Chapter 7
461words
Evan Growth's face drained of color, then flushed with rage.
"She's my fucking girlfriend!"
He turned back to me, desperate.
"Cecilia, come home with me. I know you love me. You can't possibly want to marry Leo Growthn—especially not a cripple like him."
Now I understand that narcissism is the core of men like him.
Evan Growth is the perfect example.
"Yes, I loved you."
I smiled, and Evan Growth's eyes brightened with hope.
"I knew it—"
Before he could finish, he reached for me again.
I slapped his hand away.
I stared him down, each word deliberate:
"Evan Growth, what exactly did I love about you? That you forced me to abort our child? That your germaphobia magically disappeared when Lynn Miller was involved? That you left me dying at home but rushed to the hospital when Lynn Miller got a scratch?"
With each word, Evan Growth's face grew more ashen.
"Damn, he looks like a gentleman, but he's a complete asshole."
"And he has the nerve to crash the wedding."
"After all that shit, he's losing it just because she found someone better."
"Shut up! What do you know?" Evan Growth snapped at the crowd before turning back to me.
"I've always been this way, but you stayed with me for five years. Nothing could drive you away. Cecilia Jones, admit it—you love me."
I laughed coldly.
My eyes locked with his.
"Love you when you made a bet with Lynn Miller about pursuing me? Love you when you hired someone to rape me?"
Evan Growth froze, his face crumbling.
"You—you know about that?"
Lynn Miller's face went white.
"How did you—the livestream. You watched the livestream yesterday."
Evan Growth's expression turned to stone.
His confident facade cracked, revealing raw panic.
Evan Growth stammered:
"No, listen to me—it's not what you think."
"Explain what? That you never did these things? That you didn't pursue me because of a bet?"
Evan Growth went rigid.
I turned away from him. "Let's continue the ceremony."
Leo Growthn had given me space to handle this, but now he positioned his wheelchair protectively in front of me.
"Gladly."
Evan Growth lunged forward, grabbing for my dress.
"Back off!" Leo Growthn barked.
Security guards rushed forward.
They pinned Evan Growth to the ground, his germaphobic face pressed against the dirty floor.
His germaphobia forgotten, he shouted desperately:
"Cecilia, I was wrong! I'm sorry! I can change—I'll make up for everything I've done to you!"
"Please don't marry him!"
Without a glance his way, I extended my hand to Leo Growthn, watching as he slid the ring onto my finger.
"For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health," I said clearly. "I take Leo Growthn as my husband."
And with that, it was done.
