I Called Off the Engagement After Our Pre-Wedding Trip Chapter 08

I Called Off the Engagement After Our Pre-Wedding Trip Chapter 08

The gate closed behind me.

Inside, my uncle told me what they’d done. Trapped Caleb and the others on the mountain all night,

even let the boars chase them.

Right before the boars would’ve gotten them, they killed the animals.

“Let them feel some real fear,” Uncle Michael said with a cold smile.

“Then I took the bastards out on the boat, kicked them in, and let them float for an afternoon. I

wasn’t going to pull them out until they were half-dead.”

My cousin Jake held up his phone. “Feel better?”

I smiled. “Just don’t do that back home.”

“Relax. We know what we’re doing. And they started it.”

I nodded, talked with them a while, then went to take a nap.

In the evening, rain started tapping on the window.

When I woke up, a letter was on my windowsill.

“I’m sorry I hurt you. I’ll prove my love with actions.”

I recognized the handwriting. Tore the paper to pieces and threw it away.

Like that changed anything.

That same evening, the villagers ran Caleb and his friends out of town.

My cousin told me later: because they were already beat up and angry, they turned on each other. Punched it out in the car, grabbed the wheel, crashed.

I shrugged. Didn’t really care.

Three days later, I left with my parents to go back to Fairhaven and handle the wedding

cancellation.

Before I went, I saw Ethan one more time.

“I’m moving to Fairhaven next month,” he said. “Graduated.”

For some reason, I couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Okay,” I said, smiling. “I’ll buy you dinner.”

“Savannah!”

My parents waved. I nodded at him and left.

Back in Fairhaven, I found a pile of gifts outside our house.

The housekeeper said, “Mr. Thornton dropped them off.”

“Throw it all away.”

I didn’t hesitate. “From now on, don’t let him near the house. If he forces his way in, call the cops pr have security drag him out.”

She nodded.

But he caught me at work. In front of everyone, he grabbed my hand, dropped to one knee, and held out a bouquet of roses.

“The wedding’s off, I know. But we can still fix this. Savannah, please forgive me. I’ll make it all up to you. I swear.”

People stared. A few who didn’t know the story started to cheer-then stopped when they saw my

face.

“I was going to let you keep some dignity, but fine.”

I looked down at him, calm and cold.

“You think this is all Brianna’s fault?”

I stepped closer. He went pale.

“When I was killing myself decorating our house, what were you doing?”

“When I begged you not to hurt me, what were you doing?”

“Your love is just a performance.”

I warned him, “Show up again, and I’ll see you in court. I still have the medical report.”

“No-I really love you.”

He shook his head, voice breaking. “Don’t leave me.”

I knew he loved me. Seven years. The first meeting. All of it.

Love could be ugly. But real.

I looked at him and delivered the final verdict.

“I will never be with someone who already hurt me.”

I pulled my hand free. “Call security. If any unauthorized person gets into this building again, it’s a

write-up.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

An employee ran off. Security dragged Caleb away. The flowers got swept up. Everything went back

to normal.

I walked into my office-and saw a familiar face.

My assistant said, “Ms. Reed, this is our new intern, Ethan Hayes,’

“Hey, Savannah.”

He smiled.

He worked for my company now.

I was surprised-and honestly happy.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

We’d been talking online for a month. Our messages went back and forth all the time.

Our tastes were weirdly similar. We’d gotten close without me noticing.

“Wanted to surprise you.”

Ethan stepped closer and held out his hand.

“Looking forward to working with you.”

I shook it. When I tried to pull back, his fingers threaded through mine, tight as vines.

I froze.

Then he let go. So fast I almost thought I imagined it.

My ears felt hot. But I didn’t overthink it. I told my assistant to show him around.

I watched his back disappear and let out a breath.

After that, I made it clear: no Caleb. And he stayed away.

Later I found out my parents and the Hayes family had put pressure on the Thorntons. They forced Caleb to move overseas.

A year passed.

Then I heard he’d gone bankrupt.

Apparently Brianna was involved. After the car crash, she lost part of her leg. She latched onto Caleb, and together they destroyed his company’s finances.

Not my problem.

Right then, I was leaving work. Ethan was waiting to take me home.

Six months after he started at the company, he’d told me how he felt. I thought about it. And went

with my heart.

“Ready, Savannah?” He opened the car door for me.

I nodded. As I walked, I caught a glimpse of a hunched figure in a corner.

I didn’t look again. My life had moved on. And the past was just the past.