Chapter 7
At his last remark, my eyes snapped open, locking onto the man I had once loved with unwavering
determination.
“Gavin Duke! You’re nothing but a beast!”
“Do you and Rose not know better than anyone what really happened?”
“You-”
Before I could finish, Evan gently patted my hand, leaning close to my ear and speaking softly.
“It’s alright. Let me handle this.”
“Rest now. I’ll deal with them.”
“Not a single one of those who hurt you will get away with it.”
There was something magical about his words; my rage dissolved instantly.
turned to look at him. His brown–tinged eyes held a calm, reassuring power.
tu
Evan stood up, his icy gaze landing on Gavin.
“Is what you said really the truth, Mr. Duke?”
Evan Daxton’s gaze was icy cold, leaving Gavin Duke too frightened to utter a word.
Evan let out a derisive snort, as if mocking Gavin, then swept his eyes across the room before speaking deliberately.
“Since Mr. Duke doesn’t wish to explain, allow me to do it for him.”
“Lily and I met in the wilderness–the very same wilderness where you claim she was ‘fooling around with men.“”
have few hobbies, but hiking and mountaineering are among them. That day, I personally witnessed Mr. Duke making deals with several men in the mountains. Not long after, Lily came running up, anxious and desperate. Mr. Duke staged a kidnapping to cover his tracks, and Lily offered herself in exchange for his safety, just to ensure his escape.”
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And what did Mr. Duke promise? He swore to return with help to rescue her. But the moment he
Teft those men turned on Lily, intending to harm her. I was the one who saved her, preventing her from being assaulted by those dangerous criminals.”
Gavin’s face turned deathly pale. His lips moved, stammering as he tried to defend himself.
“No… impossible.”
“You
‘You’re lying! If you really saved her that day, why didn’t she return until a week later? You didn’t even know her–why would you stay with her in the mountains for a week?”
“Mr. Daxton, there’s no need to fabricate such an obvious lie to protect your reputation. It’s full of
holes!”
Evan glanced at him, his eyes filled with contempt, as if he were looking at trash.
“Why? You dare ask why?”
“I told her it was all an act, staged by you and those men: Even the men admitted it. But she didn’t believe me! She insisted on waiting in the mountains for you to come rescue her.”
“For an entire week, she didn’t eat a single grain of rice. If I hadn’t forced her, she wouldn’t even have drunk water. And you dare to ask why?”
Gavin could no longer stand; his legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.
- Evan didn’t spare him another glance. Instead, he carefully helped me up and turned to Lexi.
“The makeup artist is waiting next door with a change of clothes.”
“Please help Lily get ready.”
“And thank you. If you hadn’t been here, I can’t imagine what Lily would have gone through.”
Lexi nodded and supported me as we walked out. As we passed Gavin, I spoke in a cold voice.
“After my stepmother came, Daniel Gilbert was no longer my Daniel Gilbert.”
“Gavin Duke, you were once the man I trusted most in this world.”
“But during that week–those seven days–you personally shattered that trust to pieces.”
“With that, I didn’t spare him another look and left the room.
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When I returned, changed and composed, the unrelated people had all left. The only ones remaining were Evan, Gavin, and the Gilbert family trio.
Gavin was kneeling in front of Evan, begging desperately. Seeing me enter, Evan nodded at me.
“You shouldn’t be apologizing to me, Mr. Duke.”
“The person you owe an apology to is here now.”
Gavin turned, collapsing in front of me with a loud thud.
“Lily, please forgive me. Save me. I was blinded by greed.”
“It was Rose! That bitch seduced me. It was all her idea! The kidnapping, deceiving you–it was all
her!”
“She said we had to ruin your reputation so she and I could be together and call off the engagement. It was all her plan. I had nothing to do with it, Lily!”
Hearing this, Rose flew into a rage and lunged at him.
“Gavin! You bastard! You said you fell in love with me at first sight!”
You said Lily was dull and boring, that I was more exciting, more fun. You wanted to be with me!”
“You were the one who said you wanted to break off the engagement with Lily and asked me to ⚫ come up with a plan. We discussed it together! How dare you push all the blame onto me!”
Rose looked completely unhinged, clawing at Gavin’s face.
Perhaps out of anger or desperation to prove his loyalty to me, Gavin leapt up and kicked Rose hard in the chest.
Caught off guard, Rose fell heavily to the ground, her earrings flying off.
Gavin didn’t stop. He pinned her down and grabbed her hair, slapping her repeatedly across the
face.
“You whore! You seduced me!”
“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten involved with you or broken up with Lily!”
“If it weren’t for your stupid plan, none of this would’ve happened today. You ruined me! Go to hell Rose!”
