He Gave Her Strawberries, Gave Me Hives (Ford and Sylvia) novel Chapter 200

Chapter 1

A month ago, trusting her boyfriend’s promise, Seraphina Vance had taken nude photos for him, a gift he swore he would treasure forever.

A month later, when Seraphina was just one step away from winning the championship of a prestigious jewelry design competition, her boyfriend used those

ery photos to threaten her into forfeiting the title to a scholarship student he sponsored, Melody.

At her desk, Seraphina stared blankly at Liam Blackwood.

He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, his face as devastatingly handsome as she’d always known it, but the look in his eyes was like a blade quenched in ice, tabbing straight into Seraphina’s heart.

Give the championship of this jewelry design competition to Melody.” His voice was low and flat, leaving no room for negotiation.

Seraphina’s eyes flooded with disbelief. “Why? You know damn well how much I’ve poured into this–for an entire year, I’ve been sketching, revising, and unning to materials markets day and night…”

iam cut her off, his tone chillingly indifferent. “Because Melody wants it.”

She wants it…” Seraphina let out a bitter, hollow laugh. “And just because she wants it, I have to give it to her?”

Seraphina.” Liam’s gaze turned vicious. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, in a volume only they could hear, “You wouldn’t want your nude photos plastered all over town tomorrow, would you?”

300M!

Seraphina’s mind went completely blank, her blood turning to ice in her veins.

she stared at Liam in utter shock, her heart seized by an invisible hand, the pain so sharp it was almost impossible to breathe.

He was actually… actually using that to threaten her?!

‘But you promised…”

she choked on her words, but the sight of the cold void in Liam’s eyes made the rest of the sentence die in her throat.

She knew. He was dead set on giving the championship to Melody Croft.

A wave of overwhelming humiliation and heartache washed over her, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

She bit her lower lip so hard she could taste blood, forcing herself not to sob. After a long, agonizing moment, with a heavy, nasal tone, she managed to force out the words, “Fine. I’ll give it to her.”

Only then did Liam crack a smile. “Good girl. You must be exhausted from all that crying. Go home and have some warm milk with honey. Melody needs this

nore than you do.”

Seraphina turned her head away, unable to bear another look at him.

It wasn’t until the sound of his footsteps faded into the distance that she slumped weakly against the cold wall, a fresh torrent of tears gushing out

Memories of them came flooding back, a relentless tide in her mind.

They were childhood sweethearts who had grown up together, their families living across the hall from each other. They’d been running wild together since kindergarten.

Liam had always been possessive of her, almost to the point of obsession.

He Gave Her Strawberries Gave Me Hives I Gave Them Both A One–Way Ticket To BANKRUPTCY

Chapter 1

When they were little, if another boy tried to hold her hand for a game, Liam would pull her behind him with a stone cold expression, glaring at the classmate and declaring, “Sera is mine. You’re not allowed to touch her.”

3

He would change his usernames in games and on social media to match hers in a couple’s theme, every year for her birthday, he would start planning the perfect gift months in advance.

When she turned fifteen, he solemnly placed the Blackwood family’s heirloom locket, said to be passed down to the future daughter–in–law, around her neck.

His tone was as serious as an oath, “Sera, this is mine, and from now on, it’s yours too.”

He took care of everything for her, big and small. When she couldn’t solve a math problem, he’d stay up all night explaining it. If a teacher criticized her, he’d be the first to find out why and defend her. He would even have honey–ginger tea and a heating pad ready for her in advance when he knew she had period

Cramps.

In her world, Liam was her knight, her rock, the one she had silently assumed she belonged with for her entire life. Even though he had never officially asked her to be his girlfriend, she had always just known that Liam was hers.

A month ago, he had suddenly suggested taking a set of nude photos of her, claiming he wanted to treasure them forever.

She had been hesitant at first, but the moment he got angry, his face darkening as he fell into a heavy silence, she panicked.

She was too used to relying on him, too confident in his affection for her, believing he would never, ever do anything to hurt her.

So, between his wheedling, pleading, and feigned hurt, she had given in.

But Melody, that scholarship student she had once so kindly sponsored, had been like a venomous snake, silently slithering its way to Liam’s side when she wasn’t looking,

She’d heard people say that Melody was always crying to Liam, claiming that Seraphina used her family’s wealth and Liam’s affection to bully her.

How utterly ridiculous!

she had sponsored Melody’s education, bought her new clothes, and helped her with her homework, only to be stabbed in the back.

What was even more ridiculous was Liam–the man who had grown up with her, who had promised to protect her for life–had actually believed Melody’s one–sided story, had completely misunderstood her, and had even resorted to such a despicable blackmail to force her hand, all for Melody’s sake.

Seraphina wiped away a tear. She had to find Liam. She had to demand to know what, exactly, she meant to him.

ust as she stood up to leave, her phone rang abruptly. The name “Chloe flashed on the screen–it was her best friend, Chloe Sullivan.

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