42
He sat alone on the balcony, the cigarette flickering between his fingers, casting weak light in the dim night.
A layer of ash had gathered on the ground, but the girl who used to smile, steal his cigarette, and offer him candy had never returned.
To this day, Ambrose still couldn’t accept the reality that Hazel had run from the wedding.
The torn wedding dress lay discarded at the door, as if the years of their relationship had been reduced to nothing but trash, just like the dress.
His mother’s call came again.
Irritated, he almost hung up. But for some reason, his hand shook violently betraying him.
12:24 PM c
Running Away from Marriage Loving TheptonBehnd
Unintentionally, he pressed the answer button.
“Where did Hazel go? Do you know? She’s completely ruined the Wright family’s reputation!”
“I’ve always said we shouldn’t marry a woman like that. Her own mother doesn’t want her. What could she possibly be worth? She’s been twisted at the core since she was a child, a monster!”
“She’s not!”
Ambrose snapped, unable to bear another word.
For the first time, as the eldest son, he defied an elder.
And not just that, he had brought disgrace upon the entire family.
“Wright Group heir cheats on his wife’s sister before the wedding,”
“Mrs. Wright boldly runs away from the wedding,” headlines like these flooded the trending topics.
The stock price of Wright Group plunged in a single day, years of work crumbling away.
Everyone urged him to find Hazel, to make her take all the blame.
But Ambrose couldn’t do it.
He had known Hazel since he was seven, and no one understood her quite like he did.
D
“Ambrose, what on earth are you thinking? Your father and I are frantic; paparazzi and reporters are everywhere.”
“Do you really want to sacrifice the whole family for a woman like that?”
“For people like us, affairs are nothing out of the ordinary. She knew what the Wright family’s wealth and power meant, so she should’ve been patient. How could she let her emotions destroy everything like this?”
These words had been drilled into him, over and over, a thousand times that day.
Rubbing his temples, Ambrose sighed, his voice weary “Mom, don’t worry. Just give me a little more time, I’ll
handle it.”
How to handle it? Ambrose didn’t have the slightest clue
This situation had spiraled out of control, and everyone in the family despised Hazel with all their might.
But no matter how they slandered her, he just couldn’t bring himself to listen.
He knew why Hazel had stayed with him, and he understood why she had walked away
She loved him.
Loved him more than he could comprehend, and yet hated him with a passion he couldn’t escape. Finishing th
the last of his cigarette, Ambrose slowly rose to his feet.
He moved toward the living room, his mind swirling, and reached for a glass of water.
But his foot caught on the
edge of the sofa, sending him stumbling into the cabinet,
A sharp pain shot through him.
Clutching his forehead with one hand, Ambrose fumbled to switch on the light.
The room, just like earlier, was in disarray.
Broken items lay scattered across the floor, and his ankle stung from several fresh cuts.
Frustration clawed at him as he searched for the medicine cabinet, his hands shaking with agitation.
He dug through the drawers for what felt like an eternity but couldn’t find it.
Before all of this, Hazel had always been the one to take care of everything
No matter how late the hour, she’d leave a soft light on just for him.
With a smile, she’d pull out his favorite food as if by magic.
The house was always spotless, perfectly arranged the way he liked.
12:24 PM c
Running away from Marriage, Leaving Deception Behind
And when he got hurt, because it always seemed to happen, she’d tenderly treat his wounds, her hands gentle and steady
In a daze, Ambrose’s mind echoed with Hazel’s soothing voice, “Just blow on it, and it won’t hurt!”
