He Brought His Mistress, I Brought My Lawyers Chapter 09

He Brought His Mistress, I Brought My Lawyers Chapter 09

Ethan froze.

Sloane immediately raised the stakes, crying as if her heart were breaking.

“Ethan! I don’t want to live anymore…”

“Fine! I agree!” Ethan gritted his teeth, making the decision almost without thinking. In his eyes, the agreement was just a worthless piece of paper he could trade for Sloane’s life.

I walked up to Sloane, my face a blank mask. “Sloane, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hit you with champagne bottles. I was wrong.”

Sloane clutched her shoulder and said nothing, only looking at Ethan with tear-filled eyes.

Ethan hurried forward. “Sloane, Avery apologized. Come down from the railing, please?”

Sloane shook her head, crying so hard she could barely breathe, her voice broken and venomous.

“My husband once said… when someone does wrong, they have to feel the same pain for the apology to count…”

Ethan’s body stiffened.

I understood instantly.

She wanted me to take three bottles, too.

“Impossible,” I refused without hesitation. “Sloane, don’t push your luck.”

“I’m not…” Sloane cried even harder, swaying unsteadily. “I’m just… in so much pain… Avery, do you know how much it hurts to be hit with chilled champagne?”

As she spoke, she moved farther over the railing. This time, half her body was truly leaning out, as if she would fall into the dark sea below at any second.

Sweat beaded on Ethan’s forehead. He grabbed her hand and turned to me with a final plea.

“Avery, just this once! Consider it my debt to you!”

I looked at him coldly. “Ethan, you’d better think about the consequences. This is intentional assault. It’s a crime.”

Ethan’s lips trembled. Sloane’s sobs and the sea wind roared in his ears. In the end, he broke, shouting at a terrified staff member beside him.

“Go! Go to the wine cellar and bring three bottles of our wedding champagne!”

The staff member scrambled away at once.

I stood there. I didn’t cry. I didn’t make a scene. I just stared at Ethan with eyes dipped in ice.

The champagne arrived quickly. It was the Moët & Chandon custom-made for our wedding. Our initials were engraved on the bottles:

A&E.

Ethan picked up one bottle, his hand shaking so badly he could barely hold it. He didn’t dare look at me. His voice was hoarse.

“Avery, I’m sorry… Once this is over, I’ll make it up to you…”

The first bottle came with a whoosh of air and smashed into my shoulder.

Agony exploded. I let out a muffled groan, my body swaying, but my feet seemed rooted to the ground. I didn’t step back.

The second struck my arm. It felt as if the bone were about to crack.

The third, as though he’d lost control, slipped and hit my temple.

With a dull crack, the bottle shattered. Cold champagne mixed with blood and ran down my cheek. Glass shards cut into my skin.

After all three bottles had struck me, I was still standing.

I lifted my eyes and swept my gaze over Sloane’s face, which was twisted with an ugly excitement. “Is that enough?” I asked coldly.

A flicker of pleasure crossed Sloane’s eyes, but her mouth was still performing.

“Avery, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean for this to happen…”

“Enough!” Ethan suddenly cut her off, pulled her down from the railing, and held her tightly.

He glanced at me, disheveled and bleeding from the forehead. He opened his mouth but said nothing. Then he turned and hurried away with Sloane, as if I were a contagion.

A yacht club employee approached me, trembling.

“Miss Caldwell, do you… do you need an ambulance?”

I slowly shook my head. “No.”

I forced myself to move, step by step, toward the elevator. The moment I stepped inside, my nerves finally snapped. I could no longer hold myself up and slid down the cold metal wall.

Blood from my forehead blurred my vision.

A second before the doors closed, I took out my phone and used the last of my strength to send a message to my grandfather.

My blood stained the screen.

*Charles, the engagement must be ended. Immediately.*

The elevator descended. Leaning against the wall, I lost consciousness.