جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 8

Brianna Lindt froze, staring at the ring in my hand as her brows pulled together. "Michael, what are you talking about? What do you mean for the rest of my life? Didn't I just tell you that an urgent matter came up at the office?"She reached out, trying to slide the ring back onto my finger. "Stop throwing a tantrum. I'll apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Pearson. I promise I'll make a great impression next time."However, I yanked my hand back out of her reach, looking her dead in the eye."Something urgent at work? What kind of work emergency requires you to show up at Elliot Collins' place with gifts and pretend to be his girlfriend?"Brianna's hand froze in midair.Pulling out my phone, I brought up the screenshot of Elliot's Instagram post and slid it across the table toward her.The screen's glow cast a harsh light over her features.In the photo, she was sitting in Elliot's living room, patiently making coffee for his grandmother with a gentle expression.I'd spent an entire mo

The elevator doors opened on the ground floor.Brianna held onto my arm, refusing to let go. "Michael, we've been together for seven years. Are you really going to throw all of that away over a stupid misunderstanding?"Staring at her bloodshot eyes, I opened my mouth to reply, but the other elevator door suddenly burst open.Elliot came sprinting out after us, barely keeping his shoes on his feet as he clutched his phone, panic flickering across his features. "Ms. Lindt!"Brianna instinctively turned around. "What is it?"Elliot tightened his grip on the phone, his voice raw and frantic. "The hospital just called. They placed my grandmother on life support. The doctor said her organs are failing, and she might not even survive the month…"He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, desperately forcing himself to stay composed."She woke up for a brief moment just now and told me her final wish is to see me get married before she passes. But where am I going to find a bride

Soft violin music drifted through the ballroom.Brianna stared at the invitation in my hand, her immediate reaction one of pure bewilderment. Then, her brows furrowed into a tight frown. "How do you have the invitation meant for the Pearsons? Michael, I pulled so many strings just to get that card delivered to Pearson Group. It's not a toy for you to play around with! Where did you get it? Hand it over right now!"She reached out, attempting to snatch the card from me.A slender yet powerful hand extended from behind me, firmly gripping her wrist midair. With a sharp crack, Winona ruthlessly slapped Brianna's hand away."Didn't you bend over backward trying to get a Pearson to show up?" Winona's lips curled into a mocking smile. "My brother is here in person to congratulate you. What's the matter? Are we not welcome?" Brianna froze.She recognized Winona as the same woman who had slapped her hand away outside the apartment a few days ago before taking me with her in a sports

It was time for the ceremony to begin, and the music shifted into a solemn wedding march.Elliot guided Helena's wheelchair down the aisle while Brianna walked alongside him, her arm looped through his as they moved toward the floral stage under the watchful eyes of the crowd.The ceremony proceeded as planned.The priest stood before them with a Bible in his hands and began the vows."Brianna Lindt, do you take Elliot Collins to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?"When he finished, Brianna didn't answer right away. Standing at the altar, she kept shifting her gaze back toward where I sat in the audience.The priest repeated the question.Elliot nudged her and whispered, "Ms. Lindt."Only then did Brianna look away and swallow hard.After a moment of hesitation, she leaned toward the microphone and finally spoke the