All Chapters of When the Bells Fell Silent: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1 The Groom Wasn't the Problem

When Cecilia Fox heard the words "replace the groom," something flickered in her eyes. Still, she immediately launched into a self-righteous defense."Amanda, are you really going that far? Do you have any idea how exhausted Ignatius is after work every day? Other than threatening to break up with him, what do you ever do? He said he can't even breathe when he's at home. The only peace and quiet he gets is sitting in his car."Several coworkers who had come to help her move chimed in with amused smiles."Cecilia, you're so thoughtful. That's what a real partner should be like.""If you ever take Amanda's place, we're all pitching in for a huge wedding gift."I laughed.Of course she was thoughtful.Wasn't that swimsuit photo labeled "My Love" the same one that had gotten wedged in Ignatius' passenger seat?Back then, I panicked and called Ignatius. Instead of his voice, I heard a woman's breathless moans on the other end.The shock shattered me.I broke down crying, only for

Chapter 2 The Last Straw

After putting down my phone, I started packing up the rest of my belongings.…A moment later, Ignatius pushed open the door with a bag of groceries in his hand. The moment he saw the nearly empty living room, he froze. Even the pots, pans, and dishes were gone.Awkwardly, he reached for my hand. "How about we eat out tonight?"Even the air conditioner had been taken away by Cecilia. The apartment was unbearably hot.I shook his hand off so hard that the room spun around me."Amanda!"…A warm towel settled against my forehead.Ignatius fussed over me, but there was a trace of grievance in his voice."You live in a decent neighborhood. Of course you don't understand how scared Cecilia is living in that run-down area. She's just like we were after graduation. What's wrong with helping her a little?"We were going to replace all the furniture after the wedding anyway. Besides, don't we still have the three hundred thousand set aside for the wedding?"A bitter smile tugged at

Chapter 3 The Bowl That Broke Everything

Cecilia stood at the front of the crowd, holding a bowl of soup and smiling brightly.Ignatius helped me sit up with a smile. "Everyone heard you got hurt and wanted to come check on you."Cecilia deliberately held the bowl out in front of me. "Amanda, you should eat something. Otherwise, you might end up with low blood sugar like me. Then Ignatius would have to take care of both of us. What if he wears himself out?"Toby immediately grinned. "Cecilia, you're always so thoughtful."I said nothing, but my eyes were drawn to the bowl in her hands.Ignatius and I had made that bowl together when we first started dating. Our initials were still engraved on the side.Holding it in both hands, he had once smiled and told me, "From now on, we'll spend our lives eating from the same bowl."The first time he used it, he made me a bowl of noodles for my birthday. The egg had been burned beyond recognition, yet I remembered that meal's taste for five years.Later, he spent more and more t

Chapter 4 The Wedding He Never Saw Coming

"No way!"I immediately pulled out my phone to call my lawyer.Ignatius, who had been completely indifferent moments ago, suddenly exploded. He snatched the phone from my hand and smashed it onto the floor."What do you mean it's your money? That's marital property. Once I get promoted at the end of the year, I'll earn it back. Stop slandering Cecilia!"I stared at the screen, now shattered into a spiderweb of cracks. My voice remained calm and steady. "This isn't slander. It's theft.""I'm just a young woman trying to survive alone in a big city with nobody to rely on. How can you accuse me of something like this?" Cecilia pointed at me, trembling as though she had suffered the greatest humiliation imaginable."Last time, when those condoms were found in Ignatius' car, you insisted they belonged to me. But even now, I've still saved myself for Ignatius. I'm still a virgin. You've ruined my reputation. I might as well die!"The moment those words left her mouth, she burst into h

Chapter 5 A Goodbye He Mistook for Hope

It turned out Ignatius hadn't gone home during the past two days. He didn't even know I had moved out.Suddenly, Audrey's furious voice exploded through the phone."What kind of wife would cause this much trouble? So what if Ignatius drove a coworker home? Doesn't he need to maintain good relationships if he wants a promotion?"You've stressed him out so much these past two days that he's been smoking and drinking. If he ruins his health and can't give me a grandchild, don't expect me to help you care for the baby!""Mom!" Ignatius cut her off in frustration. "We're getting married next week. Can you please stop?"Audrey had never liked the fact that I wasn't a city girl.She heard how popular Cecilia was among their coworkers after her dream of having Ignatius marry a wealthy heiress had fallen apart.From that moment on, she had salivated over her dream of having Cecilia replace me. She even openly encouraged Cecilia to address her affectionately.The money I gave Audrey ever

