Chapter 9
cit as she fo ut she forced herself to rand toward the ext, igoering the gearing pain in her leg
Επ
She’d be damned if she waited for Alarie’s rescue” She had to save herself.
Dragging herself downstairs, she found the first for almost completely engulfed in flames.
Alaric was cleating a path to the exh. When he spotted Stella, his expression hardened.
“I told you to wait upstairs.”
But this wasn’t the time to argue. As he prepared to help Jenna out, she suddenly screamed
“Watch out!”
A beam weakened by the liferno, broke loose from the ceiling and plummeted down.
The first chunk of burning wood fell directly toward Stella
“Stella” Alaric shouted, instinctively moving toward her.
But in the next second-
CRACK
Another beam broke free, hurtling toward Jenna
In that split second of choice, Alaric turned back, wrapping Jenna protectively in his arms..
The faming beam crashed against his back. He grunted in pain but held firm.
Simultaneously, the other piece of debris struck Stella’s back.
Through waves of agony, she hazily looked up to see firefighters finally breaking through.
Alaric still cradled Jenna, his body positioned as a human shield.
Stella felt something inside her die completely.
Same story, different day.
When Stella regained consciousness, she was in a hospital bed.
Alaric stood before her, his own juries bandaged, his expression unreadable.
Seeing her awake, he spoke mechanically.
“The doctors say our injuries are superficial. They won’t interfere with today’s wedding.”
Stella was almost impressed by his delusion. Everyhow, he assumed she would go through with it
She didn’t waste breath explaining. She simply ng her legs over the side of the bed.
Tm checking o
Today was the launch day for the Nebula Iiciative–her read lature.
She wouldn’t miss it for anything or anyone.
Alan pistook her urgency as eagerness for the wedding.
Chapter 9
Something in his posture relaxed.
Of course. The drama was over.
Stella was mill the same desperate woman who’d do anything to marry him
Strangely, this thought brought him relief–even a sicker of satisfaction.
Confused by his own reaction, he hardened his expression
Tm heading to the verse. Don’t be late.”
The moment Alaric left, Stella called her driver
“Miss Forbes, shall I take you to the wedding?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Stella replied: “The airport. Now.”
After retrieving her packed bags and meeting Professor Lockwood at the terminal, her phone exploded with messages from Alaric
[Where the hell are you?]
The makeup artist is waiting. Do you even want this wedding?
[Ten minutes, Stella. Then I’m done]
Alaric’s calls began pouring in
Stella stared at his name flashing on her screen. With deliberate calm, she powered off the phone, removed the SIM card, and dropped it into a trash
As she boarded the plane, she felt no regret, no doubt–only a profound sense of liberation.
Goodbye, Alaric
This life belongs to me alone.
Chapter 10
