All Chapters of Stranger With a Ring: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

I hesitated at the door to the private room, my hand frozen on the handle. It felt like my heart had dropped into a pit of ice.Inside, Jim Larson was still laughing, his voice full of mockery."You don’t get it. I’ve been pretending to like Ella for the past five years—bottling everything up. I had no feelings for her, but I still had to act like I cared."He looked like he was barely holding it together, knocking back his drink in big gulps. The others rushed over, trying to comfort him."But hey, you're back with the Larsons now, right? Once the Cunninghams help you secure those shares, you’ll finally be free.""And don’t forget—Rowena's been waiting for you this whole time. With a fiancée like her, what are you even worried about?"Jim grabbed Rowena Scott’s hand, his eyes filled with emotion.With the crowd cheering them on, he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her, completely ignoring the fact that everyone could see.Five years ago, I was in a car crash, and Ji

Chapter 2

Jim looked at me like he wanted to say more, but he stayed quiet."Good that you understand me. I know you’re the best, Ella."When you're not grounded anymore, we'll go out, okay?"His words hurt.I watched him walk back into the party, and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.'There's no future for us, Jim,' I thought.I went home feeling hollow and smashed the pendant he gave me.For five years, it wasn’t just me hoping and holding on.If he hadn’t kept giving me hope after turning me down, I wouldn’t have chased him for so long.My parents tried to warn me, but I refused to listen.Now, after getting hurt so badly, I finally saw they were right.Jim must have still been worried about me because he sent another message.[Ella, I'm going to ask your parents to let you out early, okay?][Even if they don't like me, I'm going to stand up for you.]Before, a message like that would’ve melted my heart.I would’ve believed that Jim really cared about me, that he was the only one who tr

Chapter 3

He asked as if he was certain I would say yes.I let out a dry laugh. "And what if I say I don’t want to?"He knew I was upset about what happened yesterday, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to use me one last time.Suddenly, I saw Jim in a new light—and he didn’t look so great anymore.Without the rose-colored glasses, he just wasn’t the same.Jim thought I was joking and reached out to tousle my hair."I get it, you’re upset. However, listen, I’ll plan a nice fake engagement.""And if you play along, I’ll be your boyfriend for a month, okay?"He acted like he was doing me a huge favor.I scowled. "Jim, what do you take me for?""When you need me, you’re all friendly, but when you don’t, you just ignore me. Did you ever think about how that makes me feel?""I’m not agreeing to some fake engagement. Go ask someone else."Jim froze, clearly not expecting me to refuse.He stared at me, searching my face. When he realized I wasn’t joking, his expression darkened with panic."Ella, you k

Chapter 4

Whenever we fought before, he would give me the silent treatment.I was always the one to apologize first.However, this time, I told the butler not to let Jim in again.After I got rid of everything he had given me, I felt a little better.But then, he got into a car accident on his way home.Rowena called, her voice sharp with blame. "What did you say to Jim? He got distracted and crashed. This is all your fault!""You’re really holding a grudge over a few texts? How can you be so heartless?"I was stunned. I found out where Jim had been taken and started getting ready to go see him.He had left my place just before the accident. I needed to see him to ease my mind.Just as I was about to leave, my parents came home.They heard I wanted to go out and immediately stopped me."Edward Shaw, the eldest son of the Shaw family, is coming back tomorrow. He doesn’t care about that silly scene you made," they said."Why waste time on Jim when you have a fiancé like Edward?""Besides, we check

Chapter 5

Edward was drop-dead gorgeous.I’d always been the type to fall for a handsome face. That was the only reason I’d put up with Jim for so long—he looked good.But Edward? He was in a whole different league."Hey there, fiancée," he greeted me with a smile, tapping my forehead lightly. "Weren’t we going to pick out a wedding dress?"I snapped out of it, grabbed his bags, and led him to the car.Edward chatted casually along the way, trying to make me feel comfortable. He wasn’t cold at all—totally different from what everyone said. In fact, he was kind of funny.We clicked instantly and even added each other on Messenger.His profile picture looked strangely familiar, but I brushed it off as a coincidence.At the bridal shop, I tried on dress after dress.Edward sat on the couch watching me, his eyes focused and calm, but there was something warm in his gaze."Which one’s your favorite?" I asked, cheeks warming.He stood up and gently brushed my hair behind my ear."I like whatever you w

