His Placeholder Bride, My Bitter Revenge

Trevin

ould somehow fill the emptiness. Now, standing on that street, the bitter frost of dawn biting at m

r scent of old paper and stale coffee was a welcome antidote to t

ice firm despite the tremor deep inside. "I'm submitting a request f

arpened, falling to my left hand. The diamond engagement ring, a symbol of my sha

voice sharper than I intended. "I need a

e was too afraid to touch them. A change of scenery, huh? Well, you'll certainly find

smile touching my lip

momentary comfort. "Go. Go make a name for yourself,

ns, for days, weeks even. It was a brutal form of self-medication, a way to numb the searing pain that thre

missed calls and texts from Clara, from Grant, from people who didn't understand, or didn't want to. I scr

towards the familiar red awning of "Mama Lu's Noodle House." It was a small, u

greeted me with a wide smile. "Avery, darling! Long time

fragile thing. "He's... bus

s held a knowing sadness. "The usual, t

settling into our usu

air. For a fleeting moment, I saw him across from me, a phantom ima

r two hours, a book open on the table, a gentle smile on his face when I finally rushed in. He'd insisted on t

But I'd been so charmed, so eager to see the good in him. This noodle house quickly beca

sn't our spot. This was his spot. A place he' d likely shared with Ivory, a place where he could escape to his true self, the se

fort, now tasted like ashes. I pushed the bowl

burly men, their faces hard and grim, stormed in. One of them, a bulky man with a cruel smirk, po

the counter. Other diners, startled, scramb

tling over me. My journalistic instincts, honed over year

uring to his companions. "Smash t

ashing crockery. A young waiter was roughly shove

. I stood up, my hands clenched into fists at my sides

little hero, huh? Just like that nosy reporter who wrote a

if you don't stop this, your faces will be all ov

re a big shot now? We don't care about your pretty little words

is grip bruising. "Maybe we should te

e, and brought my knee up hard, connecting with his groin. He gasped, r

at me, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. "You bitch! You'll regret that!"

oug

ated with an undeniable authorit

ing figures in dark suits, his personal security, swiftly moved in, disarming

and unreadable. He looked completely different from the panicked man who had chased

h. His gaze lingered on my bruised wrist, the

xclaimed, rushing out from behind the counter. "The

ecked out," he ordered his security, his voice flat. "And ca

ficiently cleaned up the mess. Mama Lu, still trembling, came over

turned to me, his gaze softening alm

through me. His coat, warm and he

his voice softer now, a hint of

f Mama Lu's favorite tea set, lying on the floor. It perfect

was a gentle prob

he murmured, his gaze earnest. "About the rehearsal, about e

ht, a thin wire stretched to its breaking point. "I'm not angry."

, sharp and elegant, cut through the tense sil