Moonlit Mountain (Caleb and Sarah)

(Finding Forever After the Betrayal) Chapter 14

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Ethan froze, his face a mask of disbelief. Disbelief quickly shifted to denial, morphing into a desperate hope that this was all some elaborate prank, a cruel joke orchestrated by Violet to punish them for their transgressions. He tried to smile, but the effort was a grimace, a twisted parody of his usual charm. "Violet," he stammered, his voice cracking, 'who is this guy? Is this some kind of... joke? You're not serious, are you?"

Even with the rings gleaming on their fingers, the marriage certificate a bright red beacon of reality, a part of him clung to the delusional hope that this was all a misunderstanding, a bad dream he'd wake up from any minute now. A wave of nausea washed over me, a cold dread coiling in my stomach. The sight of them, their faces etched with a pain that mirrored my own, was almost more than I could bear. I'd known this would be difficult, but the reality of their hurt, the raw vulnerability in their eyes... it was like a punch to the gut. "He's not an actor, Ethan," I said, my voice flat, devoid of the warmth that

had once been our undoing. I held up my ring hand, a physical manifestation of

the life I was choosing, the life I was building, a life that no longer included them." I'm sorry."

Charles, his arm tightening around my waist, gave a polite nod, his gaze

meeting theirs with a cool confidence that surprised me."Gentlemen," he said,

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his voice a smooth baritone that radiated an unexpected strength, "I'm Charles Evans. Violet's husband." His eyes, a pale, startling amber, held theirs for a beat, a silent challenge in their depths.

Aiden's jaw clenched, his face hardening as a wave of possessiveness, an almost primal urge to reclaim what he'd lost, surged through him."Violet," he pleaded, his voice tight with a suppressed emotion I couldn't quite decipher, "don'

t do this. You're just upset. We can fix this. Just...just tell him you've made a mistake." He reached for me, his fingers brushing against my arm, but Charles stepped smoothly between us, a wall of tailored suit and unwavering determination.

"Mistake?" Ethan exploded, shoving Charles aside, his anger fueled by a desperation that mirrored Aiden's. "What gives you the right to marry her? Do you even know her? Her favorite color? What makes her laugh? Do you even love her?" He grabbed Charles by the shoulders, his grip tight, his eyes blazing with an anger that seemed to be directed as much at himself as it was at the man who'd stolen Violet from them.

Charles, to his credit, didn't even flinch, easily shrugging off Ethan's grip." Mr. Affleck," he said, his voice calm, measured, "Violet and I have plenty of time

to get to know each other. Perhaps a little 'marriage before love' is just what we need. However, I believe you two have some unresolved issues of your own. As I understand it, your relationship with Ms. White is... complicated, to say the least." He brushed off his shoulder where Ethan had touched him, the gesture dismissive, almost disdainful.

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"Hannah is...it's not like that," Ethan stammered, his bravado crumbling under Charles' unwavering gaze.

"We care about her," Aiden added, his voice barely a whisper. "But it's not..."

He trailed off, his gaze meeting mine, a silent plea in his eyes, a plea I couldn't bear to answer.

I tugged my hand free from Aiden's grasp, stepping closer to Charles, seeking refuge in his unexpected strength, in the solid presence of the man who was now my husband. "Enough," I said, my voice cold, final. A lifetime of hurt

and anger, of unvoiced hopes and dashed dreams, resonated in that single word." Don't bother with explanations. It doesn't matter anymore." I met their eyes, my heart twisting with a mix of sadness and a strange, detached sense of relief."I'm done."

"Violet, please..." The plea died on Aiden's lips, his voice a broken whisper. "Listen to her, gentlemen." Charles clapped his hands, and a phalanx of

security guards materialized from the shadows, their faces impassive, their

movements swift and efficient."Escort these gentlemen out. And make sure they don't come back."

Ethan's

eyes widened in disbelief, his gaze darting between me and Charles, then back to the impassive faces of the security guards who were closing in on them, their presence a tangible threat. It was over.

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"Violet, don't do this," he pleaded, his voice raw with desperation."Come

home with us. We'll make things right. We'll go back to how it was... Please,

Violet. Don't leave us."

But I'd already left.