Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 65429 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65429 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
“Sweetheart—”
“Don’t talk to me!” I threw my hands out in front of me. “Don’t even look at me! You lost the right to even be allowed to look at me!”
With that, I abruptly turned in my veil, and it flew behind me.
“Elizab—”
He rushed after me, but I didn’t stop for one second. I needed to find my parents. The famous photographer was probably pissed I was late to my pre-wedding shoot around the castle. It was why I had to get ready so early.
I hated that I was possibly going to make my parents look bad.
I hated that I would look like a runaway bride.
I hated that I was mostly going to embarrass my father’s name. Especially since he was eventually going to run for president.
On my way to their suite, I ran into him and my mother, frantically looking for me.
“There you are!” Mom reprimanded. “Elizabeth, we’ve been calling your cell phone for the past thirty minutes! You have the photographer—”
“Mom, I know! I’m so sorry!”
Dad took one look at my crazed expression and asked, “Honey, what’s going on?”
I loved that despite our tough love relationship, he still knew I was going through something.
“Daddy, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for everything, but I can’t marry Beau.”
Beau snapped, “The hell she isn’t!” Stomping up beside me, he lied, “Sir, please excuse your daughter. She’s just having cold feet. It’s nothing.”
“Oh, it’s nothing?” I seethed, glaring at him. “You cheating on me is now reduced to nothing?”
Mom shouted, “Cheating on you?”
“Sir”—Beau nervously chuckled—“I’ve been trying to explain to her about men of our status and how meaningless it all is. I’m very much in love with your daughter.”
I jerked back, truly amazed he honestly believed everything that came out of his mouth. This man was seriously delusional.
“Oh my goodness,” Mom exclaimed, mortified. “Elizabeth, get over here!” She sternly pointed at Beau. “You should be ashamed of yourself! Our daughter is not a toy you can play with!”
“Sir…” Beau continued. “Please…”
I’d never seen Beau’s face like that. He clearly expected my father to side with him. He was acting like an entitled child, throwing a tantrum because he didn’t get the prize he thought he deserved.
The anger radiated off his body in waves, and his eyes were feral. It was the first time in my life I didn’t recognize the man standing in front of me. The man I spent the past ten years on and off with.
This was not the Beau I knew, and everyone in the room could sense something was off with him. Before the thought could even cross my mind, it all happened so quickly.
My father didn’t hesitate in spewing, “Get the fuck out of my face. You don’t deserve the ground she walks on. There is nothing or anyone more important to me than my girls! Now get out of my face before I do it for you.”
I slightly gasped. I’d never seen my father react like that.
“This is bullshit!” Beau tightly grabbed my arm, dragging me away. “Let’s go! We’re getting married now!”
“Ouch! Beau, you’re hurting me! Let go!” For a moment, I struggled to break free from his grasp.
Out of nowhere, Ethan’s fist was clear across Beau’s nose, and he yanked my arm out of Beau’s grasp. Beau dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Everyone’s wide stares flew to Ethan as he shook out his right hand, only glaring daggers at Beau, who was groaning on the tile floor, holding his nose as blood gushed out.
He spat, “My nose, you fuck!”
“I’ve been waiting to do that since the second I laid eyes on you. That was one for me.”
I warned, “Ethan—”
In one swift kick, Ethan hit Beau in his groin. “And that one’s for Livvy, you piece of shit!”
I stood there in a state of shock, it finally all hitting me like a ton of bricks.
“Ethan,” Dad yelled as Mrs. Hunter shrieked from across the hall.
“Get her out of here!” Dad ordered. “I’ll handle everything! Just get her out of here now! Go out the back to avoid the press! I’ll have my guards meet you two out there! Take her out of the country! I don’t care where you take her! Just get her out of here! Keep her safe and out of the press!”
Why is my dad screaming?
It was only then I realized chaos had erupted all around me. Mrs. Hunter was on her knees, screaming for a doctor as her husband ran toward them. There were maids, butlers, and guests beginning to come in our direction.
Ethan was suddenly in my face. “We’ve got to go.”
“Go where?”
“Anywhere but here.”
“I can’t just let my parents take the humiliation for all this. I have to—”
“Livvy,” Dad interrupted, making me look at him.
He’d never called me that before, and I think he knew it was the only thing that’d get my attention with the disaster exploding around us.