Home / Thanks for Not Marrying Me / Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

All Chapters of Thanks for Not Marrying Me: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

Willow Payne froze for a second. Her eyes dropped to my bare ring finger, and the confidence in her expression only grew."You're still the same as ever. Always saying things just to get back at me when you're mad. Come on. Don't be like that. I'm back now, aren't I?"Her tone turned coaxing as she reached up and brushed her fingers against my cheek like she used to.I turned my face away and stepped back."Willow, we broke up three years ago."Inside, I cursed myself for rushing out that morning and leaving my wedding ring by the sink.Willow's hand stopped in midair. Then she gave me a helpless smile."I know you're still upset about Preston, but what happened happened. All I could do was find a solution that worked for everyone."The way she said it, like she was being thoughtful and reasonable, almost made me laugh.I scoffed. "And your brilliant solution was to marry him legally and have a wedding with me?""Of course. Preston and I have a daughter together. She deserves

Chapter 2

Willow pointed to the wall on my left, her gaze landing on a framed photo.It was a picture of my daughter, Julie Thompson, and me."She's my daughter…""That's my kid!" Preston cut me off.He pushed past me and grabbed the photo off the wall. He stared at Julie's face for a long moment, his jaw tightening."Willow, look at her. She looks just like you."Willow took the photo from him and studied it closely. "She does. You can tell she's ours."Then Preston turned to me, his expression hardening as his tone turned accusatory."Michael, I thought we were best friends. You seriously couldn't send me one picture of my own daughter in three years?"He actually had the nerve to ask me that.Willow blocked me everywhere because she didn't want me interrupting their time together.And I did try calling Preston about Rachel. He either hung up on me or ignored my calls, then went right back to posting pictures online, showing off his expensive trips and perfect relationship.The she

Chapter 3

"Rachel's our daughter. What right do you have to keep me from seeing her?"Preston's eyes turned red as he glared at me, looking genuinely shaken.But his grip only tightened, his fingers digging painfully into my shoulders.I winced and shoved his hands off my shoulders. Preston immediately staggered back several steps like I had pushed him much harder than I had.Willow rushed to steady him, then turned on me."Michael, what the hell is wrong with you? Preston just wants to see Rachel. Why did you shove him?"Three years apart, and somehow, Willow had lost all sense of right and wrong.Preston rubbed his shoulder and gave me a wounded look. "Forget it. Michael still hates us. We can come back for Rachel tomorrow."That only made Willow more protective of him.When she looked at me again, the anger in her eyes was unmistakable."Apologize," she demanded.I just stared at her coldly.When I didn't move, she frowned."Fine. If you won't apologize, then sign the studio over

Chapter 4

Julie stared at me through tear-filled eyes and reached both arms toward me."Daddy! Daddy! No! Let go! I want Daddy!"Her terrified cries made my chest tighten.I rushed forward to take her back, but before I could reach her, Preston handed her to Willow and stepped in front of me.Then he shoved me hard in the chest."Michael, I asked you to take care of my daughter. I never told you to make her think you were her father. I trusted you, and you actually tried to replace me?"He looked at me like I was the one who betrayed him.Julie cried even harder. Natalie hurried over to take her, but Preston blocked her."I'm taking Rachel home today," he snapped. "From now on, stay away from my daughter."Julie was crying so hard that she could barely catch her breath. I couldn't stand there and watch anymore. I reached for her."She's my daughter, not yours. Give her back."Before I could reach her, Willow grabbed my arm and yanked me back."Michael, what is wrong with you? Why a

