A chilling realization swept from the soles of Brenna's feet, freezing the blood in her veins.
When Kadin first took over the Mccormick enterprise, the company's capital chain was shattered, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. It was he who had looked her in the eyes, claiming the company was too volatile to offer her a stable future, promising that the moment the business was back on track, he would marry her.
For years, she had etched that promise into her heart. To win his family's acceptance, to stand by his side, she had used her own hidden resources to strategize for him. She had fought tooth and nail in the ruthless business world, elevating him from an absolute nobody to a man revered by all.
Yet, three years of unwavering devotion were, in his eyes, nothing more than a calculated transaction.
In this supposed romance, she was the only one who had ever truly given her heart. Her three years of sacrifice were nothing but a laughable warm-up act for the triumphant return of his "first love."
Brenna bit down hard on her lower lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. Despite her iron will, a few rogue tears slipped free, betraying the agonizing heartbreak screaming in her chest and causing her slight frame to tremble.
Seeing her momentarily vulnerable state, Kadin's another sister, Evelyn, stepped forward with a gloating smirk. "Brenna, if it weren't for your relentless, shameless clinging, why on earth would my brother agree to marry an uneducated country girl with zero background? If you have any self-awareness left, you'll take the initiative and roll out of the Mccormick family's sight!"
Hearing Evelyn's brazen audacity, Brenna's sorrow instantly hardened into glacial resolve. She straightened her spine, her voice cutting like glass: "Are you suffering from amnesia? Without me, the Mccormick empire wouldn't even exist today!"
"Stop speaking your nonsense!" Evelyn pointed a furious finger at Brenna's face, stomping her foot in rage. "Do you really think you're some irreplaceable mastermind? Without you, the Mccormick family would be thriving just the same!"
A sharp pang twisted in Brenna's chest. So this is how the Mccormicks have viewed me all along.
"Enough! Let's put an end to today's farce." Patricia Mccormick, Kadin's mother, walked over with a look of utter impatience. Her perfectly manicured gaze swept over Brenna with raw disgust, as if looking at a piece of repulsive trash. "Look at the state of you. It's one thing for you to humiliate yourself, but the Mccormick family cannot afford to lose face with you!"
With that final dismissal, Patricia's face flawlessly transitioned into a practiced, elegant smile as she turned away to manage the lingering wedding guests.
Brenna stood her ground, watching the guests whispering and dispersing in twos and threes. Her long-awaited wedding had devolved into an absolute joke. Why had her pure sincerity been answered with such utter betrayal? Was it simply her fault for loving a man who never loved her back?
She slowly closed her eyes, letting the last tear of grief fall. When she opened them again, the vulnerability was gone, replaced by an unbreakable composure.
Half an hour later, Brenna walked aimlessly down a desolate street, her pristine dress contrasting with the grim surroundings.
Unbeknownst to her, the sky had darkened, and a light drizzle quickly escalated into a torrential downpour. She scanned the area. With nowhere else to take shelter, she locked her eyes on a bus stop in the distance and broke into a run, her bare feet hitting the freezing pavement.
Slice.
A jagged piece of gravel tore deep into the sole of her foot.
Brenna winced, her brows knitting together in sharp pain. But she didn't stop. Gritting her teeth, she limped forward, her posture unbroken, pushing through the storm toward the bus stop.
Screech—
A deafening blare of a horn suddenly violently shattered the quiet of the rain-swept street.
Brenna whipped her head around. Blinding headlights pierced the downpour as a speeding vehicle careened directly toward her. Her eyes widened, her pupils contracting violently in the blinding light.
