All Chapters of He Spoiled His Dog, Starved Me, and Thought I'd Stay: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Through the crowd, Milo recognized my voice and let out an excited bark.I froze, instinctively wanting to run.Lucian pinned Milo in place before he could bolt toward me and snapped, "Stop her!""I have no idea how these people slipped in. Since it's Milo's birthday, don't draw blood. Just break one of her legs."His voice dripped with contempt as he looked down at me.I was awkwardly down on one knee, my mouth gagged, able to make only muffled sounds.Lucian didn't recognize me through my disguise, but he still hesitated for a split second when he saw my tears."Enough. She looks familiar. Just throw her out."Lucian's men snatched my wallet and tossed me onto the street.My whole body ached as if I'd been run over. Thankfully, a passerby was kind enough to get me to the hospital.The nurses pressured me to pay, so I pulled out the joint savings card I shared with Lucian.We had an agreement: every month we'd both deposit money into it, and once we'd saved enough, we'd move into a bi

So all the suffering I'd endured was just part of some twisted test.Lucian hadn't been blind to my pain. He just couldn't break character, so he'd funneled every bit of compensation to another woman instead.Then what were my ten years worth?At some point, a downpour had started outside.I didn't have an umbrella. I called Lucian dozens of times, but every call was busy.I stumbled home in a daze and pounded on the door. The person who answered wasn't Lucian.It was the girl from the videos: Vivian Reed.Before I could even demand to know what she was doing there, Lucian's accusation hit me first."Audrey, didn't I tell you to walk Milo yourself? How could you hand him off to a stranger?"If Vivian hadn't run into him on the street and brought him back, who knows what could have happened!"Every word out of his mouth was about Milo. Not a single glance at me standing there soaked to the bone.I couldn't hold it in anymore. My voice came out raw and ragged."Lucian, does everyone in t

Lucian's hands had taken lives without so much as a blink.But right now, Lucian couldn't pick up a phone.The screen was shattered, a web of cracks obscuring the name on the invitation.Yet no matter what he did, the name burned into Lucian's vision and refused to leave his mind.Bride: Audrey Sinclair.A coincidence?Someone else with the same name?Lucian barked, "Find out. The Bennett heir's bride—who is she?"Vivian had been basking in the thrill of what she thought was her moment, but Lucian's erratic behavior stirred a faint unease in her.She told herself to stay calm. She couldn't afford to panic now.That night, her plan had been airtight. Surrounded by those men, there was no way Audrey could have escaped unscathed.Lucian sat with his eyes closed, not saying a word.He had always trusted nothing but his own two hands.But in that moment, he found himself praying to something he'd never believed in.Please. Don't let it be Audrey.The hospital room was cold as ice until Vivi

Over the following weeks, Ethan and I became good friends.But going from friends to husband and wife was still quite a leap.It was an arranged marriage, so I took it in stride.Ethan, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves. Every morning I could hear him pacing anxiously outside.The flowers had to be the freshest available. The floors had to be polished to a mirror shine.He changed the officiant over and over. The ceremony program went through more than fifty revisions until every person on the estate could recite it by heart.Names were added to the guest list and scratched off again. The one constant was Lucian's name.I saw through Ethan's little scheme, but I had no intention of calling him out on it.To me, Lucian was nothing more than a vaguely unpleasant stranger now.As long as he didn't interfere with the alliance between our families, I couldn't care less whether he showed up to my wedding....Meanwhile, Lucian summoned Vivian to an underground chamber.He sat with a

"Lucian! What are you doing?!"Ethan threw himself in front of me on instinct."You want to declare war on both the Sinclairs and the Bennetts?!"Lucian's thumb hovered barely half an inch above the button.If they shot him now, the reflex could make him press the button.According to Lucian, he'd planted explosives all around the chapel's outer walls.The moment he died, we'd all go with him."Come with me, Audrey."Lucian's eyes softened, and he held out his hand."I promise I'll fix every bad habit you hate. From now on, it'll be just you. Only you."Ethan tightened his grip on my wrist, his eyes pleading."Audrey, don't."I only just found you. I really, really don't want to let go again..."I drew a deep breath and swept my gaze across the crowd below.My family. Ethan's family.I couldn't drag them into danger.My hand went slack, and the light in Ethan's eyes went out."Audrey, don't go. Don't choose him...""I'm sorry."I gathered my skirt.One step. Then another. I walked towa