Aww Seven Exes Begged Cute Blocked novel Chapter 83

**A Promise Written on the Rusted Edge of Time by Dael Rowan Sire**

Ethan’s mind jolted back to the present, reality crashing down around him like a wave. He struggled to articulate his thoughts, his desperation spilling over.

“Sophia, please, I just need a moment to figure out why she left so abruptly. Just give me a minute—”

But Sophia was beyond reason.

In a swift, furious motion, she struck him across the face, the sound echoing in the stunned silence of the room. Her eyes, glistening with tears of rage, bore into him like daggers.

“You claimed to love me for eight long years! And now, here you are, abandoning me at our wedding! You had the audacity to call Avery ‘just a buddy’ while you were betraying me with her behind my back! Do you even know how to be honest?”

A heavy hush fell over the gathering.

Ethan’s parents stood frozen, their expressions a mix of disbelief and horror.

Nearby, Sophia’s father, his face flushed with fury, stepped forward and struck Ethan hard, the force of it sending him reeling. Without a word, he stormed out, dragging Sophia with him.

This time, no one attempted to intervene.

Ethan found himself sitting on the cold floor, his cheek throbbing, blood trickling from his split lip. Yet, he felt strangely detached from the pain, his gaze fixed vacantly on the door through which the Grants had just exited.

He didn’t utter a single plea to make them stay.

Was he rendered speechless, or did he simply choose silence?

Even he couldn’t decipher that uncertainty.

The wedding, which had promised to be a celebration, had crumbled before it even began.

Later that evening, the Grant family returned all the gifts meant for their engagement, their decision to sever ties announced with a finality that echoed through the air.

The Miller household, still adorned with the remnants of wedding decorations, looked festive but felt eerily lifeless, as if it were a mausoleum.

Ethan sat alone on the couch, his heart heavy as he gazed out at the dark, desolate Collins house across the street.

Memories of Avery flooded his mind, vivid and bittersweet. He could almost see five-year-old versions of themselves, hand in hand on the swing set, laughing without a care in the world. He remembered her, at ten, sketching his portrait with such concentration, her brow furrowed in delight. And then, as they grew older, the stolen kisses and warm embraces that had transformed their friendship into something deeper.

They had been best friends for eighteen years before their relationship shifted overnight into secret lovers.

Lovers. The word felt so inadequate, so trivial.

But how else could he define the last five years?

She wasn’t merely his girlfriend; what they shared transcended the bounds of friendship.

The casual exchanges of “I like you” and “I love you,” whispered under the covers, had carved themselves into his heart like a permanent inscription.

After spinning so many lies, he had begun to believe them himself, unaware of the truth until now.

It was only in the wake of her departure that Ethan finally grasped the reality of his own emotions.

“Sophia mentioned you and Avery…”

After hiding the truth for so long, Ethan found himself at a loss for words, unsure how to confront his parents with the reality of his feelings.

Finally, after a heavy silence, he nodded slightly, a silent admission.

His parents’ expressions shifted, as if the very air had been sucked from the room. They inhaled deeply, their gazes filled with a swirl of emotions—confusion, disappointment, concern.

“When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell us sooner? If you two were together, why on earth were you marrying Sophia? Did Avery leave because of you?”

“How could you act so foolishly? We’ve known the Collins family for years! If you truly loved each other, do you think we wouldn’t have supported you? How could you do this to Avery? To her family?”

Ethan’s thoughts became a chaotic whirlwind. He had no clear answers to their questions, no way to justify his actions.

The room fell silent once more, the weight of his parents’ disappointment hanging heavily in the air.

After what felt like an eternity, clarity broke through the fog in his mind.

“This is all my fault. I’ll fly to Spain tomorrow and apologize to Avery.”

His parents let out deep, frustrated sighs, their voices laced with a mix of anger and concern.

“You hurt her so deeply that she left the country! Her parents probably have no idea what transpired between you two. What’s the point of going alone? We’re coming with you. We owe it to them to apologize properly!”