He Brought His Mistress, I Brought My Lawyers Chapter 30

He Brought His Mistress, I Brought My Lawyers Chapter 30

Ethan’s red eyes were filled with crazed possessiveness. A roar went off in Avery’s ears. Before her mind could process the absurd phrase “my fiancée,” her body reacted.

She violently broke free from Ethan’s grip and stepped in front of Julian without hesitation.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Seeing Avery instinctively protect Julian, Ethan felt his heart sink into ice water, heavy and cold, each breath sharp with pain.

Julian lifted a hand and wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. His normally gentle face was now tinged with a rare, undisguised aggression.

“I think I need to remind you, Mr. Ward,” he said calmly but sharply, “your terminology needs updating. Avery hasn’t been your fiancée for a long time.”

The veins at Ethan’s temple throbbed. He squeezed each word through his teeth.

“That’s still better than you, a bastard taking advantage of her when she’s vulnerable!”

“Shut up, Ethan!” Avery took a deep breath, forcing down the disgust in her chest. She turned, her cold gaze meeting his, every word clear. “Our engagement is canceled. I am not your fiancée.”

Rain dripped steadily, soaking Ethan’s expensive suit and chilling him to the heart.

His gaze locked on Avery’s arm as she shielded Julian. The image was a red-hot needle, stinging his eyes.

Just when Avery thought he would attack again, Ethan only glared at Julian, then suddenly turned and disappeared into the rain without a word.

It wasn’t like him.

But Avery had no interest in his actions now.

She quickly turned back, frowning as she checked the cut on Julian’s mouth, her voice filled with worry.

“Are you all right? I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“It’s nothing.” Julian shook his head. His gaze followed Ethan’s retreating figure before returning to her. “Your ex-boyfriend?”

Avery nodded tiredly.

Julian’s eyes moved from her tense face to the faint scar beside her brow. His voice softened.

“The scar on your face. Was that because of him, too?”

“Yes.”

Avery nodded again, not avoiding it. She lifted her head to meet the worry in Julian’s eyes, as if she had made an important decision.

“Do you want to hear the story between us?”

Julian frowned in pain and answered almost instinctively, “If remembering it will hurt you, I’d rather not.”

But Avery told him anyway.

About the wedding in Boston that never happened. About the three champagne bottles on the yacht club terrace. About how she left the East Coast and came to Santa Fe.

Unexpectedly, laying out the rotten past before another person felt far lighter than she had imagined.

When Julian finished listening, he said nothing. He only pulled Avery into a deep, restrained, warm embrace, his usually gentle voice now carrying a suppressed anger.

“If he ever bothers you again, I’ll make him regret it.”

When the hug ended, Julian looked at Avery’s rain-dampened cheeks, and his tone suddenly became a little halting.

“So… Avery currently has no boyfriend and no fiancé, right?”

“Neither.”

At that, a faint flush colored Julian’s face. Under the warm yellow light of the gallery entrance, it looked especially sincere.

His heartbeat was a drum, his palms damp.

“Then… could you consider me?”