From Ashes to Vows

rson Jeremy Elliott held

s sleeve. "Pl

f with force. "Stop it

g figure, my eyes sting

was done. "Jeremy, this tim

, the sky hung heavy with cl

ed my sleeve.

month had passed since he fled our wedding

e the silence. "I'

ne's gaze, I raised my hand and s

he side, his expression d

n icy stare, my vo

el. He walked straight to my grandpa's grave and laid down the flowe

o you still remember the p

were old allies, and Jeremy and

re, a fact everyone

ollege, joined his company as his secretary, an

, Eliza, was never a sec

go, Gordon fel

hey struck a deal. If we married, the val

e with immense development p

t me well and give

don's bedside. "Grandpa, I won't marry.

my head. "Once I'm gone, only he can protect

crash when I was five, and

the vast inheritance he left wou

hose to shield me, and in retur

of those benefits and our years of f

as w

n a black suit, his sharp features and r

ved him, the fierce

et out. I never wan

ering his voice. "Once Eliza's better, I'

each word. "Tell Eliza I don't want a

anger, and he yanked m

e into a warm embrace. "Mr. Ellio

. I leaned into him

ned further. "What

g eyes with Jeremy in defiance.

d kissed me lightly.

him to make me jealous? That won't work.

beckoning me confi

sure of

stayed in Jonny's arms, unmoving.

lf an hour before the

, his face growing colder, his

e phone. "I'm co

m. "The wedding's

"Cancel it. We'll d

r circle are here today. Canceling now will make me the laughingstock of all Jaxperton. Is

a tried to kill herself. She's in critical

g. "What does her dyin

rabbed his sleeve, pleading

. "There's no time.

breathe, my nails digging into my palm

t, then strode away t

heart numb and empty. This was the man I

y. "Should we inform the gue

Grandpa couldn't take the blow. After a mom

ed, I was touching up my mak

guish charm. "Calling me now? Don't tell me y

oke of eyeliner and ra

d on his

y prepared onto the table. "Finish this weddin

e's J

ea

ghted laugh. "Now th

e equals-one a refined, aloof prince,

lifelong rivals, infamous in

ons, which was wh

eemed on the surface. We'd even watched th

ver heels for Jeremy, but hon

es until the wedding. If you don'

. "I'm in. But no fake marriage. Aft

in

ut the wedding went smoothly. When we exchang

"This was supposed to be your wedding wi

ountered, "Do you know wh

, attempted suicide. He's on a plane to Nevoria as we speak. From toda

turned ashen. Jeremy's mo

ircle, and the Elliotts spent a fortun

betrayal lying down. If he showe

rcles weren't so easy to break into, and

a a scheming opportunist, vowing she'd never be acc

the funeral, Jeremy didn't

s waiting for me to cave

I wasn't tu

I'd been Jeremy's chief secretary for four years, handling every

ry of Jonny's ruthless reputat

od direction when a "jilted he

y, with him and Eliza as the true love story, while I

ve attention, and the

e, along with a photo of me at eighteen in my school uniform. "

ed a storm, pu

to of us together. "I was blind b

ed instantly. My ph

y. I rejecte

ked me up to celebrate

e and blinked. "Don't tell me you've b

guard. "Well, you're my

ing in a corner, his face dark, his

ho shrugged innocently. "I didn't i

we walked over. Jeremy stood, staring me

hat, you're eager to pl

air

ened as I reminded him, "I'm married. Mr. Elliott, k

over, grabbed my arm, and pulled me toward

back, refusi

re. "Come with me. It's just a

hat day-if you leave, don't come back. Jeremy, there

spat coldly, "Claire, you

ubbed my reddened wrist, m

ad quickly. I never expected Eliza

ee shop outside our old hig

pale girl with bright eyes from high school,

the table, and her clo

e smile. "You're as

"You, on the other

radiant girl had a fierce determinatio

without a backward glance, h

vating, and it made her Je

med energy, a vibrant life force unli

ed her

feelings sparked in secret during their

it was like dry ti

've always envied you. Beautiful, rich,

, "So you t

k, indignant. "You grew up together

ou went after him, I

led. "I know you still love him, bu

ome and treats me well. I'm not hung up on a piece of trash. I'm not g

Eliza, desperate, clutched my h

at got to

e as ever. Your coldness only makes him

in everyone because she was full of them he

g pitifully. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have coveted your man or tried to take Jeremy

my, who'd been watching from the doorway for who knows