Engraved with the Wrong Name Chapter 09

Engraved with the Wrong Name Chapter 09

I didn’t message my family until I was off the plane.

When they heard I had come back alone, my parents insisted on picking me up, ignoring all my protests.

The car ride was mostly silent.

No matter how hard I tried to act normal, they could sense something was deeply

wrong.

After a while, I gave them the short version of what had happened.

My dad slammed his hand on the steering wheel.

“That son of a bitch! Griffin never should have gotten involved with you while he was still tangled up with his ex!”

I never imagined the boy I’d known since childhood could turn out like this.

I’d seen he was heartbroken and rushed to his side without a second thought.

And I was the one who ended up covered in wounds.

In the end, it was my own fault.

The day Griffin asked me to be his girlfriend, I truly believed he was over his ex.

I ignored the thousand times he called me by the wrong name.

My mom was just as furious.

“Sweetheart, we’re driving over there right now and demanding an explanation! They can’t do this to our daughter!”

Seeing my parents about to turn the car around and head for the Thorne family home, I quickly stopped them.

“Let it go. Please. Griffin’s parents probably had no idea.”

Griffin’s father and my dad were childhood friends.

Our families had known each other for decades. It wasn’t worth burning that bridge over this.

At worst, I’d just see them less often.

After much persuasion, my parents finally relented.

What I didn’t expect was for Griffin to show up at our door the very next morning.

He stood on the porch, unshaven, still wearing yesterday’s clothes.

The moment my dad saw him, his temper flared, and he yelled for security to throw

him out.

Griffin clung to the doorframe, drawing the attention of our neighbors.

I had no choice but to lead him to the backyard of our family’s art gallery.

Away from prying eyes, he immediately grabbed my hand.

“I’m sorry, Kimberly. I know I hurt you, deeply.”

“I’ve cut things off with Jade. I told her never to contact me again.”

He dropped to one knee, holding up the engagement ring.

“Please, forgive me. Can we start over?”

I looked into his sincere, desperate eyes.

They looked just as they had on the day of the proposal.

Maybe, in that moment, he really had wanted to marry me.

But my heart felt none of its old excitement, Only a cold, deep-seated disgust.

I yanked my hand away.

“No.”

Hearing my unhesitating refusal, the color drained from Griffin’s face.

“…Why?”

“Why?”

I couldn’t help but echo his question, a mocking laugh escaping my lips.

Even now, he thought a simple apology was enough to earn my forgiveness.

“You gave my things away to your ex-girlfriend. You stood by and helped her spread rumors to destroy my career.”

I stared into his eyes and asked softly, “Tell me, Griffin, why should I forgive you?”

He stood there, stunned, unable to form a word.

I took another step closer.

“And why would I ever get back together with a man who’s still obsessed with his ex?”

Griffin instinctively raised his voice.

“I’m not! I don’t love her anymore.”

He clutched his head, squatting down in anguish.

After a long moment, he continued.

“When I was struggling to make a name for myself in Chicago, she said she couldn’t handle the Family life and broke up with me.”

“I found out later she’d met some casino magnate in Vegas and dumped me because she thought I had no future.”

“After that guy broke up with her, she came crawling back.”

Griffin covered his face, and I saw tears streaming through his fingers.

“All those times I called you by the wrong name, every time I ‘accidentally’ sent her something… it was my pride. I couldn’t let it go.”

“I wanted to see her beg. I wanted to see her regret what she did.”

“Now, I’m the one who regrets it.”

He slowly looked up, his face stripped bare of everything but desperate hope.

He gently took my hand, and something cold slid onto my ring finger.

“Kimberly, I understand now. You’re the one I love.”

“Give me one more chance. Marry me, please?”