From “Clingy” to Gone My Independence Was His Biggest Regret novel Chapter 63

Chapter 11

The news that the future heir of Cross Industries was marrying into the Winter’s family sent shockwaves through high society.

Everyone knew the Winters had been going downhill for years, and their precious daughter had just been publicly humiliated at her own werking before getting kicked to the curb.

Nobody could understand why the brilliant, wealthy Ethan Cross would choose such a scandalous woman as his marriage partner.

Even Jake was confused.

He couldn’t figure out what the hell Ethan was up to.

Before Jake could process what was happening, the Wedding March started playing.

He looked up to see the ballroom doors opening.

A woman in a white wedding dress walked slowly toward the altar.

When he saw her face clearly, Jake’s world exploded.

t was Sage.

He shot to his feet and started pushing toward the stage, but security guards blocked his path.

He fought against them, screaming one word at the top of his lungs: “NO!”

Suddenly every eye in the room was on him.

shocked stares, curious whispers, judgmental glances.

glanced in his direction calmly, my expression completely neutral.

ust one look, then I turned away.

To the sound of cheerful music, I smiled and said those two magic words: “I do.”

That single phrase destroyed Jake completely.

Three years later.

Ms. Cross, your father is here to see you. He’s causing quite a scene.”

looked up from my stack of documents, my pen hovering mid–signature.

Before I could respond, my office door burst open.

My assistant moved to stop him, but I held up a hand.

‘It’s fine. You can go.”

‘Yes, ma’am.”

I personally poured him a glass of water. The next second, he threw it all over my face.

As if that wasn’t enough, he followed it up with a vicious slap across my cheek.

I tasted blood in my mouth immediately.

niwaget Dourat

Chapter 11

“You fucking bitch!

He pointed his finger right in my face: Who pave you the balls to collect evidence against me?!

“All those dirty deals you’ve been making in the military should’ve been exposed years ago. The truth aforays eines out eventually–seen maler who ross

I pulled out some issues and calmly wiped the water from my face. “Besides, Colonel Winters, I don’t think you understand your setion. You may be suspended pending investigation. If I wanted to, I could turn over all this evidence to Internal Affairs tomorrow and make sure you never recr

My father was shaking with rage, pointing an accusatory finger at me: “Ungrateful little snake! Turning my own subordinates against me, cotleeng dut on me behind my back. When you came crawling back to the family, you were planning this all along, weren’t you?!”

Absolutely.”

I didn’t even try to deny it.

three years ago, after Ethan and I got married, the Winters family immediately wanted to claim me back to ride our coattails.

I agreed.

To prove what a loving father he was, Dad got me a new job in the military logistics department.

A cushy position with no real power.

But it didn’t stop me from investigating.

Over the years, Dad had been taking bribes and placing his cronies in key positions. The entire base was fed up with him–he would’ve been caught already if

is old war buddies weren’t covering for him.

On the surface, he treated me kindly, throwing me small favors to keep me happy.

But in reality, I was secretly contacting the honest officers he’d been suppressing, gathering evidence, waiting for the right moment.

From the beginning, I wanted more than just his retirement!

Dad lunged toward me, but suddenly his body went rigid and he collapsed backward.

We rushed him to the hospital.

hey saved his life, but the emotional shock had triggered a massive stroke.

He was completely paralyzed.

Victoria and my stepmother were sobbing like their world had ended.

This is all your fault, you evil bitch! You should be dead instead!”

Victoria suddenly jumped up and charged at me.

was ready for her and stepped aside, but when she started tumbling down the hospital stairs, I instinctively grabbed her arm.

he momentum pulled me with her, and we both went crashing down.

slood immediately started pooling on the floor.

Victoria’s blood.

She’d been pregnant. Again.

And now she’d lost it. Again.

Also three years ago, Victoria had been set up with some married officer and got caught by reporters in a compromising position.

Chapter 11

To save face, Dad had quickly married her off to some low ranking soldier in a reisste posting.

After the wedding, Virtola couldn’t stand her unambitious husband and was constantly cheating on him.

when her husband found out, he beat the hell out of her. She’d gotten pregnant by her affair partners multiple times, and he’d beaten those babies out of her

too.

This time, she’d been secretly carrying another man’s child, hoping to use it as leverage for a divorce.

It was her last chance to use a pregnancy to change her life.

But now that was gone too.

Victoria climbed onto the hospital roof and jumped off, crying. Good Samaritans rushed her back to the ER where doctors fought for three days to save her life.

She survived, but both her legs were amputated.

A few days later, her husband was anonymously reported for abuse of power and selling military supplies. He was arrested immediately.

One disaster after another left my stepmother nearly blind from crying.

“Did you do this?”

I asked Ethan as we lay in bed.

Ethan stopped moving, sweat from his forehead dripping onto my chest.

“You said you wanted to destroy him with your own hands.”

In the dim light, his handsome features looked almost ethereal, and I could see my own reflection in his dark eyes.

“I would never take away something you wanted to do yourself.”

Afterward, Ethan carefully cleaned me up before heading to the bathroom.

His phone started buzzing on the nightstand.

I knocked on the bathroom door. “You have a call.”

“Can you take it for me?”

I answered, and before I could say anything, the caller launched into their update:

‘Mr. Cross, that girl you’ve been sponsoring just got into a great university. She wants to meet you in person to thank you. She says even though her mother’s kidney donation didn’t end up being used that year, you still paid for her education. Would you like to meet with her?”

Memories came flooding back like a tsunami.

Something exploded in my mind.

I stood there frozen, forgetting to respond.

When I snapped back to reality, the caller was already moving on with excitement: “Oh, and congratulations, Mr. Cross! Your wife’s medical results came In–she’s pregnant!”

I laughed softly. “I’ll let him know.”

The caller paused, then started offering congratulations somewhat awkwardly.

After I hung up, the phone’s screen automatically switched to the home page.

That’s when i noticed Ethan’s wallpaper was a photo of me in military fatigues on the training grounds.

The picture looked familiar.

16. Hix Dignant Deavet

gent from the bathroom will we try

concern exched as his what wong

I looked up at him through my tears, finally understanding everything.

All this time, the person I was meant to love had been right beside me.

♡

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