Lahat ng Kabanata ng Marrying My Ex-Fiancé's Cousin: Kabanata 211 - Kabanata 220

Bruce's eyes swept over the ten male models like a blade, then settled heavily on her. "Didn't Mrs. Princeton say she would invite me for coffee? I have time now."Isolde froze, momentarily at a loss for words."It's midnight. What coffee are you talking about?" she asked.Bruce stood in the doorway, gaze fixed straight ahead. His eyes were sharp as knives, and a cold, oppressive pressure poured from him.No one in the private room dared to breathe. The singer stiffened with the microphone still in hand. The man dealing cards stopped with his hand suspended in the air.The pressure spread through the room, almost tangible.Under his gaze, Isolde felt her scalp prickle. She knew the celebration was over.With a helpless sigh, she picked up her purse. "Let's go."Only after the two of them disappeared through the doorway, one after the other, did the frozen air in the room begin to move again."Oh my God. Didn't the Prince look like he just caught someone cheating?""Absolutely

"Isolde… I know. I know I was wrong. I never should have wanted both power and you. I never should have gambled on having a child with Sandra. I never should have hurt you, or imprisoned you, or forced you…"He gasped, pain tearing from his chest. "These past two months, I've regretted it every single day. Each day I watched the Princetons collapse. Each day I felt you drift farther from me. Each day, everything I once had slipped into nothing. Only then did I finally understand what I had lost. I lost you, Isolde. I lost the only person I ever truly loved in this lifetime."His breath hitched. "Now I have nothing left. Only regret. Only longing for you, gnawing at me day and night like poisonous insects. Isolde, I really… I hurt so much…"His voice broke completely.Isolde could picture his misery and torment with painful clarity. Once the favored son of heaven, he had fallen into the mud, stripped of everything. Only then did he recognize his mistake.The confession carried a tr

The corner of Sandra's mouth twisted into a crooked smile. "Don't make yourself sound so useless, Alan… Don't pretend I don't know what you did… Back when you imprisoned Isolde's parents… you slipped plenty of things into their daily meals. That specially made drug was colorless and tasteless…"It stayed dormant in the body without any symptoms… Once it… is triggered by a specific medication… her mother's heart condition… will flare up instantly… No one can save her… Only the antidote in your hands will work…"As long as you… trigger that drug…"Alan's expression changed abruptly, and his breathing grew rapid. He had drugged Isolde's parents. At the time, he planned to use it only as a final lever if Isolde refused to submit while staying by his side, or if she tried to escape again.This was his absolute last resort, the insurance he kept for himself. He would never use it unless he had no other choice.Alan shook his head. "Once that drug is triggered, keeping her alive would re

Bruce's counterquestion sent a sudden flutter of unease through Isolde. Those words were far too easy to misinterpret.She lowered her head and focused on her food, offering a vague reply to sidestep the issue. "That's your choice. I have no right to interfere."Bruce noticed her ostrich-like retreat and chose not to press. Instead, he spoke casually. "I heard you're going camping on the mountaintop to watch the meteor shower."Isolde looked up, startled. "How did you know?"Bruce did not answer. He went on as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I happen to be free these days. I'll go with you."The words hit her like a jolt.She snapped back to herself and tried to refuse. "That's… not really convenient…"Bruce lifted a brow, his tone unhurried. "There's no rule against bringing family, right?""No…""Then that settles it." Bruce ended the discussion neatly. "Finish eating, pack up, and let's go."Isolde was left speechless. 'Wait! He's not really family. How co

A sudden clap of thunder exploded without warning, shaking the tent as though it might collapse and instantly swallowing Bruce's voice.Isolde turned back to him. "What did you just say? I couldn't hear you clearly."Bruce chuckled helplessly. "I said it's going to rain."No sooner had the words left his mouth than heavy raindrops began pounding the tent roof, drumming loudly overhead.The meteor shower that had dazzled the sky moments earlier vanished behind thick, rolling clouds. Wind howled across the mountaintop, driving sheets of rain sideways.The tent strained against the storm, its frame creaking and groaning as if it might be torn from the ground at any moment.Isolde pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and looked up, worry plain on her face. "This tent… It won't be blown over, will it?"Up there, with no village ahead and no shelter behind, a flipped tent would spell disaster."It won't," Bruce said calmly, though his gaze shifted toward the smaller tents