Chapter 16

The spacious living room echoed with that one sentence.

Molly instinctively glanced at the man casually leaning against the back of the sofa.

His jaw was tight, eyes cold like a storm brewing under the surface.

With a faint curl of his lips, Tristan spoke slowly, "I'm curious-how exactly did you plan out this little drama of yours?"

Tears welled up in Molly's eyes as she bit her lower lip till it turned pale, "I didn't. I really didn't say or do anything."

Megan took a step forward, lowered herself slightly,and hooked a finger under Molly's chin. "Memory that bad already? You're young, you know. Let me jog it for you."

She let go of Molly's chin and straightened up, arms behind her back. "You kept getting in my head,painting Tristan as this possessive, selfish control freak.You wanted me scared of him, didn't you? Then you fed me the idea to ditch the wedding."

Megan continued, "And just when I ran, conveniently, a car was waiting. I was desperate, jumped in thinking I was safe, headed straight for the airport-but guess what? There was something in the scent inside the car.Knocked me out cold. Next thing I knew, I woke up to see Tristan. If he hadn't shown up when he did, I don't even want to think about what would've happened."

Molly remembered exactly what she said to her back at the Dreamscape Manor-that it was Tristan's men who took her and dragged her back. And Megan used to believe every bit of it. So how did everything flip all of a sudden?

She couldn't understand what changed. The driver wasn't supposed to spill-his whole family was under her thumb. But ever since Megan saw her the day before yesterday,she was totally different. She didn't trust her anymore. She believed Tristan now?

How could someone go from hating a guy to falling for him like flipping a switch?

Tears streamed down Molly's face as she sobbed like she'd just endured the worst injustice on Earth.

Tristan's eyes narrowed dangerously, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the sofa's armrest. "Tell me-what do you think I should do with you?"

Molly's eyes widened in panic. "I didn't do anything terrible! This is al a misunderstanding!"

She scrambled toward Elliot, grabbing onto his pant leg. "Dad, please, believe me! You and Mom treated me like l was your own. How could I ever betray that?" Elliot's brows furrowed deeply. "Molly, you're nineteen now. You're an adult. You need to learn to stand on your own."

Her crying stopped abruptly. "Dad. what are you saying?Are you kicking me out?"

Elliot let out a slow, tired sigh. "I'll buy you an apartment near the university. It's time you moved out."

Megan lifted a brow slightly. "Molly, your time as the second miss of the Shaw family is over. A crow won't become a swan."

Molly sank to her knees, utterly crushed, like the air had been sucked out of her world.

She couldn't figure out-where did everything go wrong?

How did the idiot who used to hang onto her every word suddenly slip away from her control?Megan walked right up to her, tilted her head with a faint smirk, and said, "See you Monday at school."

"School?" Molly mumbled, caught off guard.

Megan smiled sweetly. "I'm really looking forward to being classmates again." Oh, the show's just getting started.

She turned and strolled back to Tristan's side. "Babe,let's go. No need to let garbage ruin our mood.We just registered today-shouldn't we celebrate a little?"

Tristan stood up, straightened his coat sleeve, then took her hand gently. Facing Diane Hartwell and Elliot, he gave a respectful bow. "Megan and I got married today.From now on, we're family. If there's anything you need, just let me know-l'll do everything I can.We're planning to have the wedding on Megan's birthday. We've still got plans today, so we won't stay long. If you miss Megan, you're always welcome at Dreamscape Manor."

With that, he took Megan's hand and headed for the door.

Elliot, Diane, and Chloe followed to see them off.

Megan turned to glance back at them. Then, with a quick look to Tristan, she said, "Hang on."

She hurried back and wrapped both Diane and Chloe in a tight hug.

After a long moment, she looked at them with watery eyes and whispered, "I'm really happy to see you both again." This time, I'll protect you no matter what.

She gave Elliot a small smile before walking back toward the man waiting patiently for her.

Tristan slipped an arm around her waist and whispered,"You skipped hugging your dad."

Megan looked up with a teasing smile. "Thought you might get jealous."

He chuckled. "Jealous? Of your dad?"

"Really? Then why's his name mysteriously missing from my contacts?"

Tristan coughed lightly. "Maybe I. accidentally deleted it?"

Megan raised a brow. "Want me to go hug him now to make up for it?"

Before she could move, he quickly pulled her into the car,opened the passenger door, and settled her in.Then he walked around and got into the driver's seat.They drove off into the distance.

Back at the door,Molly leaned against the frame,nails digging into her palms so hard they almost pierced skin.

She hadn't expected Megan to flip the script on her like that.

That useless girl-how dare she act all high and mighty now!

She bit down so hard her veneer cracked, lashes trembling slightly.

She swore she'd make Megan pay-pay so bad she'd wish she were dead.

Seeing the three of them walk towards her,her eyes filled with tears within seconds.

"Dad.Mom.Chloe."

Elliot just let outa heavy sigh and walked right past.

Diane shot her a frosty glare. "Still here after everything you did? Got some nerve."

Chloe flicked a strand of Molly's hair and clicked her tongue. "Molly, next time you see us, maybe try a detour. And drop the 'Shaw family heiress' label,yeah?You don't deserve it."She took a few steps forward,turned her head, and said coldly, "Take everything that's yours and leave the rest alone. Don't go sticking your hands where they don't belong-like coveting someone else's man. That kind of dream? Not happening in this lifetime."

With that, she gave a scoff, her twin ponytails bouncing as she turned and climbed the stairs.

Molly's eyes narrowed like a venomous serpent's,their darkness laced with hatred. She absolutely loathed everyone in this family.

One by one, she wanted them to pay.

Especially that little one.

So pretty,huh? She was going to ruin that face.

A sleek black Maybach was parked on the coastal highway.

Tristan halted their beach stroll, waves kissing the shore as he turned Megan to face him. His hand dipped into his pocket, retrieving not a box, but a slender velvet pouch. Kneeling in the sand, the sunset gilding the sharp planes of his face, he poured its contents into his palm: a platinum necklace, its pendant a single diamond suspended like a captured star.

A wry smile touched his lips. "Cliché? Maybe. But nothing else felt worthy of this moment." His thumb brushed the cool stone. "I bought this the week after we met. Knew then-you were the one I'd spend lifetimes finding."

"When you ran from the engagement..." His voice roughened. "I thought I'd lost the right to ever put this around your neck."

He lifted the chain, the diamond catching fire in the dying light. "Thank you for letting me finally bringit home. Megan Reid... thank you for choosing me.l swear my life to loving you, protecting you,holding you closer than my own breath."

Tears glistened on Megan's lashes as she smiled.She swept her hair aside, exposing the vulnerable curve of her neck. "My honor," she whispered. "And my vow to guard your heart as fiercely." This time, I won't fail you

Tristan fastened the clasp, his fingers lingering against her skin. Then he drew a smaller pouch from his pocket. Inside lay two delicate braided bracelets, one slightly wider than the other.

"Tomorrow," he murmured, securing the slender bracelet around her wrist, "when you're on campus..this won't shout like the necklace might." He traced the intertwined 'T&M's woven into the design."Our mark.Always with you."

Megan took the wider bracelet. Her fingers brushed his pulse point as she clasped it around his wrist.

Tristan reached up,whisking away a strand of hair from her face, thumb brushing lightly over her cheek."Megan, I love you. From the moment I saw you,l knew it had to be you-forever."

She bit her lip, smiling, "And when exactly was that first time?"

He traced her bottom lip with his thumb, the memory clear in his mind-her, breathless in his arms.

He chuckled softly. "A long, long time ago... You already had a place in my heart back then."