Chapter 12
Alyssa had no idea any of this was happening. Right now, she stood in front of a long row of dresses, struggling to make a choice.
Philip had already arranged her engagement. However, from the moment she arrived in Angleria until now, she had yet to meet Adrian because she had spent the first stretch of time recovering from her poor health.
Although Adrian had sent gifts and people to check on her, this would be their first time meeting in person. Alyssa had seen his photos, but she knew nothing about his personality.
It was also why she was extra careful about their first date as she was afraid of making even the slightest mistake in etiquette. To play it safe, she chose an off–shoulder, sleeveless A–line dress that flowed down to her knees. The soft blush pink shade accentuated her gentle, elegant aura.
Alyssa also had her waist–length hair neatly pinned up, with nothing but a simple emerald hairpin as an accessory.
When the doors swung open, revealing the man standing by the windows of the grand estate, Alyssa immediately recognized him. If Enzo was like the icy depths of an abyss, then Adrian was the warmth of a spring morning.
At first, Alyssa did not believe Philip’s words–how could there possibly be men who truly adored their wives? Especially in a family as deeply entangled as the Forrests.
Before the date, she had done some research on them, and from what she found, one word came to mind–chaos. Every generation of Adrian’s direct bloodline had been known for their unwavering devotion to their wives. However, the extended family was a mess, riddled with illegitimate children.
On top of that, Adrian and his brothers all lived under the same roof, which meant years of exposure to that environment. Alyssa thought there was no way they could remain unaffected, but tonight, she realized how naive her assumptions had been.
As soon as she took her seat, Adrian introduced himself and handed her a neatly prepared folder. Everything she wanted to know was already laid out inside, complete with clear and detailed answers.
Moreover, he was not just talking. Throughout their conversation, he took care of her, pouring her tea and even handing her a napkin when she needed one.
By the end of the evening, Alyssa felt entirely at ease. As she studied the man before her, who was ten years her senior, an unexpected thought crossed her mind–maybe marrying someone like him would not be such a bad idea.
At the end of the date, Adrian even made sure to personally drive Alyssa home. She had been so engrossed in their conversation that she completely failed to notice the sleek, black Maybach parked across the street from Camden Manor, partially hidden behind the trees.
Behind its tinted windows, a pair of deep, brooding eyes stayed locked onto the Maserati Alyssa was riding in.
After three whole months, Enzo was seeing Alyssa again. The day he uncovered the full truth, it had taken him an entire week just to process it.
He could not believe the woman he had despised for so long had actually been framed. What was more unbelievable was that the woman he had loved with every fiber of his being -Nadine–was the real murderer.
At first, Enzo could not accept it. How could the girl he had adored since childhood, the one everyone had worshiped like an untouchable princess, turn out to be so ruthless?
That day, when Nadine woke up in the hospital after her miscarriage, she clung to him, sobbing hysterically. The evidence against her was undeniable, and she did not even try to defend herself. All she could do was cry and repeat over and over again that she had done it all out of love for him.
Every girl she had hurt–all of Enzo’s past admirers–had been victims of that same twisted love. She refused to let anyone else even think about taking him away from her. If she had to, she would personally make them disappear.
“Cruel” was the only word Enzo could think of after hearing her confession. For a brief moment, he even questioned whether the woman in front of him was truly Nadine Quill- the girl he had once known, the girl who had seemed so pure and kind.
