11
Harrison exhaled in reltet.
As he said, Scarlett loved him too much to miss their wedding. She was just playing hard to get.
At this thought, annoyance flared within him. Jus as he was about to scold her for being childish, he looked up and froze.
“Hazel? Why are you…”
He was even more stunned when he saw what she was wearing
“Why are you dressed like that?”
The “bride” standing before him wasn’t Scarlet. It was Hazel. She was wearing the wedding dress she had designed.
At his question, her cheeks flushed red. She lowered her head and spoke in a small, timid voice, “Uncle Harry, I heard that Scarlett never showed up. The wedding guests are all waiting. If there’s no bride, the entire city will mock the Steele family.
“So I put on the dress. I thought if Scarlett isn’t coming, then let me take her place. Let me marry you, Uncle Harry!”
Hazel lifted her gaze, her eyes shining with determination, as if she’d summoned all the courage in the world.
Harrison stood motionless.
Ella, however, wasted no time..With a resounding slap, she struck Hazel across the face.
“You little bitch! You think you can marry Harry? Dream on!”
Harrison snapped out of his daze and immediately pulled Hazel behind him. He shot Ella a furious glare. “Mom! What the hell are you doing?”
Ella scoffed coldly. “Oh, cut the act, Harrison. You claim Hazel is just a young lady you adopted, but anyone with eyes can see there’s something going on between you two. Tell me the truth. Is she the reason Scarlett wanted to break off the engagement?”
Harrison’s eyes widened.
Before he could respond, Hazel burst into tears. “Mrs. Steele, blame me if you want! It’s all my fault! I’m the one who fell in love with Uncle Harry! I couldn’t control myself! I was the one who begged him to sleep with me! It’s all on me. It has nothing to do with Uncle Harry!”
Ella staggered back, nearly fainting.
“You slept with him? I swear, I’ll beat the shit out of both of you!”
She lunged forward, ready to striker Hazel and Hariton, but Matthew anddenly growtent, Enough!”
Only then did Ella stop her in her tracks.
Matthew looked at Hazel, silent for a long mordent before saying. “At this point, there’s no other choice Bazel will many Harry”
Hazel’s eyes lit up instantly.
Meanwhile, Ella shrieked. “Honey! What are you talking about?”
“Do you have a better idea?” Matthew’s face darkened. “Every important family in Dornwich is here today! If there’s no bride, we’ll be the laughingstock of high society!
“If we replace the bride, people might gossip for a while. But if we have no bride at all, We’ll never live this down! If you don’t let Hazel marry Harry, where are you going to find another bride?”
His gaze landed on Harrison. “What do you think Harry?”
Hazel looked at Harrison with anticipation, but to her surprise, he froze.
“But…” Harrison hesitated. “I adopted Hazel.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Matthew said impatiently
“You two aren’t related by blood. And there were no legal adoption papers. You just looked after her for a few years. People might talk, but that’s still better than being humiliated in front of the entire city.”
Harrison stood frozen.
Outside, the wedding ceremony had already begun. The officiant’s voice rang out, followed by a wave of applause from the guests.
Hazel clutched Harrison’s arm anxiously. “Uncle Harry, what are you waiting for? Just say yes already!”
She could barely contain her excitement.
Harrison had taken her in when she was ten years old. At first, she had admired him like a guardian. But once she hit her teenage years, she fell for him. Not just for his looks, but for the Steele family’s wealth.
She could feel Harrison’s feelings for her, but his status and engagement to Scarlett had forced him to suppress them.
Today, those shackles were finally gone. This was her best chance to marry him openly and rightfully.
Chapter 11
How could she let this chance slip away?
With anticipation, she gazed at Harrison, waiting But to her shock, Harrison suddenly lifted his he
How could she let this chance slip away?
With anticipation, she gazed at Harrison, waiting for his answer.
But to her shock, Harrison suddenly lifted his heal. “Dad, I can’t marry Hazel.”