Chapter 6 The Bride Was Never Waiting for Him

Ignatius' hands shook so badly that he could barely hold his phone.The dashcam footage had spread through the company group chat like wildfire.The video showed Cecilia bent over, claiming that she'd dropped her lipstick between the seats. She practically draped herself across Ignatius' lap, her hair brushing against his inner thigh."No one's ever treated me as well as you have, Ignatius." Her voice was sweet as syrup, but her eyes burned with desire. "I want all of you. Every heartbeat. Every breath."Ignatius awkwardly tried to push her away. "Don't do this, Cecilia. I have a fiancée."Still, everyone with eyes could tell that he wasn't rejecting her offer. The strength behind that push couldn't even topple an infant. Plus, his gaze was undeniably lingering on her neckline.After a brief struggle, Ignatius seemed to give in. He allowed Cecilia to settle completely into his arms."Do you really like me that much?" he asked quietly. "What is it you like about me?"Cecilia's v

Chapter 7 The Truth Finally Surfaced

It seemed whatever confidence Ignatius had lost on the way here returned the moment his eyes fell on my stomach."Amanda, stop this. I know you're upset, but there's no need to put on such a huge spectacle just to make me angry."His voice softened as he reached for my hand. "My mother and my relatives are waiting. Let's go back, okay?"Before he could finish, another shrill voice cut through the air. "Ignatius! So, this is where you've been!"Cecilia came running over, lifting the hem of her dress. There wasn't a trace of the pale, fragile woman who had supposedly attempted suicide.She rudely pointed at me, her voice loud enough to drown out the wedding march."Amanda, don't you think you've gone too far? Ignatius has been so good to you. Do you think other men would spend five years planning a wedding? He postponed it 19 times because he wanted to give you the best. Yet, this is how you repay him? "You're always stirring up drama. You're not fit for married life at all."Th

Chapter 8 The Groom Who Was Never Chosen

"I don't want that 300,000 anymore. I'll pay Amanda back myself. Just stop bothering me, okay?"Ignatius grabbed my hand again and tried to pull me toward his car.Just then, a scream erupted from across the street. Cecilia had charged into the middle of traffic. Then, she started tearing at her clothes amid a chorus of screeching horns and horrified shrieks. "I stayed faithful to you for five years. If you don't want me, then who cares who gets this body?"Ignatius clenched his jaw. In the end, he let go of me."Amanda, wait for me at the wedding venue. She won't be able to live with herself if she goes through with this stunt. We'd feel guilty for the rest of our lives."His arrogance was so absurd that I almost laughed. "She's the one tearing off her clothes. What does that have to do with me?"Alas, Ignatius was already running toward her. He didn't even spare me a glance. It was as if the woman stripping in the street was his actual fiancée.…Meanwhile, five tall figures

Chapter 9 A New Beginning

Ignatius broke free from the crowd and charged toward me like a madman, his voice hoarse and cracked toward the end of his questions. "No. That's impossible, Amanda! You're just a country girl. How could you? Why would Mr. Lockhart even choose you?"Amanda, you're carrying our child. How could you be so heartless to marry into a wealthy family?"The people around him looked at him as if he had lost his mind."Oh, my God. Did he just imply that the bride is a ruthless social climber with her family's standing? Seriously?""Is he kidding? Please tell me he can't be that daft. It's obvious that the Lockhart family's heir is the lucky one here."Ignatius fought through the crowd, his eyes bloodshot with desperation. Unfortunately for him, he never got anywhere near me.A wall of bodyguards stopped him cold, pinning him to the ground as easily as restraining a stray mutt.Adrian calmly pulled on a pair of white gloves before he slugged a brutal punch straight into Ignatius' stomach.

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