All Chapters of Upgraded: From Backup to Bride: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Lloyd Reed was the man Harper was supposed to marry.Harper remembered hearing his name once before, during a phone call with her cousin, Caleb Connerty. At the time, though, her mind had been entirely fixed on marrying Silas. She had felt nothing but resistance toward her grandfather's talk of an arranged union. And with that resistance, came a vague distaste for the name "Lloyd" itself.What she remembered was simple: he was a doctor, and he lived abroad.She stared at the chat interface on the screen. Seeing his request for a call, a ripple of nervousness stirred in her chest.Her palm, wrapped tightly around the phone, was slightly damp. She bit her lower lip, deleted the half-written message she hadn't yet sent, and typed a single word.[Okay.]She hit send.Almost instantly, her phone rang. The screen lit up. It buzzed in her hand. Her heartbeat quickened, inexplicably.She sat up straight on the sofa and took a deep breath. Then another. She reached for the lukewarm wa

Silas's heart gave a violent jolt. Almost reflexively, he clutched his right wrist. The color drained from his face."The leather bracelet… I lent it to Sophie, just for now."A flicker of panic flashed in his eyes. Under Harper's cold gaze, his body stiffened. He licked his dry lips, and his voice suddenly rose."I did it to make things right for you! You know very well Sophie's career depends on her face! That lucky bracelet was supposed to help her scar heal faster! Do you have any idea how many job opportunities she lost because of your impulsiveness? Every single thing I'm doing now is to fix your mistake! When are you going to get that through your head?"His voice, thick with anger, echoed through the empty room.Under the dim yellow light, Harper sat quietly in the chair. Her gaze lowered, she gently stroked the rim of the glass in her hand, and spoke in a calm, distant tone."Do you still remember… what you said when you made that vow?""You…"Silas felt a heavy weight

"What did you say?" Harper's eyes widened in disbelief. She stood frozen in place, jaw dropped.A sharp clap of thunder tore through the sky. Rain lashed against the half-open window, wind threading through the crack like cold breath. The chime on the doorframe rang in disarray.The old shopkeeper hunched over, shuffling toward the window with uncertain steps. With effort, he shut it tight, sealing out the storm."It was sold," he said. "A year ago. I'd planned to keep it for you. Thought maybe someday you'd come back for it. But then, my wife was diagnosed with cancer. The bills were endless. And my son… He picked up gambling. Lost everything. My daughter-in-law took the kid and left. I had to pay off his debts. Used up everything I had left. Right around that time, someone came in and asked to buy the bloodstone cuff bracelet. I didn't have a choice."The room was quiet except for the sound of rain against the window and the old man's slow, regretful breath.Harper looked up at

At the Underwood estate, Sophie's voice suddenly rang out amidst the tension. "Silas!"At the sound of her, Silas suppressed the anger burning in his chest. The sharpness in his gaze dimmed slightly as he turned, his face softening into a gentle smile. He looked at her as though none of the tension just moments before had existed.She was dressed elaborately today. A long, red, form-fitting gown hugged her delicate frame, the train trailing behind like a whisper of smoke. Under the golden sunlight, her entire being seemed to radiate.She'd woken up at six to do her makeup. Every detail was meticulously arranged. She looked breathtaking and ethereal."Tch, she's here for a birthday party, but from the look of it, you'd think a turkey escaped from the zoo," Ian muttered under his breath."Pfft..." Colby couldn't help it. A laugh slipped out.Silas's eyes darkened. He shot them both a glare."Pfft... ahem..." Molly Sanders, who stood beside Sophie, accidentally let out a laugh too,

"Silas," Colby finally spoke after a long silence. "I really think you shouldn't call Harper again."His voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it. He simply couldn't stand the thought of seeing Harper hurt once more, especially not in a situation like this.Silas's hand paused mid-motion, just as he was reaching for his phone. His brows furrowed slightly. He looked up, expression dark, voice low. "Why can't I call her? She showed up here yesterday. That means she knows she was wrong. She should come and apologize to Sophie."Seeing one after another of his friends siding with Harper, the irritation in Silas's chest surged upward, pressing hotly against his temples.He ignored Colby's attempt to stop him, pulled out his phone, and dialed Harper's number."We're sorry, the number you're calling is currently on another call…"The cold, mechanical voice echoed from the receiver.His expression froze.She wasn't answering?His face darkened further. He dialed again."We're