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Five years after my divorce from Nathan Garrett, I returned to
Los Angeles to bring my mother away.
But the moment I stepped into her neighborhood, Nathan
suddenly appeared, blocking my path.
Then he said calmly, with a patronizing tone, “Emma Duncan, as long as you admit you were wrong and stop going after Victoria,
I’ll take you back.
“We’ll get remarried, and you can go back to living in comfort as
my wife.”
I let out a derisive laugh and turned him down without
hesitation.
But the next day, just as I was about to drive away, he had me
surrounded.
Then he snapped in a low voice, “Stop this. Come home with
\me.”
I scoffed and pointed to the license plate. “This car belongs to
the military. You sure you want to block it?”
Nathan froze on the spot, stunned.
The noise stirred my son, Jasper Morrison, sleeping in my arms.
He rubbed his eyes, frowning groggily.
“Mom, I thought everyone called you Mrs. Morrison. When did you change your name?”
The color drained from Nathan’s face. His voice trembled as he asked, “Émma… what did he call you?”
***
I didn’t expect Nathan to be waiting for me here.
He even went so far as to have bodyguards keep an eye on my
mother.
After I disappeared five years ago, I cut all ties with him.
I never imagined he’d been looking for me all this time.
We only got married because our families–who had been close
for years–arranged it.
Five years ago, under my family’s arrangement, I met Nathan
not long after he returned from abroad.
I had just graduated from college, while he was already a rising
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star in the business world.
I’d expected someone who found fame so young to be arrogant, maybe even difficult.
But he was actually generous, composed, witty–and
surprisingly thoughtful.
I immediately fell for him.
With our families behind us, we quickly got engaged and headed
toward marriage.
But on our wedding day, I found out he had a childhood
sweetheart–Victoria Jensen–whom he was deeply attached to.
She showed up looking pale and haggard. Her eyes locked onto
mine, filled with hatred.
Later, when I was in the dressing room changing, she suddenly
burst in and grabbed my hand.
“Please,” she begged, “give Nathan back to me.
“He doesn’t love you. Why are you forcing this? There are plenty
of eligible men in the Garrett family. Why him? He’s supposed to
be mine.”
But I was already deeply in love with Nathan by then, so
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naturally I wouldn’t agree to her request.
I shook her off and said coldly, “If he doesn’t love me, why did he
agree to marry me?
“Sounds like the one he doesn’t love is you. I’m the one marrying
him–you’re the one who won’t let go.”
To my surprise, Victoria suddenly grabbed a glass from the
table and smashed it hard against her own head.
With a loud crash, the glass shattered, and shards scattered
across the floor.
Horrified, I screamed, “Are you crazy?”
Blood streamed down her forehead as she gave me a twisted
look. “You’ll know soon enough who Nathan really loves.”
Right then, the door burst open.
Nathan stormed in, and she collapsed into his arms like she’d
rehearsed it.
Then in a weak, sorrowful voice, she said, “I’m sorry, Nathan. It’s
my fault. I upset Emma, and she threw a glass at me. I’ll leave
now. I won’t ruin your wedding.”
She lied. My eyes widened in disbelief.
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Just as I was about to defend myself, a sharp slap landed.
across my face.
My cheek burned instantly, and my ears rang.
