\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 10:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 10\u00a0<\/p>\n
s\u00a0<\/p>\n
A cold dread settled in my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yeah, right, like Bainbridge would come to congratulate me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019d more likely come here for drama.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With his domineering personality, being dumped without a word must\u2019ve shredded his pride.\u00a0<\/p>\n
*\u00a0<\/p>\n
But his feelings were no longer my concern-I\u2019d cut those ties long ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMatt, drive carefully\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could finish, a sleek black Maybach roared into view.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the pouring rain, it fishtailed wildly, spraying sheets of water.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew slammed the brakes. We skidded but stopped just short of a collision.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart seemed to stop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew immediately unbuckled and turned to me, asking if I had been hurt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My face was pale, but I forced a smile and shook my head, signaling him not to worry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When I looked up again, I saw the driver\u2019s door open across the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bainbridge stepped out and walked toward us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
000%\u00a0<\/p>\n
18.53\u00a0<\/p>\n
And yet, even reduced to a silhouette, I knew it was him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My hands began to tremble.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew noticed the approaching figure too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had no idea what was happening, but he reached over and squeezed my hand firmly. \u201cHey. I\u2019ve got you.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In his steady gaze, some of my fear ebbed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That was right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This was New York.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This was my home, my family\u2019s city.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t afraid of Bainbridge here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I gathered my thoughts, Bainbridge had already reached the passenger side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He knocked on the window, mouthing, \u201cGigi, get out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only then did Matthew realize this man had come for me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The door locks clicked as he reached for the handle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as Matthew was about to step out, I grabbed his arm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll handle it,\u201d I said quietly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
New York and Houston might be worlds apart, but business ties were tangled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
23.29%\u00a0<\/p>\n
18.53\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 10\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Ford family and the Wilde family shared certain commercial\u00a0<\/p>\n
interests.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t about to drag trouble into Matthew\u2019s life before we\u2019d even married.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing the resolve on my face, Matthew nodded. \u201cBaby, call me if you need me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Outside, Bainbridge was losing patience.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He knocked again, his eyes darkening with menace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I unlocked the door and stepped out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once outside, I shut the car door from the outside, sealing off the noise of the world from the warmth inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A flicker of a satisfied smile crossed Bainbridge\u2019s face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He reached for my hand, trying to tug me toward his car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I jerked free.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He frowned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGigi, don\u2019t be childish. You\u2019ll catch a cold standing in the rain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I let out a soft, bitter laugh. \u201cBainbridge, what are you doing here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He smiled too, but it was cold, the warmth never reaching his eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat am I doing here? I\u2019m stopping my girlfriend from becoming another man\u2019s wife. What does it look like?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I scoffed, turning away to leave.\u00a0<\/p>\n
46.74%\u00a0<\/p>\n
18.53\u00a0<\/p>\n
His hand shot out like a vise, clamping around my wrist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He yanked me back, fingers digging into my jaw, forcing me to meet his gaze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Word by word, he said, \u201cAngelique, I never agreed to a breakup.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice trembled. \u201cIf you come back now\u2026 I\u2019ll forget the fact that you blocked me. I\u2019ll forget that you cleared out the house. We can go back to how it was.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wrenched free.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My eyes were icy, void of emotion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBainbridge, whether you forgive me or not, it doesn\u2019t matter. I don\u2019t want you anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned to go, but he surged forward again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before he could touch me again, Matthew stepped in front of me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSir,\u201d he said calmly, \u201cshow some respect.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A manic, dark energy radiated off Bainbridge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His jaw clenched. \u201cAnd if I decide to take her with me anyway?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew brushed his jacket, a faint smile on his lips. \u201cIf I can\u2019t even protect my Gigi on the first day of our engagement,\u201d he said evenly, \u201chow would I ever dare ask for her trust in the future?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
73.36%\u00a0<\/p>\n
18.53\u00a0<\/p>\n
XA\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 10 \u00a0 Chapter 10:\u00a0 Chapter 10\u00a0 s\u00a0 A cold dread settled in my chest.\u00a0 […]<\/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-22962","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\/22962","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=22962"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22962\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}