Chapter 23
A: Fobert’s voice rang out, a familiar memory surged into Chloe’s mind, draining the color from her face. She stiffly avoided his gaze, still pretending ignorance. However, he merely smiled in an unfazed manner.
It didn’t matter if she refused to admit it. In any case, he already knew the truth. All that mattered now was ensuring she faced the consequences.
Turning away, his expression remained cold and detached.
He addressed the crowd, “Chloe Garcia has a history of bullying and was rightfully targeted for retribution by her victims‘ families. The Shaw family will not accept a woman who takes pleasure in tormenting others. As of today, our engagement is null and void.”
Robert strode off after saying this with unwavering steps, never once looking back. Meanwhile, the guests exchanged uncertain glances as murmurs spread through the hall.
At this point, Chloe’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. She wanted to get up and chase after him. But her disheveled state held her in place, freezing her in humiliation.
Soon, the last of the guests trickled out. Andrew stormed over with a furious scowl on his face, throwing a set of clothes at her before landing a sharp slap across her cheek.
“You actually let a golden opportunity like this slip away? After all the effort the Garcia family put into raising you, how did you turn out to be such a fool?
“So many powerful figures and reporters witnessed this disaster today. How is the Garcia family supposed to maintain its standing in Bakersville after this?
“I’ll be holding a press conference tomorrow. From now on, our family will act as if you never existed!”
With that, he turned on his heel and left in a rage, abandoning her in the now–empty hall. Just moments ago, she had basked in admiration and flattery. Now, she was utterly forsaken while her ruined makeup made her appear even more wretched.
But Chloe refused to accept this. Why should she be the only one to fall into disgrace?
If they wanted to destroy her completely, then they shouldn’t blame her for dragging someone else down with her!
Clutching her clothes tightly, she carefully rose and hurried to the dressing room, changing into fresh attire. Malice gleamed in her eyes as she retrieved her forgotten phone, quickly opening her gallery to search for what she needed.
But very quickly, she realized something felt off. That video was gone.
Chloe flipped through her gallery from beginning to end in disbelief, but the photos and videos she had taken to humiliate Enola were nowhere to be found. Every single one had mysteriously vanished without a trace.
Unwilling to accept it, she searched again, over and over. Yet no matter how many times she scrolled, those images and videos never reappeared.
Once she confirmed that even the backups had been deleted, frustration boiled over. She threw her phone across the room with a furious crash before storming out of the hotel, only to be met with a flood of news reports about what had just happened to her.
“How did things get so bad at the wedding, and why didn’t anyone step in to stop it?”
“Because she was a bully who never changed. Even now, she’s still tormenting others, so she got what was coming to her. Even Mr. Shaw, who was supposedly deeply in love with her, broke off the engagement on the spot!”
“Wow, I always thought she looked so gentle and sweet standing next to Mr. Shaw! Who would have imagined she was this kind of person? Guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover.”
The murmurs and sighs of pity echoed around her, and Chloe suddenly froze mid–step. Hatred surged through her veins.
Enola.
This was all Enola’s fault!
Everything that had happened–all the humiliation and disgrace–had started because of her.
If it weren’t for her, this catastrophe wouldn’t have unfolded. If it weren’t for her, Chloe wouldn’t have been utterly ruined at her own wedding.
Why wouldn’t she just die? Just why?
Lost in the venomous spiral of her thoughts, Chloe’s eyes darkened as her expression twisted with rage. She failed to notice the way the surrounding crowd had begun to recognize her. One by one, people recoiled in disgust, stepping away from her like she carried a plague.
Nonetheless, a tightly packed circle had formed around her within moments. They were still maintaining a clear distance, as if she were something foul that no one dared touch. But by the time she snapped out of her daze and realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
Shouts of condemnation filled the air, stones were hurled, and fists and kicks landed on her without mercy in the chaos. Chloe stumbled as she tried to escape, tripping over herself in a desperate bid to flee. The further she ran, the deeper her resentment grew.
She didn’t know how much time had passed before the mob finally dispersed, leaving her curled up in a dark corner as she trembled.
Blood trickled down from a gash on her forehead, the deep wound making her look all the more horrifying. The streaks of crimson against her pale face only accentuated her
pitiful state.
Occasionally, a passerby would glance her way, their expression momentarily softening with sympathy, only for their features to twist in disdain once they recognized het. They simply backed away while muttering curses under their breath.
The streets remained bustling. At that moment, Chloe truly understood the meaning of being utterly abandoned.