Chapter 6

With those words, I walked away with Edward, leaving Jim and Rowena behind without a second glance. After buying the wedding dress I had picked out, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.In the past, Rowena always showed up to taunt me whenever I got turned down.Now, I was the one walking away from Jim.Back at the bridal shop, Jim watched me vanish, feeling a void in his chest.He couldn’t wrap his head around how things had changed.‘Ella’s heart was always with me, even after all those rejections,’ he thought.Jim had to admit—he’d been playing games, stringing me along.Deep down, he had planned to say yes on my 100th confession.He really did have feelings for me—I wasn’t just anyone.For five years, even without the title of girlfriend, I’d been his strongest supporter.When the Larson family acted all high and mighty, I was the one who stood up for him.Jim had always felt a little insecure around me. He thought he wasn’t good enough, which was why he had let

Chapter 7

Five days later, at the grandest hotel in the capital. I stood there in my wedding dress, holding Edward’s hand, about to marry him.The Shaws and the Cunninghams were both powerful families, so the wedding was extravagant and luxurious, with everyone who mattered in attendance.My hand was in Edward’s, but my heart was pounding.He had been incredibly attentive lately, making real efforts to grow our relationship. Yet, I still had this nagging sense of unease.And I was right.Because in the middle of the ceremony, Jim burst in.He was holding a brand-new, sparkling diamond ring—and the delusional belief that he could still take me away.“Ella!” he shouted. “I’m here to take you with me. Stop being angry, okay? You’ve already won. I don’t want to fight anymore.”Edward’s mother, Anna Wood, was furious. “Who let this lunatic in? Get him out of here!”She had never liked the Larsons, and now she was looking at Jim like he was a stain on her son’s perfect day.Security star

Chapter 8

Seeing Edward get a little jealous made me feel something special.Then, Edward and I got married.He looked at me so kindly.After the wedding, we went to our new room.I was about to go wash up when Edward gave me a big hug."Dear, I'm just so happy."I blushed. "Edward, let's slow down, we've got lots of time..."Before I could finish my sentence, Edward kissed me. The rest of my words got caught in my throat.A little while later, I playfully frowned at him."I said not so tight. Why are you hugging so hard?"Edward chuckled. "My dear, I was wrong, but you're just too gorgeous—I couldn’t resist."Then he opened up to me, confessing he had been watching over me all this time.The Shaw family’s business was massive and incredibly messy.And it wasn’t just internal problems—other relatives were trying to grab power too.“Back then, it felt like every day someone was out to get me. I got so fed up.“However, I couldn’t keep you safe, so I gave in to what they wanted and

Chapter 9

Seeing Rowena’s wild look, I stepped back, scared."You were the one who kept causing trouble. I let it go before, so why the rush now?"Jim sighed and stepped in front of me."Rowena, it's really my fault. I shouldn't have given you hope. Let's just get everything out in the open today."Ella is the only one I love. Don't come looking for me anymore."Rowena wouldn’t listen. She kept scratching and clawing at me.Jim quickly pulled her away, warning her sharply, "Remember who you are. Try to touch Ella again and you'll regret it."I slapped Rowena across the face. "That's enough. What gives you the right to hit me? You never had any business being around me."Jim looked like he wanted to say something but held back."Ella, I'm not with her anymore. Please don't be mad at me."I know you're part of the Shaw family now, but I'm willing to wait for you."I knew exactly what Jim was getting at and kept my voice calm."You always act so superior, but you're not even fit to carr

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