Pushing Everyone Away for You
His upcoming wedding was to Nina, the beautiful illegitimate daughter of a wealthy family. When my fiancé Caleb heard, he disappeared for three days. I found him confiding in his right-hand man:
"Get our men on the escort team for the wedding. No matter what, make sure Nina ends up in my car instead of Damian’s." Caleb’s voice was strained. "You know his reputation—no woman leaves him unharmed."
His man murmured, "The route is set. But… what about Miss Reed? If Damian finds out you switched brides—"
Caleb cut him off with a scornful laugh. "Is he crazy enough to touch my woman? After things settle, I’ll divorce Nina and give Evelyn a grand wedding to make it up to her."
I stood frozen outside, a cold realization washing over me. The boy I’d loved was gone, replaced by a stranger.
I would follow his plan. I would play my part. But when the switch was made, I knew it would be Caleb, not me, who would be brought to his knees.
As Caleb finished speaking, the soft sound of a woman's sobs echoed from the private room.
Only then did I realize Nina Vance was with them. She was curled up on a leather sofa, her eyes red-rimmed, looking like a startled little rabbit.
"Caleb... I'm not worth you taking such a huge risk... Damian will kill you..."
He gently wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb, his voice softer and more tender than I had ever heard it. "I've been in this game a long time, Nina. When have I ever been afraid?"
A low chuckle escaped him as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his lap. "If you really feel that guilty... you can pay me back by giving me a few kids in the future."
The room erupted in a chorus of whoops and whistles.
Nina's face flushed a deep crimson as she buried her face in his chest. "But... what about Miss Reed... Evelyn..."
"Evelyn?" Caleb scoffed. "She's head over heels for me. Even if she finds out, a few sweet words and she'll be fine."
His men chimed in, their voices loud and confident.
"The boss is right! We all grew up with her. She's seen knives pulled on her and didn't even flinch, but when it comes to Caleb, she's a total pushover!"
"Tell her to go east, and she'd never dare go west. A little thing like this won't even register."
"Exactly. Everyone knows she's been dying to marry the boss for years."
"Man, Caleb, you've got it made. You get the sweet and gentle Nina first, with the elegant and noble Miss Reed waiting in the wings. So, which one do you love more?"
Caleb didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a small velvet box.
Inside lay an emerald bracelet, a stunning piece of jewelry with a deep, translucent green that seemed to glow from within.
It was the Thorne family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation to the eldest son's bride.
With everyone watching, he fastened it around Nina's slender wrist.
An unspoken vow, louder than any words he could have uttered.
Nina gasped, trying to pull her hand away, but he held it firm. "You're the one who'll be standing at the altar with me. You should be the one to wear it."
Then, his fingers tracing the cool surface of the gems, he added in a low voice, "Just don't let Evelyn see it for now. She's obedient, but she's sharp. She might get suspicious."
I stood in the hallway, watching the emerald gleam a ghostly green in the dim light, and a silent, bitter laugh escaped me.
Caleb's mother had placed that very bracelet in my hands on her deathbed. It was a century-old symbol of the Thorne family legacy.
Because we weren't officially married yet, I'd felt it wasn't my place to wear it. I kept it locked in a safe, taking it out every day just to look at it.
Three days ago, Caleb had come to my apartment late at night, telling me he needed the bracelet for a pre-wedding ritual.
I had opened the safe for him myself.
I never imagined the "ritual" was to bestow his family's honor upon another woman.
I turned and fled, stumbling out of the club and into a torrential downpour.
Fat, cold raindrops hammered against my skin, the shock of it throwing my mind back seven years, to another storm-swept night.
My family, the Reeds, and the Thornes were allies, our fathers bound by blood oaths. When the Thornes fell on hard times, my father secretly supported them, keeping their family afloat.
But that loyalty cost us everything. The night the Thorne's rivals came for us, my mother hid me in the cellar.
Through a crack in the door, I watched them torture and slaughter my parents.
My father's blood dripped onto my face, staining my world crimson.
When the Thorne reinforcements finally arrived, Caleb was the first to find me.
I was a feral animal, biting and kicking, my nails digging into the flesh of his arms, carving bloody furrows. He didn't seem to feel the pain, his arms like iron bands around me, refusing to let go until I finally collapsed into darkness.
Afterward, the Thorne family patriarch, Elias, out of gratitude for my father's sacrifice, took me in and raised me as his own.
From that day on, Caleb was my shadow. He pulled me, piece by piece, from the nightmare of my past. I depended on him for everything. I went to school with him, trained with him, and stood by his side through every bloody battle and back-alley war.
