Chapter 3

3: 3

3

The words had barely left my mouth when Keith's eyes went wide.

He stared at me, fury bleeding into his gaze. "Lavinia, what did you just say?"

"You're not getting married?"

"My whole family's been busting our backs all this time, and now, at this exact moment, you tell me you're not getting married?"

His face was ugly, his voice ice-cold, his eyes glaring at me with real venom. "Do you even know what you're saying?"

"And so what if my mom took a cut of your money?"

I let out a cold laugh. I couldn't be bothered to keep talking to Keith.

I'd seen through all of it now.

From beginning to end, Keith had been scheming to use me.

Every kindness he'd ever shown me was only because he'd thought I was easy to handle.

If that was how it was, then I had nothing left to say to him.

"Keith. Tell your mother to put that money down right now, or I'm calling the police."

They'd already popped the trunk and pulled out my dowry. I grabbed my phone and looked straight at Keith as I spoke.

The instant the words were out, Keith snatched the phone from my hand.

The moment he had it, he hurled it out the window.

I watched the phone shatter to pieces in front of me, and my mind went blank.

I hadn't thought he'd actually dare to grab my phone at a time like this.

I lifted my head and saw Keith's furious face.

"Lavinia, let me tell you something!"

"The banquet's already set up back in the village!"

"You think you can call off the wedding on me now? You really think that's possible?"

"Get out of this car. Right now!"

His voice was ice. "And another thing. My mom already said it. You have to sign this document!"

He jabbed a finger at the papers in his hand. "You sign it, and we go ahead with the wedding!"

I stared blankly at Keith, and then a faint laugh slipped out of me.

He seemed to have forgotten. My phone was smashed, sure, but the photographer and the wedding planning company were still here.

And on top of that, the man driving this car was still my father's driver.

I turned and shot the driver a look, and he caught it at once.

He had his phone in his hand, and a message had already gone out.

At the same time, he shoved himself up, threw open the car door, and yanked Keith out fast.

The next second, Keith was hauled out of the car by the driver.

Before Keith could react, the driver slammed the door and locked it.

Then he climbed back in himself.

"Miss, I've already alerted the master. They'll be here any minute!"

The driver sat in the car and looked at me as he spoke.

His eyes kept drifting outside on their own.

Right now the wedding cars were bunched up at the mouth of the village. Even if he wanted to back out, there was no room to do it.

But I let out a breath.

I was the only one in the car now.

And with things already gone this far, I wasn't panicking anymore.

I turned and looked at Keith, face gone gray-green, standing outside the car. He was staring at me, eyes cold, pounding on the door.

"Lavinia, get out of this car!"

His voice was loud, thick with a fury that left no room for argument.

And I just sat there in the car and watched.

The driver had locked the doors. For now, I was safe.

Hearing the noise, Kate came rushing over. She wanted to pull the door open and drag me out too, only to find it locked tight.

She started slamming on the door in a panic.

"Lavinia, get out of this car right now! You'll miss the auspicious hour, and that's on you!"