Chapter 8
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Miley’s eyes were wild with rage, bloodshot and unhinged, and my mind went completely blank.
The semi–truck barreled toward me, and my legs felt like they were made of lead—no matter how hard I tried, I could-
n’t move.
All I could hear was Miley’s vicious curses ringing in my ears. Just as the truck was about to hit me, someone shoved me aside with tremendous force.
Alden caught me firmly in his arms.
The deafening crash made my whole body tremble.
Dario’s body flew through the air like a broken kite, landing hard on the pavement.
“Are you okay, Edith?”
Alden held me tight, his voice trembling. “I’m sorry I was late.”
I shook my head, still shaken to the core.
Miley shrieked from the cab of the truck, then scrambled to Dario’s side on her hands and knees, clutching her head, teetering on the edge of a breakdown.
“No… No, it wasn’t supposed to be Dario! I didn’t mean to hit you!”
Then her hateful glare found me again. “It’s your fault! Why aren’t you dead? Why wasn’t it you?”
She lunged at me, screaming.
Alden shielded me with his body, his eyes icy cold. The bodyguards rushed in, pinning Miley to the ground.
“You bitch! Why do you get to live? You should die! Just die!”
She thrashed and screamed, as if she could kill me with her bare teeth.
I stood there in shock, staring at Dario’s body, unable to process what I was feeling.
Suddenly, I remembered all the messages Dario had sent me over the past days.
He’d begged for my forgiveness, promised he’d make it up to me with his life.
I’d always thought it was just empty words.
But now, he really had died saving me–and I couldn’t find any peace in that.
Alden gently covered my eyes.
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Chapter 8
“Edith, don’t look.”
He pulled me into his arms, his voice soft and comforting. “Let me handle this. Don’t be afraid.”
I nodded, letting him carry me to the car.
Back home, I collapsed into a deep, restless sleep, haunted by, nightmares.
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One moment, I was reliving Dario yelling at me for Miley’s sake; the next, Miley was behind the wheel of the truck, trying to kill me.
I woke up crying in Alden’s arms.
He looked at me with so much tenderness, holding me close. “It’s over, Edith. You’re safe now.”
At last, I broke down and sobbed.
Miley was charged with attempted murder.
On the day of the trial, I went to the courthouse.
Because of the public attention, the entire hearing was streamed live.
The moment Miley saw me, she exploded in fury, hurling insult after insult.
“You bitch! You killed Dario! Why aren’t you the one paying for his life?
“Rot in hell! I curse you to suffer for the rest of your miserable life!”
Her face was twisted with hatred as she spewed venomous words.
The Tavin family’s PR team had done their job well, releasing the full truth of what happened ahead of time.
The public knew the whole story, and all their sympathy was with me.
“What a vicious woman–she’s the real homewrecker!”
“If you ask me, she deserves the death penalty!”
When the judge entered, Miley clung to her last hope, shouting accusations.
“Your Honor, you’ve got the wrong person! She’s the real murderer!
“Arrest her! Give her the death penalty! Make her pay for Dario and my baby’s lives!”
But the court wasn’t swayed by her hysteria.
When the sentence of life in prison was handed down, Miley collapsed to the floor as if her soul had been ripped from
her body, mumbling, “No, it can’t be… I can’t go to prison, I can’t go to prison!”
Her face was etched with despair as she struggled against her fate.
After the verdict, I slipped out the back door.
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Chapter 8
Compared to the death penalty, life in prison was a better outcome.
She would spend every day in that cell, waiting for hope to die.
Alden was waiting for me outside:
He gently wrapped his arm around my waist. “Honey, I’m sorry. I should have protected you better.”
I shook my head.
There was no way any of this was Alden’s fault.
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He buried his face in my shoulder, his voice choked with emotion. “I keep thinking–if Dario hadn’t pushed you out of the way that day, I would have lost you forever.”
I hugged him around the waist and managed a small laugh. “It’s over now.”
Alden took me to the beach and covered my eyes.
He said he wanted to make up for the surprise he’d missed that day.
When I opened my eyes, all my closest friends were there, teasing and laughing. My parents and Sierra were smiling with pride and joy.
I looked at Alden in astonishment.
He dropped to one knee and took out a ring. “Edith, I never officially proposed to you.”
He slipped the ring onto my finger, holding my hand and gazing into my eyes with utter sincerity.
“Edith, marrying you for the sake of our families‘ alliance was unfair to you.”
My eyes filled with tears.
He looked at me with unwavering devotion. “Edith, please trust me with the rest of your life.”
I nodded. Our friends popped confetti cannons, ribbons swirling above our heads.
Alden pulled me into his arms and kissed me–passionately, deeply.
And in that moment, I knew the rest of my life would be filled with happiness.
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