I always believed we would be together forever.
I never dreamed that the person standing beside him in the end would be someone else.
Fine. If this was what he wanted, I would give it to him.
When Caleb emerged from the club, the rain was still coming down in sheets. I had been waiting for him in the lobby.
He spotted me instantly, dropping his arm from around Nina's waist and darting behind me. He covered my eyes with his hands, a game we used to play when we were kids.
"Guess who."
I pulled his hands away. "Not funny."
He chuckled, draping his arm casually around my shoulders, his thumb stroking my cheek. "Wow, getting brave, aren't we? Weren't you worried it was some creep trying to hit on you?"
I didn't answer, my gaze sweeping over the crowd of his men behind him, and over Nina.
They all grinned and called out, "Hey, future Mrs. Thorne!" completely unconcerned that I might have witnessed the scene inside.
They all knew. When it came to Caleb, I always gave in.
Caleb shifted, blocking Nina from my view. "Were you waiting for me?"
I nodded. "The rain's too heavy. I was just taking shelter."
He took my hand, his warm palms rubbing mine to chase away the damp chill. "You know that limited edition Tiffany diamond bracelet you wanted? I made a special trip to the coast to get it for you. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"Where is it?" I asked, my voice flat.
His eyes flickered involuntarily towards Nina. "It, uh... it had to be custom-ordered. I had them change the design a bit. It probably won't be ready until after the wedding."
I forced a tight smile and said nothing.
While we were waiting for the car, Nina let out a sudden cry. The bracelet on her wrist had snagged on a decorative plant stand.
She gave it a sharp tug. The delicate chain snapped, and the bracelet clattered to the marble floor, diamonds scattering like ice chips.
It was the exact one I had dreamed of. The one he'd just lied about. A global limited edition of three. I'd mentioned it to him so many times.
He'd never paid it any mind. And now, here it was, on another woman's wrist.
Nina frantically knelt to pick up the pieces, slicing her finger on a sharp shard of a shattered diamond.
"Ah—"
A bead of blood welled up. Instantly, Caleb let go of me and rushed to her side.
"Why are you so careless!"
He shrugged off his suit jacket, draping it over her shoulders before pulling off his tie and wrapping it tightly around her bleeding finger.
That tie had been my birthday gift to him. He loved it, always had it professionally cleaned and pressed. Now, it was stained with her blood.
He caught me staring, and a flicker of guilt crossed his face.
"Evelyn, I've got to get Nina to a doctor. Wait here, I'll be right back for you."
Before I could answer, he was already helping her into his car, half-carrying her.
One of his men tried to smooth things over. "Nina helped the boss out once, you know how it is. Don't worry about it... We can give you a ride home?"
I shook my head and told them to go on without me.
I just wanted to see. I wanted to see if Caleb would actually come back.
The sky darkened, and the hours ticked by. He never returned. It was only when the Patriarch himself called, demanding to know where I was, that I finally went home.
He burst into the villa early the next morning, looking relieved to find me at the breakfast table.
"Evelyn, I'm so sorry. The car got a flat tire on the way back last night. We were in a dead zone, no cell signal... I couldn't get back to you."
I didn't hear a word he said.
My eyes were fixed on the angry red mark on his neck, a mark that was impossible to mistake.
As if to tear away the last shred of our pretense, I reached out to touch it. He flinched back, his hand instinctively flying up to tug the silk scarf he was wearing higher on his neck.
"Looks weird, right? The Old Man is convinced my luck has been bad lately. He's making me wear this thing for protection. Won't let me take it off."
He had a tell when he lied—a subtle tightening of his lips.
I lowered my gaze, my nails digging into my palms, the sharp pain a welcome distraction from the burn behind my eyes. "It doesn't really suit you. Take it off, I'll tie it again for you."
"No!" He almost jumped, his reaction far too strong. He quickly changed the subject. "Hey, didn't you say the veil for the wedding was missing a main diamond? Let's go pick one out today."
He strode quickly to the car, waiting for me.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips as a single tear traced a path down my cheek.
When I came downstairs, dressed to go out, the scarf was tied securely, hiding everything.
The car had barely pulled up to the curb in front of the city's most exclusive jeweler when we heard shouting from inside.
I glanced up at the second-floor VIP lounge. Through the plate-glass window, I saw her again. Nina. Her face was streaked with tears as a group of wealthy socialites surrounded her, shoving her back and forth.
Caleb's hands clenched into fists, his jaw tight as he stared up at the scene.
But he didn't move. Instead, he looked at me.
I knew what he wanted. He wanted me to go up there and save her.
It wasn't the first time.
