All Chapters of The bride he never choose: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Chapter 32: The Bride He Never Chose "If she becomes your wife..." Victor's cold voice echoed through the burning church. "...she dies." A second gunshot rang out. Damian reacted instantly. He pulled me to the ground as the bullet struck the stone wall behind us. "Move!" David shouted. The security team returned fire while Richard's men evacuated everyone through the underground tunnel. Victor disappeared into the darkness before anyone could reach him. "Damn it!" David cursed. "He escaped again." --- Outside, firefighters battled the flames consuming the church. The engagement ring was gone. Buried somewhere beneath the burning ruins. I stared at the fire. Damian walked up beside me. "I'm sorry." I looked at him. "For what?" "The ring." I laughed softly despite everything. "You almost died." "You remembered me." "And you're apologizing for a ring?" He smiled. "I wanted it to be perfect." I reached for his hand. "It already was." --- Later that night...

Chapter 34: The Man at the Gate "My name... is Lucien." Silence fell over the mansion. No one moved. No one breathed. I stared at the man standing beyond the gates. He looked nothing like the monster I had imagined. His suit was immaculate. His smile was warm. His posture was relaxed. Yet something about him sent a chill through me. Damian stepped in front of me instinctively. "Don't open the gate." David immediately nodded into his radio. "Nobody lets him in." The guards raised their weapons. Lucien didn't flinch. Instead, he handed the bouquet to the nearest guard. "These are for Angela." "I'll ask one last time," the guard said firmly. "State your business." Lucien smiled politely. "I'm here to take my fiancée home." --- Inside the security room... Richard Carter's face hardened. "So he found us." Vivian folded her arms. "Too quickly." David turned toward Richard. "Do you know him personally?" Richard nodded. "I met him once." "When?" "Twenty years

Chapter 36: Twelve Hours The video ended. Silence swallowed the courtyard. My hands trembled. "Benedicta..." She looked exhausted, but she was alive. That was all that mattered. Damian's jaw tightened. "I'm getting her back." "No matter what." Lucien stepped forward. "You'll fail if you charge in." Damian's eyes flashed. "And you have a better idea?" "I do." The two men stared at each other. The tension between them was almost tangible. David cleared his throat. "Maybe we should hear him out." Lucien knelt beside the stone table and unfolded a map of the abandoned shipyard. "My father never builds just one trap." "He builds three." Richard nodded slowly. "That's true." Lucien pointed to the map. "The hostage will never be in the building everyone expects." "He'll hide Benedicta here..." His finger landed on an old warehouse by the waterfront. "...while planting explosives in the main warehouse." David frowned. "How do you know?" "Because that's how he tr

Chapter 38: My Mother's Last Words The tunnel echoed with the sound of rushing water. It was rising. Fast. Damian held the flashlight while I carefully opened the diary. The pages were stained, as though tears had fallen on them years ago. My hands trembled. I began to read. --- My dearest Angela, If you're reading this, then I couldn't keep my promise to stay with you. I'm sorry. A lump formed in my throat. Tears blurred my vision. Damian quietly wrapped one arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him without taking my eyes off the page. --- If anyone tells you Victor Hale killed me... don't believe them. I froze. "What?" Damian looked at me. "What does it say?" I swallowed. "It says Victor didn't kill her." His eyes widened. "Keep reading." --- Victor made terrible mistakes, but he never tried to kill me. The person who wanted me dead was someone I trusted. My heartbeat thundered. "No..." I turned the page. There was only one sentence. Beware of the w

Chapter 39: The Price of Saving You Lucien's boots splashed into the rising water. "I told you..." he said, breathing hard. "...I'd protect you." For a brief moment, the tunnel was silent. Damian stepped in front of me. His expression remained calm, but his body instinctively shielded me. Lucien noticed and gave a faint smile. "You really do love her." Damian didn't hesitate. "More than my own life." Lucien lowered his eyes for a second. "I know." The words carried no bitterness. Only acceptance. "I'll argue with you another day," Lucien said. "Right now, we have less than five minutes before this tunnel is completely flooded." He pointed toward the rusted ladder. "My father weakened it years ago. It won't hold all three of us." Damian looked up. "So what's the plan?" Lucien unhooked a climbing cable from his belt. "I'll climb first and secure the rope." "You take Angela." "And then I'll follow." Damian studied him. "You could leave us h