All Chapters of The Bride He Never Chose: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Chapter 20: Engraved Promises“Can we talk?” he said, softer now. “Just for a little while.”I hesitated. My mind said no, but my heart… my heart was already open.He lifted the box slightly. “Happy birthday, Kourtney.”I stared at him. Frozen. The world tilted.Slowly, I reached for the gift, fingers brushing against his.Inside was a silver pendant—delicate, heart-shaped, engraved with tiny letters: K & T.“Travis…” I murmured, overwhelmed. My emotions danced between anger and longing, betrayal and hope.“It’s a reminder,” he said. “That no matter what happens… you matter to me.”The weight of his words hit me harder than any photo ever could. The world paused.I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, tight and desperate. A silent cry through a single embrace. His warmth was too familiar, too painful.“Thank you,” I whispered shakily. “But… why now? Why come back just to leave again?”He pulled away enough to meet my gaze, eyes raw. “I thought staying away would be safer. I

Chapter 22: The Space He Left Behind“Did you hear me, hon?”My mother’s voice pulled me back like a rope from a dream, steadying me in the quiet of the lavish dining room. I blinked a few times, focusing on her warm, concerned eyes.“Yes. Sorry,” I murmured, trying to gather myself. “I was just thinking.”She gave my hand a gentle squeeze, her touch grounding. “It’s a lot to take in. The Forgers can be... intimidating.”I forced a short laugh, but it didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Yeah, like their charm could fill up a whole ballroom and still have room to spare.”The private dinner had been quiet, intimate, yet heavy with unspoken expectations. It was just us and a few of the Forgers’ closest relatives—some whose names I couldn’t even remember. The room was dimly lit, elegance dripping from every corner, crystal chandeliers reflecting soft light onto polished wood. Yet all I could focus on was the chair that stubbornly remained empty. His chair. Travis’s chair.After the dessert plate

Chapter 24: She Carried His SinMy gown was delivered last night, and it's so beautiful. My mom even told me to try it on, and I was about to refuse since I never intended to use it in the first place, but to avoid suspicion, I followed my mom's request.The gown fit me perfectly, highlighting my hourglass figure. The only problem was the chest area because I'm flat-chested. Sigh.What if I cut the bottom of the gown? Then I can tell mom that I accidentally stepped on it and it tore? That could be my excuse not to attend the party.I shook my head repeatedly. That's an easy problem to solve, for sure as soon as I tell mom that there's an issue with my gown, one of the designer's staff my mom hired would probably arrive within thirty minutes to fix it. So, the effort I put into that excuse would just go to waste.What if I pretend to have a stomachache? Mom will call a doctor, and I'm sure her panic will be over the top when I tell her I'm in pain.The garden was quiet—too quiet for a

Chapter 26: Diamonds and RegretPeople started whispering.“Is that Frank Martinez’s daughter?”“She looks different with that hair… but that behavior? It checks out.”“She might be pretty, but she’s out of control.”Chiffon’s friend pointed a trembling finger at me. “You shameless little—!”Chiffon stood up, dripping in chocolate, her white dress now ruined beyond repair. Her eyes were pure fire. I took an instinctive step back. She lunged toward me—I braced myself for a slap, a scratch, anything.I closed my eyes, breath shallow.But nothing came.Instead, I heard gasps. One collective inhale from the crowd. Murmurs.Slowly, I opened my eyes.Something black blocked my view—someone.Tall. Broad-shouldered. In an all-black suit.His hand was stretched in front of me protectively, his stance unshakable.And then I looked up.Travis.His jaw was tense. His eyes—usually unreadable—were burning.“I think that’s enough,” he said, his voice low but powerful. The crowd fell silent.Chiffon

Chapter 28: The Girl Travis ChoseTravis.It was Travis.His back was to me, and I could see chocolate smeared across the front of his once-pristine suit. I froze.Did he just—“Travis,” I whispered, breath hitching.The girl halted mid-lunge, her face draining of color. “T-Travis… I-I didn’t mean…”He said nothing to her. Nothing at all.His head slowly turned.And then—his eyes met mine.Everything else disappeared.I forgot where I was. Forgot about the chocolate. The whispers. The judgment.He looked at me like I was the only one in the room.“Are you okay?” he asked, voice low and careful.His eyes searched mine—not for explanation, but for injury. For pain.That’s when I realized—I was crying.Not from fear. Not from shame.But because this night was supposed to be perfect.My mom and dad had worked so hard for this celebration, and I ruined it. I lost control. I became everything they warned me not to be.“I’m sorry,” I whispered, brokenly. “I ruined everything.”His brow furro