“I’m Lena’s brother! I’m her guardian!” Timothy said, his brows furrowing as he looked at Hayden.
“This is how you’ve been taking care of my sister? Do you even know that she almost couldn’t pick up a paintbrush again with her right hand?
“And the designer Lewis Grooup has been collaborating with, Lumi Oren? It’s Lena. You nearly ruined her future!”
Hayden looked at Timothy, his indifferent face now icy and stern.
I knew he was angry now.
“Lena, come back with us! We’ll organize the wedding right away!”
Christopher tried to reach for my hand, but Jacob blocked him.
“Lena, we grew up together–why are you abandoning us? Were the past ten years just a joke to you…?”
After a long silence, Timothy looked at me and said, “If you really don’t like Bella, I can send her away! You’re the sister we grew up with. She can’t replace you!
“As long as you come back, you can still be the princess of the Lewis family!”
“I’ll give you another grand wedding, Lena. Don’t throw away your lifelong happiness just out of spite! Come on, come back with Tim and me!”
Christopher grabbed my injured right hand, and the pain made me gasp. 1
For the first time, Jacob lost his temper, kicking Christopher to the ground.
In a daze, Jacob pulled me into his arms. A fresh, woody scent filled the air, making me feel incredibly calm and safe.
“Mr. Spencer, please understand clearly that Lena is my legal wife.”
Hayden walked to stand in front of me to shield me, then glanced at Timothy and coldly said, “Lena will always be the princess of the Kingsley family. She doesn’t need to pick up other people’s leftovers!”
Christopher looked at me, unable to stop himself from shouting, “So, you’ve already been planning to leave from the start! You’ve thrown away more than a decade of our bond for vanity, Helena Kingsley. Don’t you remember what we said in front of Mia?”
I couldn’t help but laugh, though as I laughed, my eyes filled with tears.
Three years ago, I could have left them when they were starting their business. However, I chose to stay and quietly help them build up Lewis Group’s business empire.
Back then, the three of us each only had a cup of instant noodles on New Year’s Eve. Even so, we were happy.
When did everything start to change?
“I didn’t forget. It’s you two who forgot first.”
When I was bullied by the older kids at school, it was Christopher and Timothy who beat them into the ground.
When we went back, Mia gave them another lecture. Even so, they still swore in front of her.
“We’ll protect Lena from now on!”
I carefully untied the white lace rose on my wrist, revealing the raw, painful wound underneath.
“That day, what you wanted to give up was my life and my future.
“You should’ve received the letter and my things. We’re done. We don’t owe each other anything anymore.”
Looking at Timothy and Christopher, Hayden threw a file from the butler onto the ground in front of them.
“Out of respect for looking after Lena all these years, here’s a gift for you.”
“Hady, Jake, let’s go.”
I no longer hesitated and turned to leave.
+15 Bonus
Chapter g
