Chapter 19
801words
Asher went stiff when he saw the big diamond ring on Gwyneth's finger. In a hoarse voice, he asked, "Will you invite me to your wedding?"
Gwyneth shook her head again, her tone icy. "No. I'm not seeing you again."
Kieran stepped up and took her hand. "Mr. Crowe, leave my fiancée alone. I'm not someone you want to mess with."
The message was clear—he'd make Asher pay if he kept harassing Gwyneth.
Asher lowered his gaze, feeling helpless as Kieran draped his arm around Gwyneth and led her away. He sat alone in the courthouse, mumbling, "It's gone. I've lost everything—money, property, business, and my wife."
…
The next day, Kieran went with Gwyneth to the Payne residence, having already picked up some gifts. He bought so many gifts that they didn't fit in his trunk, so he had to rent another car to get them all there.
Gwyneth rang the doorbell, and when Greta answered, she saw Kieran and Gwyneth holding hands. Greta paused, then a bright smile crossed her face.
"Wyn, Kie, you guys are back!" Greta said, tugging on Franklin's arm to get his attention.
Franklin glanced over, his smile so wide that it creased the corners of his eyes.
Kieran entered, bringing the gifts along, and got straight to the point. "Mr. and Mrs. Payne, I want to marry Wyn. I'm offering five million dollars as a wedding gift and putting all my cars and properties in Wyn's name. If that's not enough, I've got more to offer."
Greta and Franklin shared a look, grinning from ear to ear. "That's more than enough. As long as Wyn loves you, we won't get in the way."
Greta could tell a long time ago that Kieran was into Gwyneth, just by the way he always gazed at her so fondly. She just hadn't expected him to propose so soon. It seemed like he couldn't wait any longer.
"I want to tie the knot with Wyn today."
Greta nodded. "Sure. I know you're a decent guy. Just make sure you both are on the same page."
Once Franklin and Greta gave them the green light, Kieran and Gwyneth officially registered their marriage that afternoon.
Kieran held the marriage certificate and finally felt at peace. "Wyn, how about we set the wedding for a month from now? You've been wanting to see the snow, haven't you? After the wedding, we can head abroad for our honeymoon."
Gwyneth blinked, looking worried. "Do you think Asher might crash our wedding?"
He was definitely the kind of person who could pull that off.
Kieran narrowed his eyes. "I've got it covered. Leave the wedding to me."
Just like Gwyneth expected, her phone kept receiving messages from unknown numbers. Every unfamiliar number was sending the same text.
"Wyn, I want to be at your wedding."
She had no choice but to mute the message notifications.
Meanwhile, Liana was back in prison, facing seven years for abduction, while Hugh got two years.
Two weeks later, after Gwyneth had her wedding photos done, she used her connections to arrange a visit to the prison to see Liana. She thoughtfully brought some sweet treats—wedding favors meant for the guests.
When Liana saw Gwyneth, a cold, dangerous look flashed in her eyes.
Gwyneth flashed her diamond ring at her. "Liana, I'm living the life you wanted so badly."
Liana looked at her with burning hatred, her voice thick with malice. "So what? Your second marriage will be no different. Your husband will cheat again, and it'll all fall apart."
Then, she scoffed. "What guy in the world would ever be satisfied with only one woman?"
Kieran stood behind Gwyneth, his expression serious. "I'll make Wyn happy. Marrying her is the best thing that's ever happened to me.
"Liana, the men you've met are all the same—they only want to satisfy themselves. Once you get what a soulmate is, you'll see what you've been missing."
He paused, letting out a chuckle. "Then again, you might never get what a soulmate is."
Gwyneth looked at Kieran. He wasn't usually a talker but had spoken so much today just for her.
Liana's eyes were bloodshot, and she couldn't come up with anything to say. The wedding favors in Gwyneth's hand only made her feel worse.
Meanwhile, after going bankrupt, Asher rented a small apartment with his remaining 20 thousand dollars. He had hoped to make a comeback, but with his reputation trashed in Laverston, no one was willing to help.
When Asher heard that Gwyneth and Kieran were planning their wedding, he began digging to find out the venue, ready to make them pay.