Nina had been a dancer since she was a child. She had the body for it, and she knew exactly how to play the victim, making her irresistible to the men in our circle.
They called her the "Midnight Rose," and more than a few debutantes had despised her for years.
Once, she was pushed into a pool, and it was Caleb who dove in to rescue her.
After that, whenever she found herself in trouble, Caleb was there. And for the situations he couldn't step into himself, he sent me.
When the news broke that the fearsome Damian Thorne intended to marry her, the jealousy of the other women boiled over.
These women had done everything to catch Damian's eye—plastic surgery, brutal workout regimens, anything to fit his supposed "type."
"Are you deaf? Take off the dress! I want to see for myself what kind of body can bewitch the great Damian Thorne."
"Please, ladies, don't do this... there are people watching..." Nina pleaded, her voice trembling.
"Stop acting so innocent! You think Damian hasn't seen it? How else would he know what you've got?"
"If he can look, why can't we?"
"Are you going to take it off, or are we going to do it for you?"
Just as they backed her into a corner, Caleb gave me a slight push.
"Evelyn, go!"
I stumbled forward, nearly losing my balance.
He didn't even notice, his eyes still glued to Nina.
A self-mocking smile touched my lips as I turned and headed for the stairs.
The moment she saw me, Nina expertly ducked behind me, her voice shaking. "Miss Reed, help me..."
I shot a cold look at the women in front of us. "You're going to publicly humiliate her and force her to strip? Not worried about ending up on the front page tomorrow?"
The ringleader, a girl named Chloe Sterling, just smirked. "Evelyn, we're just curious. And you should be careful. She's not as innocent as she looks."
"Yeah, Evelyn," another one chimed in. "I saw Caleb taking her to a hotel just the other day. Aren't you the least bit suspicious?"
Nina shook her head violently. "No! Evelyn, don't listen to them! It's all lies!"
As she spoke, she clutched my arm, her grip like a vise, subtly pulling me backward. I tried to shake her off, but she held on tight.
"Lies? Or are you just too scared to admit it!"
"I saw you both going in yesterday—"
Before the girl could finish, in the split second I tried to wrench my arm free, Nina let out a piercing scream and threw herself backward, tumbling over the railing to the floor below.
"NINA!"
Caleb moved like a lightning bolt, diving to catch her. They both crashed to the ground in a heap.
"Nina... are you okay? Are you hurt?!"
She seemed stunned, then slowly looked up at me, fresh tears streaming down her face. "Miss Reed... why did you push me? Did you really believe them?"
Caleb's head snapped up, his eyes filled with a chilling coldness.
"Evelyn! I sent you up there to help her, not to push her!"
I saw the flash of triumph in Nina's eyes and suddenly understood why she had been pulling me backward the entire time.
"She jumped."
Nina immediately buried her face in Caleb's chest, her voice a muffled, pitiful whisper. "No... it was my fault... I slipped."
She was trembling, the very picture of a terrified victim.
Caleb clutched her tighter, his heart clearly breaking for her.
"I saw the whole thing from down here! You pushed her! How dare you lie to my face?!"
Looking at the disgust in his eyes, I felt a profound sense of exhaustion. It was a perfectly staged performance, and nothing I said would ever convince him otherwise.
"If anything happens to her," he snarled, "I will never forgive you."
Then, ignoring the stares of the other customers, he swept Nina up into his arms and stormed out of the store.
Just before they left, Nina peeked over his shoulder and shot me a triumphant smirk. Chloe and her friends saw it too.
Chloe gritted her teeth. "That bitch! I knew she did it on purpose."
"Evelyn, he's about to marry you, and she still has the nerve to seduce him. Aren't you going to—" She cut herself off, probably remembering the rumors about me being a spineless doormat when it came to Caleb.
When I got back to the villa, Caleb was already there, pacing like a caged animal.
He grabbed my wrist and started dragging me toward the door. "Nina's in the hospital, she's in shock because of you. You're going to go and apologize."
I ripped my arm from his grasp, meeting his icy glare. "I told you, I didn't push her. Why should I apologize?"
"I only trust what I saw. Evelyn, don't make me angry."
And then he did it. He pulled out the silver locket my father had left me. It was the last thing I had of him. I had given it to Caleb as a symbol of our engagement, the most precious thing I owned.
My heart stopped, and an icy wind seemed to howl through my soul.
"You're... you're using this to threaten me?"
"I'm not threatening you. Just apologize, and everything goes back to normal."
First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "252220" to read the entire book.
MotoNovel
Novellia
Bookworm« Previous Post
Misbehavior
Next Post »
I Choose to Leave