Chapter 24
Before long, the two of them stepped onto the wedding stage once more.
This time, everything went off without a hitch.
When the officiant asked Hurst the age–old question–would he take the woman before him as his wife, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, never to forsake her–Hurst didn’t hesitate. His answer was a resounding yes
The applause thundered through the hall. Then the officiant turned to Nettie and asked her the same question
But Nettie didn’t look at the officiant Instead, she turned to Hurst and flashed him a dazzling, sweet smile.l
It was a sincere smile, but for some reason, it sent a jolt of dread straight to Hurst’s heart. He suddenly felt something was terribly wrong, as if whatever Nettle was about to say would be more than he could bear
For a fleeting moment, he wished she wouldn’t speak at all. He didn’t want to hear her answer.
But as soon as Hurst was finished, Nettie gave her reply.!!
“I don’t.”
She spoke each word slowly, clearly, so there could be no misunderstanding.
Everyone–Calvin, the guests in the pews–heard her loud and clear”
For a split second, the room was silent. Then chaos erupted.
ttie, what did you say?“!
Hurst’s whole body w
went rigid. He stared at Nettle, his face drained of color, barely able to whisper, “Nettie,
“Hurst, I don’t want to marry you. Not before, not now, not ever. I will never marry you, because I hate you!”
Nettie tore her hand from his and took a step back.
That s
single step felt like a knife twisting into Hurst’s heart, leaving him so shaken he could barely stand.
The next moment, the heavy doors burst open and a swarm of reporters, cameras flashing, stormed into the room.
They shoved microphones into Hurst’s face, bombarding him with questions–each one sharper than the last.
Why, they demanded, had Hurst–Nettie’s own fiance–gone out of his way to care for another woman, Charis? Had he fallen out of love with Nettle? If Charis’s true nature had never been revealed, would Nettic even be the bride standing on this stage today?
One vicious question after another left Calvin speechless and pale.
For a moment, he saw Nettle as she had once been–trapped and hounded by relentless reporters. Now, at last, he understood her pain.
But Nettie wasn’t finished. She signaled to the wedding planner at the side.
Suddenly, the screen behind Hurst flickered to life, casting damning evidence in front of the entire gathering–messages from a private group chat Hurst and Calvin had created just for Charis, filled with flirtatious conversations and incriminating photos.
All those moments that once made Hurst beam with happiness now made him shrink in shame.
The guests erupted with outrage and disbelief, whispers turning into angry shouts. Someone quickly uploaded the photos and messages online
Within minutes, Hurst had become
target of a
firestorm.
He had always claimed that Nettle was the only woman he would ever love, that no one else would do–yet here was the truth for everyone to see.X
Disgust swept the room. Who would have guessed that Hurst, the man who seemed so honorable, could be so vile beneath the surface? He’d been telling Nettie he loved her while sharing secret affections with Charis–and they were sisters, no less.
Now, the consequences of his actions had finally come crashing down on him.
Seeing Hurst besieged on all sides, Nettie felt a surge of satisfaction–but it still wasn’t enough.
That night, as the crowd continued to hound Hurst, a squad of police officers forced their way inside.
“Hurst, you’re under investigation for conspiracy to commit murder. You need to come with us.”
Only at that moment did Hurst realize that everything–the chaos, the exposure, the downfall–was Nettie’s doing.
Charis had already been thrown into the seedy underbelly of the city. Calvin was behind bars. Only Nettle know him well enough to orchestrate all this.
Head bowed, Hurst finally looked at Nettie. His eyes were full of pain, regret, and confusion.
But in the end, he said nothing. He knew there was nothing left to soy X
Not now
Not after the moment he and Calvin had decided to hurt Nettle for Charis’s sake. There was no going back. Every excuse would ring
hollow.
This was the eleventh year since Calvin and Hurst had first betrayed Nettie.”
It was also the anniversary of her death.
And this time, Nettie had finally fought back–sending everyone who had ever hurt her to prison, forcing them to face the consequences they deserved.
She was free at last.
As the system congratulated her and quietly departed to help its next victim, Nettie tore off her wedding veil and strode confidently out of the hall.
For the first time, she looked forward to her own new life.
From this day onward, every day would be bright and full of hope.
