I rembered that night at the Laurent party, how he dropped everything the mont I needed to leave.
He cancelled the whole party and personally drove to the hospital.
And that coat. He’d wrapped it around like I was sothing worth saving.
Rhys would’ve let pass out on the marble floor and asked soone to mop around .
So yeah. Ashton Laurent was a lot of things. But ‘just so guy’ wasn’t one of them.
‘He treats well,’ I said again, louder this ti. ‘Aunt Louisa, I’ve found sothing better. You don’t need to worry about anymore.’
Louisa’s eyes filled up again. ‘I don’t even know what to say. Rhys was never ant for you, I see that now. He’s the one who lost out.’
I glanced pointedly at the box on the table. ‘Aunt Louisa...’
She let out a resigned sigh. ‘I get it. Whatever bond you and Rhys had, it’s over. That old keepsake ans nothing now. I’ll go get it for you.’
I watched her climb the stairs, slow and hunched like the weight of family disappointnt was dragging her down.
In my head, I whispered a quiet ‘sorry’.
The Granger family had already sent out half the wedding invitations with my na stamped next to Rhys’s.
Now they’d have to claw them all back, one by one.
And Clive Granger would probably explode.
Louisa would be the first in the blast radius.
I was still chewing on that thought when Willow suddenly let out a snort.
‘Didn’t peg you for a social climber, Mira. But look at you—bagging Ashton Laurent. Who knew you had it in you?’
Her voice dripped with spite.
Probably because Ashton wasn’t just rich and hot; he was the billionaire fantasy every bored socialite dread of landing.
Just yesterday, so C-list actress had ‘accidentally’ leaked paparazzi shots of her bumping into him outside a restaurant.
Even soone like Willow had probably entertained the idea of ‘accidentally’ falling into his arms.
And now he was mine.
Well, sort of.
‘That day at the hospital,’ she snapped, eyes narrowing, ‘I knew sothing was off when he showed up with you. Did you seduce him? Got so sleazy photos and blackmailed your way into a ring? Or maybe drugged him—’
My palm connected with her face so fast even I didn’t see it coming. ‘Watch your mouth.’
‘You just slapped ?’ Willow shrieked, springing off the sofa like she’d been electrocuted.
She tried to hit back, but I grabbed her wrist mid-swing.
My nails dug in just enough to make her wince and twist like a squashed bug.
‘Last ti I didn’t hit you back was out of respect for Aunt Louisa. Don’t mistake that for weakness. That slap just now was for the filth coming out of your mouth.’
I shoved her back onto the sofa.
‘I didn’t even know Ashton until after I dumped your brother. So maybe back off before you embarrass yourself even more.’
‘Oh please,’ she spat. ‘You expect to believe you two just happened to fall in love right after the breakup? Spare . I see right through won like you.’
I walked over and picked up the marriage certificate from the table, slipping it back into my bag.
‘Your darling brother cheated on with my sister, and you’ve got the nerve to co at ? Cute. Either you’ve got double standards or you genuinely think it’s fine for guys to two-ti their girlfriends. In that case, I hope your next boyfriend’s just like your scumbag brother.’
‘You—!’Willow turned the colour of an overripe tomato. Then she huffed, ‘Whatever. I’m not wasting my ti arguing with you.’
‘You think you get to call it quits now?’ I shot back. ‘Didn’t you just say you’d moonwalk backwards if I actually married Ashton? Now that you know the cert’s real... I’m still waiting, babe. Moonwalk or coward—pick one.’
Willow went silent, pretending she hadn’t heard a thing.
Then she cleared her throat, mumbled sothing about being late for a Pilates class and bolted.
A few minutes later, Louisa ca downstairs, holding a ring box.
She handed it to like it hurt her.
‘Even if things didn’t work out between you and Rhys, I still think of you as my daughter. Don’t be a stranger, alright?’
I nodded. ‘I know, Aunt Louisa.’
And I ant it.
She was the only decent Granger in the entire godforsaken gene pool.
I hugged her, promised to keep in touch, then left.
The second I stepped out of that house, it felt like soone had finally cracked open a window.
I could breathe again.
Ashton was waiting for outside. ‘All sorted?’
‘All sorted.’ I slid into the passenger seat.
He clocked the ring box imdiately.
His eyes flicked down, then back to my face.
I gave it a playful shake.
‘The engagent gift,’ I said. ‘And now I’m officially Rhys–free.’
Ashton leaned in suddenly, close enough that I could feel his breath against my ear.
My heart started pounding.
I stared at him, trying not to blink like a stunned deer.
‘What’re you doing?’ I asked, my voice not nearly as casual as I wanted.
He just smiled and pulled sothing from behind his back, like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat.
Except this wasn’t a rabbit.
It was a velvet jewellery box.
He popped it open.
Inside was a pendant necklace that made Tiffany’s look like Claire’s Accessories.
It wasn’t showy—no diamonds vomiting from every corner—but the design was clean, elegant, and rich in that quiet, terrifying way.
The stone in the centre was pale violet, almost glowing, with flashes of icy blue and silver when it caught the light.
Grandidierite.
Rare as hell.
Stupidly expensive.
Even before he fastened it round my neck, I knew it wasn’t sothing you picked up on a whim.
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