جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

Henry arrived back in the country at three in the morning. After a short sleep, he rushed straight to the church. The sapphire necklace was safely tucked away in his inner suit pocket, and he planned to surprise Lena with it right after they exchanged their vows.Once he was dressed in his tailored suit and his hair was perfectly styled, he felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to see Lena. He wanted to see what she looked like in her wedding dress right that second. With that thought, he walked straight toward the bride’s dressing room, only to be stopped by the staff guarding the door.“Mr. Hale, the bride requested that you guys not see each other before the ceremony. Please don’t make things difficult for us.” The staff member looked apologetic but remained firm.A flash of annoyance crossed Henry’s eyes, and he clenched his jaw. Reminding himself that he would see her at the altar very soon anyway, he suppressed his temper and turned on his heel.According to the itinerary, he need

Henry rushed out of the church without looking back. He did not even change out of his suit before he jumped into his car and sped toward Lena’s apartment. He had to get an answer from Lena. Why on earth did she give up their engagement?The car sped along the road. Henry ran several red lights before finally slamming his brakes outside Lena’s apartment building. He sprinted up the stairs, only to find that the front door to her apartment was wide open.“Lenny–”The name left his lips as he pushed the door open, but he froze mid-sentence. Lena was nowhere to be found. Instead, the only people in the living room were her best friend, Sydney, and a man.Henry frowned, asking, “What are you doing here? Where’s Lenny?”“Aren’t you supposed to be getting married today? Why are you here?” Sydney shot back, her tone sharp.As their voices collided, the air in the room seemed to freeze for a moment.Sydney was the first to snap out of it. She turned to the man and muttered, “I’m sorry.

The bodyguards wielded steel pipes and axes, smashing down on the decor right in front of Chase and Ava. Famous paintings, luxury furniture, expensive vases… everything was instantly pulverized into debris.Chase’s face turned as pale as paper. Shaking all over, he threw himself forward and cried out, “Mr. Hale! What are you doing? How has our family offended you?”Henry’s lips curled into a smile, and he spoke with great authority, “As of today, the Johnson Group will declare itself bankrupt and commence the liquidation proceedings.”Ava’s eyes widened in horror. It felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck her, leaving her frozen and unable to move. The sound of smashing objects and her father’s frantic cries made her tremble. Looking at the man before her, so detached and cruel, she felt a profound sense of terror.“No…” Chase tried to grab Henry’s arm like a madman, crying, “For Lenny’s sake! Mr. Hale, please spare us for Lenny’s sake! I beg of you!”He was completely inco

The smile on Lena’s face vanished instantly, and her voice turned cold. “What are you doing here?”The corners of her mouth twitched with a hint of mockery. “Shouldn’t you be back home enjoying your honeymoon with Ava right now? What kind of drama are you trying to pull by running all the way here to find me?”Her words were like a poisoned dagger, stabbing into Henry’s heart until his entire chest twisted with agonizing pain.His face was pale, and his voice sounded weak and hollow. “I didn’t marry her, Lenny. The only person I’ve ever wanted to marry is you.”Lena narrowed her eyes, a flicker of pure contempt passing through them. Given how fiercely he had protected Ava in the past, she had been more than happy to step aside and let them be together. For him to run all the way here now to proclaim his undying loyalty was nothing short of ironic.“Oh,” she replied flatly. “And what does that have to do with me?”Henry’s heart skipped a beat. He swallowed hard, forcing a smile

Henry returned to his hotel room, feeling completely hollowed out. He had caught the earliest flight possible to get there. The moment his feet touched the ground, he had rushed over to find her like a madman, without even pausing to take a breather. Now, every ounce of strength felt like it had been drained from his body. Even lifting his hand felt like a monumental effort. He had no idea how to make things right with Lena, but he knew with absolute certainty that he could not lose her.As he collapsed onto the bed, an overwhelming exhaustion washed over him, and a blur of fragmented visions flashed before his eyes. In a dazed state, he drifted off into a deep sleep. In his dream, he saw the past life Lena had spoken of. He was floating in mid-air like a detached bystander, watching another version of himself make completely foreign choices.At the wedding in that past life, Ava had similarly used suicide to threaten him. His expression back then had been even colder than it was t