Hudson met her gaze with unwavering confidence. “She loves me too much,” he assured her. “Even if she discovers the truth, I can easily talk her down. She’s too soft-hearted to walk away from me.”
Harper laughed softly, but unease lingered in her eyes. “But your parents don’t approve of me, especially since I’ve been married before.”
“Don’t worry about them,” Hudson reassured her, his voice steady. “The wedding will go on as planned, and I’ll declare in front of everyone that you’re my wife. Once it’s done, my parents will have no choice but to accept it. And Aubrey… she’ll simply fade away.”
Every word felt like a dagger to my heart, each one driving deeper into my chest. Hudson had orchestrated this betrayal with chilling precision. I stumbled back, tears blurring my vision. As I turned to flee, I collided with a waiter carrying a tray of boiling water. The scalding liquid splashed across my arm, but I didn’t cry out. Apologies rang in my ears as I dashed away, my arm burning, yet my heart felt numbed.