In the car, Grace stared at Ethan, who was sitting quietly. The absurdity of it all became even more overwhelming.

To everyone else, he was the epitome of an unreachable figure. No one would ever imagine that he would ever force a woman to marry him.

Grace sat up slowly. As the car drove past a certain street, she immediately pressed the button to open the door. Yet the door remained shut. She nced over at Ethan.

He looked pale and detached. There was even a tinge of emotionless gloom behind his eyes.

Grace grew increasingly anxious as the city clerk''s office drew nearer. If she were just a recement, then surely, he could find someone who matched his fantasy better.

"Mr. Henderson-"

She made another attempt to talk him down, but he cut her off. "Save your breath."

The implication was clear-it didn''t matter what she wanted or how hard she resisted. By the end of the day, they''d be married.

Frustration knotted in Grace''s chest.

"I don''t love you. Forcing this marriage will only make us miserable. Besides, I already have someone in my heart. I know you''re not unreasonable, Mr. Henderson. If this is about Jodie, I''ll apologize, alright?"

If she had known how badly this would blow up, she would''ve rescued Jodie back then.

The moment the words left her mouth, he yanked her wrist hard, nearly dragging her into his arms. She looked up and met his gaze. His lips still bore two visible bite marks fromst night. With that strikingly beautiful facial features of his, the injury added a strange, almost decadent allure to his face.

Just as Grace was about to speak, he took out a delicate box and opened it. There was a matching pair of rings inside.

It wasn''t like the simple band she had once given Ed. This set had clearly been designed with care. The colors echoed fine porcin blues. It had no diamonds. It was just a smooth ring of gemstones that looked almost like a miniaturendscape painting.

The woman''s ring was elegant and graceful while the man''s was clean and minimal. Both were striking enough to catch the eye at a nce.

?

Ethan lowered his head, took her hand, and slipped the woman''s ring onto her finger. Grace tried to pull away but his grip was unyielding She couldn''t retreat, not even slightly.  s

It sent a shiver down her spine. She realized once Ethan got fixated on something, nothing could sway him.

And the moment the ring was worn, she felt it in her gut-she was bound to him now, in ways she might never escape.

Ethan didn''t even nce her way. He simply lowered his head and slipped on the second ring.

Grace scrambled to pull hers off. Just then, he said, "Didn''t you say you love your boyfriend? Then marry me, and he''ll live."

Her hands froze. She stared at him, stunned. His face was nothing short of breathtaking, and his lips were refined. But why did every word he blurted out feel like a de?

A wave of anger hit Grace like a storm. "Ethan, you..."

It felt like he had changed so drastically. What had happened in such a short

time? Had Jodie''s departure really hit him that hard?

Ethan''s gaze dropped to the ring on

his finger. Softly, he added, "Or

maybe your boyfriend''s life isn''t

enough

convince your Should we

throw your brother too? Imagine him dying right in front of you. You''re

not even their blood. How do you n to face Quentin and ask for forgiveness?"  s

The debt of gratitude was crushing. If that was the case, she wouldn''t even dare step into the afterlife to see Quentin.

Every word out of Ethan''s mouth made him feel like a stranger to her. It was like someone had taken over his body. This wasn''t the man she knew.fnf62f Updates are released by findnovel/fnf62f

The Ethan she remembered wasposed, distant even, but with a softness buried in his gaze.

She didn''t say a word anymore. She just sat quietly beside him as the color drained from her face. She remembered the rumors that

circted in Druville. Ethan, deol

his disabled legs, held such an exalted position because those who had tried to cross him all ended up meeting terrible ends. Hence, no one dared to look down on him, not even when he was sitting in a wheelchair.  s

If he really meant to go after Ed and Liam...

Grace''s mind was a mess, tangled with chaotic thoughts. Just then, the car rolled

to a stop outside the city clerk''s office.