My Seven-Year Ice House Marriage Was Ruined By My Family Chapter 04

My Seven-Year Ice House Marriage Was Ruined By My Family Chapter 04

Before I could even react, Mom stormed in and slapped me.

“Sable, you can’t keep a man, so you make up lies to ruin Maris’s reputation. How did I end up with a daughter like you?”

Dad’s face was livid.

“We thought you were just quiet. We never imagined you could be this petty.”

My cheek burned. I covered my face and insisted it wasn’t me.

Maris started crying.

“Sable, I never wanted to take Blaise from you. Why are you doing this to me?”

Brennan threw the torn marriage certificate in my face.

“You even tore this up, and you still say you didn’t do it.”

“Sable, you know how serious this is in Hollow Creek. The whole town is going to punish you.”

The moment he finished, someone started pounding on the front gate.

“Clayborns! Bring Maris out! She’ll be punished according to town law!”

All the color drained from Maris’s face.

Mom pulled her close.

“No. Nobody’s taking Maris.”

Brennan stood firm beside her.

Blaise was silent for a moment before looking at me.

“Sable, you did this. You have to deal with it.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“What did you just say?”

Mom finally got it.

“That’s right. Blaise and Maris are already married. They’re a couple. If anyone’s the other woman here, it’s you.”

My ears started ringing.

Dad and Brennan said nothing, but neither of them objected.

I was shaking. Tears streamed down my

face.

“You all know it’s a lie. Why are you doing this to me?”

Their eyes flickered.

Blaise stepped in front of Maris.

“Sable, I promise. No matter what happens today, I’ll marry you next year.”

Then he picked up the marriage certificate and opened the door.

When the townspeople learned Blaise and Maris were married, it all made sense.

Blaise even told them he’d kept building the ice house all these years to stop me from hurting

Maris.

That only made the crowd angrier.

“No wonder nobody would marry her all these years. She was trying to steal another woman’s husband!”

“Disgusting.”

“She needs to be punished under town law!”

The crowd surged toward me.

They grabbed my clothes, tied my hands and feet with rope, and dragged me toward the town square for public shaming.

Shame and humiliation swallowed me whole.

Mom and Dad looked conflicted and started to step forward.

Then Maris sneezed.

“Don’t let her catch a cold.”

They immediately turned back to her.

Blaise was even more frantic. He scooped her into his arms and carried her inside.

Something inside me shattered for good.

After the public shaming, they threw me into the old root cellar behind the ridge.

The cold closed in. I gave up.

By the time my hands and feet went numb, the metal door swung open.

“Sable, don’t fall asleep. I’m here to marry you!”

After I was rescued, the Town Council Chair Mr. Thompson came in, looking guilty.

“Sable, the town got it wrong.”

He pulled out the family records.

My parents had gone to Town Hall and asked to remove me from the family records so Maris could take my place.

“This affects the family land rights. The rules say we need your consent.”

This time, I didn’t feel any pain.

“I don’t care.”

I didn’t want them anyway.

Meanwhile, back home, they were throwing a big party for Blaise and Maris.

Amid the noise and laughter, Blaise smiled, but he couldn’t relax.

Maris leaned in. “Auntie said it’s just for show.”

“Once I’m on the family records, Sable’s off it. Then you can marry her next year.”

Blaise finally relaxed a little.

She was right.

It was the best plan. Sable would understand.

Then Mr. Thompson walked in.

“Clayborns, Sable agreed to be removed from the family records.”

‘And just now, she got married and left town.”