He Chose Another Bride During the Ritual—So I Chose a New Groom Instead Chapter 10

He Chose Another Bride During the Ritual—So I Chose a New Groom Instead Chapter 10

“You blocked my number. You moved without telling me. I knew you were still angry.”

Rain poured around us.

But Ethan looked happier than I’d seen him in years.

“Now I’m finally free.”

He held up the documents.

“No more obstacles. No more complications. We can get married right away. We can start over. We can go back to how things used to be.”

He sounded completely certain.

Certain that I still loved him.

Certain that eight years of history guaranteed I would come back.

I looked at him quietly.

There was no anger left.

No resentment.

Only peace.

Slowly, I opened my phone and pulled up a photograph.

Then I held it out for him to see.

It was my marriage certificate.

The text was crystal clear.

“I can’t do that,” I said.

“Because I’m already married.”

Every trace of joy disappeared from Ethan’s face.

“No.”

His expression cracked.

“No, that’s impossible!”

His voice rose into a desperate scream.

“That wasn’t a real wedding! It was some ridiculous ceremony in Blackwood Valley! You only did it to make me jealous! To save face!”

He pointed wildly.

“You and Ian don’t even have history together!”

His breathing became ragged.

“You loved me for eight years!”

His eyes reddened.

“Eight years, Ava!”

“How can you just let go?”

“How can you marry someone else?”

I met his gaze.

Steady.

Calm.

“The eight years I spent loving you were my choice.”

I paused.

“And ending them was my choice too.”

Every word severed another thread connecting us.

Ethan shattered.

He lunged forward and grabbed for my wrist.

“Ava, please!”

His voice broke.

“I was wrong!”

“I know I was wrong!”

“Give me one more chance!”

“I’ll love you properly this time!”

“I’ll never hurt you again!”

Before he could touch me, a dark figure stepped between us.

Ian.

With one swift movement, he shoved Ethan back and pulled me into his arms.

His eyes were cold.

Dangerously cold.

“Keep your hands off my wife.”

The divorce decree slipped from Ethan’s fingers.

It landed in a puddle.

Rainwater immediately soaked through the pages.

“No!”

He dropped to his knees.

Frantically gathering the ruined papers.

Muttering to himself.

His hands trembled uncontrollably.

People stopped on the sidewalk to stare.

Some pointed.

Others whispered.

Everyone thought he’d lost his mind.

Maybe he had.

Ian didn’t spare him another glance.

He simply tightened his arm around me, opened his umbrella, and guided me away.

Away from the rain.

Away from the chaos.

Away from Ethan.

That was the last time I ever saw him.

A few weeks later, while scrolling through local news, I came across a brief headline.

Only then did I learn what happened after he left that night.

He’d been involved in a car accident.

He hadn’t survived.

Around the same time, I received a message from one of the older residents of Blackwood Valley.

[Luna couldn’t make it in the city after the divorce. She came back to town a few days ago. She ended up marrying an older widower from the mountains. The wedding is next week. Since you’re her cousin, do you want to come?]

I stared at the message for a moment.

Then I replied.

[No. I’m pregnant, and traveling isn’t a good idea right now.]

After sending the text, I set my phone aside.

The past was finally where it belonged.

Gone.

The storms had ended.

The old chapters had closed.

And ahead of me was the life I’d chosen.

The life I wanted.

The life Ian and I would build together.