Chapter 12
A tall man in a simple work jacket stood not far away. His brow bones were prominent, his gaze deep and sharp, his nose straight, and his thin lips pressed tightly together. The entire aura he exuded was wild,
untamed, and coldly unyielding.
When he saw the scene before him, his brows instantly furrowed. He strode forward, forcefully brushed Zachary’s hand aside, and shielded. Braelynn behind him.
“Don’t be afraid, it’s all right now.”
His voice was not loud, yet it carried a reassuring sense of certainty and strength.
Caught off guard, Zachary stumbled from the shove. After regaining his balance, he saw the man who had suddenly appeared and noticed how he was protecting Braelynn. Rage instantly surged to his head.
Pointing at the man, he demanded angrily, “Who are you?”
The man turned around, his gaze calm yet oppressive as he looked at Zachary. His tone, however, was unwavering and resolute: “Alexander. Braelynn’s husband.”
He paused, then spoke with greater emphasis, “This is not a place where you can do as you please. If you have any issues, we can talk, but violence. is not acceptable.”
Only then did Braelynn realize that the man who had suddenly appeared to help her out of trouble was the very person she had come here to marry -Alexander.
Looking at his broad back, a complex mix of emotions surged in her
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heart. She felt a sense of relief, but also a bit of embarrassment; after all. this was their first meeting, and it happened under such circumstances.
Zachary seemed completely infuriated by the way the other man was defending her. His eyes reddened as he stared fiercely at Braelynn: “You can’t marry him! Braelynn, you can’t!”
“Zachary, what are you going crazy about now? Who I marry has nothing to do with you!”
Braelynn couldn’t help but speak up.
“She’s right.” Alexander stepped forward, continuing to shield Braelynn, refusing to give an inch. “Who she marries is her own choice. It’s not for outsiders to interfere, and certainly not for you to use force here.”
“Outsider?” Zachary laughed in fury. “I’m an outsider? And what are you supposed to be? If you know what’s good for you, get out of my way now!” His anger grew even more intense, his chest heaving violently.
He lunged forward, trying to grab Alexander by the collar, but Alexander easily brushed his wrist aside: “You’re not welcome here. Please leave!”
“Leave? Fine.
“But I’m not leaving alone. I’m taking her with me!”
He suddenly turned his head and shouted toward his car. “Come here!”
Immediately, two tall, bodyguard–like men got out of the car and strode over. The atmosphere instantly became tense, on the verge of erupting.
The passing residents were so frightened that they quickly detoured around the scene.
Braelynn’s parents, hearing the commotion from upstairs, anxiously poked their heads out to look.
Chapter 12
At this extremely tense moment, Maria’s phone suddenly rang. After answering, her face turned deathly pale, and she shouted down in panic, “Something’s wrong! Zachary! Carolina… Carolina took sleeping pills!”
“What?!” Zachary whipped around. his face full of shock.
Upstairs, Henry and Maria were also struck with terror.
“Who are you talking about?”
“It’s Carolina! She left a note, saying that if you don’t want her, she’ll… she’ll…” Maria’s voice was choked with sobs, and she nearly fainted as her vision went black.
“Maria! Are you all right?” Henry cried out in alarm, quickly supporting his wife.
He looked down at Zachary and urged anxiously, “Zachary! Hurry! Go back and check on her! Carolina… she’s still waiting for you! You have to go save her!”
“No matter what, you grew up together. You can’t just stand by and do nothing!”
Zachary’s heart suddenly sank. Carolina attempted suicide? The thought made him shudder, and a wave of intense anxiety and burden washed.
over him.
Right now, she was his fiancée in name, and Braelynn’s younger sister.
If he didn’t go back and something really happened, the consequences. would be unimaginable. The Aidley family wouldn’t let it go, and public opinion would drown him…
He glanced at Braelynn, who was being protected by Alexander. Her face was expressionless, as if Carolina’s life or death had nothing to do with her.
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That cold indifference made his heart tighten and ache, yet he was helpless to do anything about it.
“Aren’t you going back? After all, you’re sisters.” He almost asked instinctively, looking at Braelynn with a hint of final probing and inexplicable hope.
“I’m not going,” Braelynn replied calmly. “When she falsely accused me and nearly drove me to death, she never once treated me as her sister.
“So I don’t want to acknowledge her as my sister anymore, either.”
Every word she spoke landed heavily on Zachary’s heart.
In the end, Zachary gritted his teeth, gave Braelynn one last complicated look, as if trying to etch her image into his memory.
“Let’s go! We’re going back home right now!”
A group of people hurried into the car, which sped away, leaving behind a scene of chaos and silence.
Braelynn watched their departing figures. Her tense body suddenly relaxed, and she felt completely drained.
Alexander reached out just in time to steady her, saying in a deep voice. “It’s all right now. It’s over.”
He glanced at the red marks on her wrist, his brows furrowing slightly. “Let’s go upstairs and rest for a while.”
