Chapter 154

The drive to the Hayes‘ mansion felt like an eternity, my mind consumed by a whirlwind of anxious thoughts. Scarlett’s urgent call

had summoned me here, and the fear that had been growing within me since our last meeting had intensified. As I approached

the grand estate, I couldn’t help but feel like an outsider, a guest in a world of intrigue and deception.

My heart raced as I arrived and saw a group gathered outside, their faces etched with a mixture of worry and tension. Timothy,

Scarlett, Kamran, Andy, and Stella were all standing there huddled together. The sight of them together sent a shiver down my

spine, and I couldn’t help but wonder what had transpired in my absence.

Kamran was the first to spot me, his face contorted with anger and accusation. He rushed towards me,

his steps purposeful and unforgiving. “You bitch!” he bellowed, his voice filled with righteous fury. “How could do this?”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I recoiled, my own anger rising in response. Excuse me?” I started, my voice

strained.

But Timothy rushed forward and stepped between us, his voice firm and unwavering. “Dad, back away from her! She doesn’t

even know what’s going on.” Kamran’s eyes flashed with anger, his gaze still fixed on me. “Like hell, she doesn’t!” Stella, who

had been eerily silent until now, finally spoke up. Her mascara smeared as she wiped her face. “She’s had it out for me since the

engagement!”

Scarlett watched the exchange with a worried expression, while Andy stood silently, his eyes darting between the others. They

seemed just as confused as I

was.

Timothy turned to face Stella, his expression troubled. “Stella, let’s not jump to conclusions. We need to gather all the facts

before we make any judgments.”

As the tension began to simmer, I couldn’t help but feel like an intruder in the midst of a family crisis. I had so many questions,

but no one seemed willing to provide answers.

“Okay, but what actually happened?” I asked Timothy as he seemed to be the only one willing to answer me.

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Wordlessly, motioned for me to follow behind him as he led me inside the mansion with a tearful Stella following behind us.

Timothy's expression was a mixture of weariness and concern. “We found it like that this morning,” he said.

He guided me to a separate room within the grand mansion, a space that felt like it had been plucked from a different era,

adorned with opulent furnishings and elegant decor. But it was what lay before me that left me speechless.

Stella’s wedding dress, a magnificent creation that held almost a fairytale—like essence, now lay in tatters. The ivory silk was

shredded, the delicate lace torn apart, and the once—flowing train was nothing but a mangled mess.

I turned to Stella, my voice laced with shock and disbelief. “Who could’ve done this?”

Stella’s eyes, swollen from crying, bore into mine, and her accusation was sharp. “Don’t play dumb, Evie. You’re the one

responsible for this.”

I recoiled at the accusation, my heart pounding in my chest. “Stella, I had nothing to do with this,” I protested.

Timothy stepped forward, his expression grave. “We don’t have any evidence that Evie was involved.”

Scarlett, who had remained silent until now, interjected with a firm tone. “He’s right, Stella. You need to calm down.”

Stella’s shoulders trembled as she wiped away her tears. “But this dress... it was my dream.”

I couldn't help but feel a little contempt for her at that moment. Her dream wast merely for publicity, something that would make

her look like the glamourous princess she always believed herself to be. The truth was far from perfect, considering she was

screwing her fiancé’s brother.

But as always, I’m the bad guy.

Suddenly, Stella fixed her accusing gaze back on me and pointed a finger in my

direction.

“Kamran,” Stella began, her voice trembling. “Evie is too dangerous to have around

[e)

our family. We can’t trust her.”

Kamran, his eyes still filled with suspicion, nodded in agreement. “She’s right. You need to leave right now.”

Frustration welled up within me,

and I couldn’t contain it any longer. “You think I wanted any of this? You think I enjoy being at the center of this family’s stupid

chaos? I’ve been trying to protect all of you from the truth, but it seems like no one wants to hear it!”

“Truth?” Timothy furrowed his eyebrows and stared intently at me. “Evie, what do you mean by that?”

I opened my mouth, ready to let it all slip out, but Kamran effectively shut me down with a quick, “Get out now!”

Without hesitating, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room. The grandeur of the Hayes‘ mansion had lost its luster, and

it felt suffocating, like a gilded cage trapping meant to entrap unsuspecting creatures.

As I reached the entrance of the mansion, Scarlett caught up with me. Her eyes held a mixture of empathy and frustration,

mirroring my own tumultuous.

emotions.

“Evie, I believe you,” Scarlett said quietly, her voice filled with sincerity. “Il know you didn’t do it.”

I whirled around to face her, my anger bubbling to the surface. “Then why did you even tell me to come here? What did you

expect to achieve?”

Scarlett’s gaze

remained steady, her resolve unwavering. “I wanted you to have a voice in this. They were making all of these assumptions, and

'd hoped that maybe you could convince them...”

Before I could respond, Timothy rushed out of the mansion, his face etched with concern. “Evie, are you alright?”

His words were like a cold shower, extinguishing the flames of anger that had consumed me. I turned away from him, refusing to

meet his gaze. “I have to go,” I replied curtly.

Timothy called after me, his voice filled with urgency. “Evie, please, let’s talk about

this.”

[e)

I finally turned to him, my eyes blazing with anger. “Talk? Talk about what, Timothy? About how you’re marrying Stella while

she’s...”

I clamped my mouth shut, forcing the words back down my throat before more damage could be done. This only made Timothy

more curious as he leaned toward me with an expecting expression.

“While she’s what?” he asked.

I shut my eyes, searching for the right words. Ultimately, they weren't the most truthful. “While she’s trapping you with a baby.”

Timothy ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “It’s more complicated than that, Evie. I-”

I grunted. “Complicated? That’s the word you choose? You know that this is a situation that you don’t want, yet you're calling it

complicated?”

Timothy's eyes flashed with frustration, and he rolled his eyes. “I have expectations. that I have to meet, standards to uphold-”

“But what do you actually feel, Timothy?” I crossed my arms, my stance defiant. “Are you actually happy?”

He hesitated, his gaze locked onto mine. “It’s not the most satisfying thing to do, but it's the right thing to do.”

My anger began to wane, replaced by a deep sense of sadness. “Right?”

He reached out, his hand ghosting over my cheek before he corrected himself, retracting it quickly. “Evie, I never wanted to hurt

you. I thought I was doing what was best for everyone.”

I pulled away, my heart aching. “Well, you forgot someone.”

His expression grew tense, and he stepped closer. “Evie, please.”

I turned away from him, unable to bear the proximity of him any longer. “I have to: go,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

As I walked away from him, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the last time we would ever speak, the last time we would ever

share a moment together. The rift between us had grown too wide, and the future seemed uncertain and fraught with

Chapter 154

pain.

The cold wind brushed against my checks, chilling the tears as they streamed down my face. It was always going to be Stella’s

words against my own, regardless of what Timothy thought. I don’t know who could've tarnished her dress, but I was certain that

things could only go downhill from here.

I was going to have to be more diligent with this case.

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