Chapter 5

Willow had just opened the car door when she froze.She stared at Camila as she walked toward her."Camila? What are you doing here?"Camila didn't answer. She walked straight over, took Julie from her arms, then slapped Willow across the face."Willow!"Preston shouted and hurried over to steady her.Willow pressed a hand to her cheek and glared at Camila. "Are you out of your mind? You just hit me!"Camila's expression didn't change. "And I'd do it again."I pushed myself to my feet. "Camila, we need to get Julie to the hospital."We didn't waste another second. We rushed Julie straight to the hospital. Only after the doctors took her into the ER did some of the tension finally leave my body.I sat down on the bench beside Camila and let out a shaky breath."Thank God you came."Camila took my hand and squeezed it. "I should've gotten there sooner."The words had barely left her mouth when Willow's furious voice rang out."Michael, why the hell did you take my daughte

Chapter 6

"You're lying!"Preston snapped and lunged at me, but Camila stepped in and shoved him back.His eyes were red with anger. "Michael, I know you hate me for getting between you and Willow. But if you want to blame someone, blame me. Don't say something like that about my daughter."I was done arguing with him, so I gave him an address. "Your daughter's been living there for three years. You can believe me or not. I don't care."Then I added, "If you want to know how she ended up there, ask Patricia."Just then, the ER doors opened, and the doctor walked out. Camila and I hurried over."Doctor, how is she?""She's okay. We stopped the bleeding. But if this happens again, bring her in right away."Only then did I finally relax.I let out a breath and followed Camila as Julie was taken to a hospital room.Willow called after me, but I ignored her.In the end, Preston dragged her away, still demanding answers as they left.When Julie woke up and saw Camila and me, she immediat

Chapter 7

Camila and I ignored the noise behind us and took Julie home. We had barely gotten back when Willow showed up again.She just wouldn't leave us alone.Camila glared at her. "What are you doing here? Leave!"Willow ignored her and walked straight toward me. "Michael, I still don't believe you married Camila. Just tell me this isn't real."Her eyes were red, and for the first time, she actually looked shaken.I had Natalie take Julie upstairs. Then I turned back to Willow."Why would I waste my time lying to you?"She stared at me, her expression tightening."Michael, you used to say I was the person you loved most. We said we'd get married when I came back. How did you just move on?"Her tone was accusing, like I was the one who betrayed her. "Did I ever say I'd wait for you?" I gave a cold laugh. "Ever since you came back, I've been wondering the same thing: what did I ever see in you?"Willow went still and stared at me in disbelief.I looked at her with open disgust.

Chapter 8

A few minutes later, Willow stormed out, humiliated.Even after she was gone, Camila still looked furious."You're usually pretty smart. How did you ever fall for someone like Willow?"I gave her a look."She wasn't this self-absorbed three years ago. You're her sister. You didn't know that?"Camila paused. "Maybe three years with Preston completely scrambled her brain."Then she slipped her arms around me and smiled. "Good thing Preston kept getting between you two. Otherwise, I never would've gotten the chance to marry you."Back when Willow and I were dating, Camila helped me out more than once.But at the time, Willow was all I could see. I never realized Camila had feelings for me.It wasn't until Willow left with Preston and I ended up at the hospital alone with Rachel that Camila stepped in to help.Without her, Dylan never would've agreed to take the paternity test.That was also when Camila finally told me how she felt.She said she had fallen for me the first ti

Chapter 9

Still shaken, Camila and I pulled Julie safely back into our arms.Even after the police restrained Preston, he kept shouting."Why? This is all your fault, Michael! You ruined my daughter!"By then, he was crying, but I didn't feel sorry for him. I looked at him with contempt. "You're pathetic. You were so determined to take Willow from me that you stopped caring about your own daughter."You know her cerebral palsy wasn't my fault, but you didn't have the guts to blame the Paynes, so you decided to come after me instead."You deserve whatever happens to you."Camila was even angrier. She immediately hired a lawyer and pushed for the harshest sentence possible.That wasn't all. She also cut Willow off from the Paynes and removed her from her position at the company.Patricia was furious and came to our house to confront me."Michael, did you put Camila up to this? Willow is part of the Paynes. What gives you the right to have her thrown out?"I looked at her with a mocking

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP