งหมดของ Shattered Vows: บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

The silence in the truck was suffocating. I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, my mind spiraling as the road stretched endlessly ahead. The revelation gnawed at me—I was married. The words felt foreign, like they belonged to someone else. I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to breathe through the weight of it. Who was he? What kind of life had I left behind? And why hadn't he come for me? I clenched my fingers against my lap, my frustration building. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't summon his face. Just that moment at the altar—the weight of the ring sliding onto my finger, the priest's solemn pronouncement. It was real. It had to be real. But if I had been someone's wife, why did it feel like I was completely alone? The truck rumbled over the uneven road, and Liam remained quiet beside me, focused on driving. He hadn't pushed me about earlier, but I could feel the weight of his curiosity. He knew something was wrong. I turned to the window, desperate for a distraction.

The truck jolted beneath my grip as I slammed my foot on the gas, the engine roaring in response. Gravel kicked up behind us, dust clouding the rearview mirror, but the headlights cutting through it told me Rey and his men weren't giving up. "Hold on," I muttered, fingers tightening around the wheel as I yanked it left. The truck veered sharply, tires skidding against the dirt road before gripping just in time to keep us from rolling. The sudden turn sent our pursuers swerving, but they adjusted quickly, accelerating. They were gaining on us. "Where the hell did you learn to drive like this?" Liam's voice was tight, his body bracing against the dashboard. I didn't answer, I couldn't. The way my hands moved, the way my mind calculated every sharp turn, every dip in the road—it felt instinctual. Automatic. Like I'd done it a thousand times before. But I hadn't, had I? At least, not that I could remember. A flicker of something surfaced in my mind. The faintest image of my hand

The roar of the black SUV's engine sent a jolt of fear down my spine. Liam clenched the wheel, his knuckles white. "They're following us," he muttered. I twisted in my seat, my pulse hammering. The headlights loomed closer. "We need to lose them." Liam gritted his teeth. "Yeah? And how do you suggest we do that?" I didn't know. But my instincts did. The road ahead curved sharply, disappearing into a cluster of trees. A memory flickered—tires skidding, a sharp turn, slipping out of sight. I had done this before. "There!" I pointed. "Take the turn and kill the lights." Liam didn't question me. He yanked the wheel, the truck veering off the road. The second we were behind the trees, he flicked off the headlights, plunging us into darkness. The engine rumbled softly as we rolled to a stop, hidden behind thick foliage. We held our breath. The SUV sped past. Its headlights sliced through the night, but it didn't slow down. Within seconds, it was gone. Silence. Liam exhaled, running

It was fully dark now, and we were getting closer to the farm, though there was still about an hour and a half left to go. Liam and I sat in silence, tension hanging between us. I wondered what was going on inside his head. Then, the truck rolled to a stop. Liam tensed beside me. I frowned, glancing around. There was a road to the left, but we were supposed to be heading straight. Something wasn’t right. I called out to Steve. “Why did we stop?” He hesitated before answering. “This road leads to my house,” he said, confirming my suspicions. Liam stood up at the same time I did. I climbed down from the truck and walked toward Steve. “If… if your place is far, you can stay the night at mine,” he offered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “There’s space.” Before I could even process his words, Liam was suddenly behind me. “She’s not spending the night at your place,” he cut in coldly. “Thanks for the ride.” Then, without warning, he grabbed my wrist and started dragging me

The guest house was impressive, but it lacked the warmth of a lived-in space. The moment we stepped inside, I could tell it was barely used, everything was spotless, perfectly arranged, and carried that faint, unused scent. Emilia lingered by the doorway, shifting uncomfortably. "So... there's only one room available." I frowned. "Huh?" She cleared her throat. "The other rooms are, um, under renovation." I blinked. "Seriously?" Liam, as usual, remained unreadable, but I could tell he was just as unimpressed. "It's a big room," Emilia added quickly. "So you won't feel cramped or anything." She hesitated before giving me a pointed look. "Just don't... wander around, okay? My family isn't exactly fond of unexpected guests." I crossed my arms, arching a brow. "So we're basically being hidden." She winced. "That's... a harsh way to put it, but yeah." Liam exhaled through his nose, his expression giving nothing away. "It's fine." Emilia nodded, clearly relieved. "Okay. I'll have s