\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 9\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aelfric looked utterly baffled. \u201cGigi-my sister. Didn\u2019t you get the invite?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time my engagement party was wrapping up, Aelfric came over, brows furrowed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s weird,\u201d he muttered. \u201cThe second Bainbridge heard you were getting engaged, he lost it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGigi, you didn\u2019t tell him?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My stomach twisted. I quickly changed the subject.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before the party, Aelfric had insisted we invite Bainbridge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe and I go way back,\u201d he\u2019d said. \u201cAnd these past years in Houston, he looked out for you. It\u2019s only right that we invite him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d nodded agreeably-then quietly pocketed the invitation myself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Later, I told Aelfric that Bainbridge was too busy to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A man who\u2019d treated me with such cold cruelty didn\u2019t deserve a seat at my engagement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d assumed that once I left Houston, he\u2019d finally clear whatever obstacles stood between him and Evelynn and claim the life he really\u00a0<\/p>\n
wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I thought the only thread left between us was my thirst for revenge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
0.00%\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:53\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 9\u00a0<\/p>\n
I never expected him to haunt my engagement party like a ghost from the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What a godawful stroke of luck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was stewing in irritation when a single wrapped candy appeared under my nose.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew wiggled it playfully. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful day. You\u2019ve got to have something sweet.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t help laughing. \u201cAll right, Mr. Fianc\u00e9.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shortly after, the party wound down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After waving off the last guests and family, Matthew and I lingered, curled up together, reminiscing about old times and dreaming out loud about the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the night deepened, Matthew held me tightly, reluctant to let go. \u201cLet\u2019s get married soon, then we won\u2019t have to say goodbye anymore. Come on, I\u2019ll drive you home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked into his soft, pleading eyes and ruffled his hair, whispering against his ear, \u201cSoon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew took the wheel, heading toward my parents\u2019 place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A light rain fell from the sky, damp and soft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The surrounding trees shimmered faintly under the moonlight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At a red light, my phone buzzed. It was Aelfric.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHurry up, Matt,\u201d I teased, checking the caller ID. \u201cThe big brother is already checking the clock.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
34.87%\u00a0<\/p>\n
18.53\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 9\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0aa6\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Ms. Ortiz,\u201d he said with a smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I answered the call. \u201cRelax, Rick. We\u2019re almost there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aelfric\u2019s voice was puzzled. \u201cGigi, has Bain called you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing that name twice in one day felt like an omen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My smile faded. \u201cNo. Why?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was about to tell him to never mention that man again, but Aelfric cut me off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s odd. He just drove all the way here from Houston. When he found out you weren\u2019t home, he asked for the engagement venue address and immediately left again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looked rough, and he drove way too fast. I\u2019m actually a little worried.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, he teased. \u201cYou two must\u2019ve gotten pretty close these past few years. He seemed desperate to congratulate you in person.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
75.02%\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:53\u00a0<\/p>\n
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.<\/p>\n
Royal Furline Betrayed BY Mark Twain 9 \u00a0 Chapter 9\u00a0 Aelfric looked utterly baffled. \u201cGigi-my sister. Didn\u2019t you get the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-let-the-game-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22961","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22961"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22961\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}