Semua Bab I Was Never the Choice: Bab 1 - Bab 8

Ellis's eyes lit up instantly. A flash of triumph flickered across her face–quick, but unmistakable.Charles outright refused."No. She can wear something else, but not this dress.""I…" Ellis tried to argue, turning a wounded, pleading look toward him. Nonetheless, his stance was firm; there was even a hint of restrained anger in his expression.She knew better than anyone that once Charles decided, no one could change it.She quickly changed her tone."Thank you, Zoey," she said softly. "But this is something Charles made for you himself. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to wear it."Charles handed the wedding dress to the staff."Go try it on. If anything doesn't fit, there's still time to alter it. I'll wait outside."Before I could say a word, he gently but firmly ushered me away.Just a few minutes later, my phone buzzed.An anonymous message.[So what if he designed a wedding dress for you himself? He gave Donna title to me.][Even if you get that wedding ceremony,

The fire at the villa raged until dawn before it was finally extinguished.When the firefighters discovered the remains of my body, they called Charles.It was Ellis who answered. She never told him.On the day of the wedding, he sent me a message, asking if I was ready.That message would never receive a reply.Instead, Ellis appeared at the wedding venue wearing a bridal gown.The room erupted into chaos. Guests whispered among themselves, the murmurs spreading like a rising tide.Charles, however, seemed deaf to it all.He stormed forward and grabbed Ellis by the wrist, his grip so tight that it looked as though he might crush her bones."Spit it," he said slowly, every word sharp as ice, "where is Zoey?"Ellis's face turned pale from the pain, but she bit down hard on her lip, refusing to cry out. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she shook her head."I… I don't know…""Don't know?" Charles let out a cold laugh, lifting her chin forcefully. "Then why are you wearing this w

When brute force failed, Charles turned to darker methods. He began leveraging his mafia connections, aiming straight for my livelihood.That day, the hospital administration suddenly summoned me to the director's office. His expression was grave as he told me someone had reported me for professional misconduct and demanded my dismissal.I knew instantly that it had to be Charles.Just when I was cornered and utterly alone, Alex appeared.He stepped forward, positioning himself firmly in front of me, and spoke to the administrators with calm authority–neither servile nor arrogant."I am Tracy's guarantor. I can vouch for her professional competence and ethical standards. If the hospital insists on firing her, I will use every resource at my disposal to investigate the truth and restore her reputation."With Alex backing me, the hospital leadership did not dare act rashly. The matter was put on hold.It was only later that I learned the full extent of what he had done. Not only h

Charles's obsession ultimately became a self-immolating fire, one that burned him to the ground.A mutiny erupted within the syndicate. The confidant he trusted most presented evidence of Charles's collusion with rival factions and dragged him down from the position of Don.In an instant, his power collapsed. All his assets were quietly siphoned away.The new Don fabricated criminal charges against Charles and handed them over to Interpol. Wanted posters bearing Charles's face plastered streets and alleyways across the world.Overnight, he became a fugitive with nowhere to belong.The last time I saw him was on a bright, sunlit afternoon.Alex and I were strolling through the park with Natalie. He was gently feeding her ice cream, her little face smeared with cream, while I laughed and straightened his collar.Charles stood beneath a plane tree not far away.His suit was rumpled, his hair unkempt, stubble shadowing his face. He looked worn down, a far cry from the man he once w