I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 9

Sienna's grip on her phone tightened violently.

"It doesn't matter. It has absolutely nothing to do with me."

She immediately regretted even bringing it up.

A suffocating ache flared in her chest, and she was desperate to kill the conversation.

Lily, however, still felt something was incredibly off.

"One of my students is closely related to the Fletchers, and we get along really well. I actually asked him about it once. He said the second Fletcher heir hasn't had a wedding. The family has strict rules—the older brother has to tie the knot before the younger one can even start planning."

Sienna didn't say a word.

He hadn't had a wedding.

But it was a common-law marriage in everything but name.

They even had a child together.

She practically clawed at the fabric over her chest.

Years ago, Finn had told her point-blank: Chloe was pregnant, and he had to step up and take responsibility.

That was the precise reason she had slit her wrists.

He had literally proposed to her the day before!

They had been madly in love for three years. She knew the Fletchers didn't exactly approve of her.

But she had never once questioned Finn's absolute devotion to her!

Sienna had always been aware of Chloe's existence.

But it never crossed her mind that Chloe would actively sabotage her relationship with Finn.

When the hell did Finn and Chloe even start sleeping together?

When did Chloe get pregnant?

Countless horrifying questions flooded her mind like a tsunami, dragging up the sickening memories of the Fletchers' blatant contempt for her and their blinding adoration for Chloe. The weight of it was suffocating.

Lily paused.

"Bestie, if you really can't let this go, I'll pull some strings and get the full story for you."

"There's no need." Sienna heard her own voice ringing out, chillingly composed, as if discussing someone else's life.

"I stopped caring ages ago. Whether he's married, on his second divorce, or his third, it has absolutely nothing to do with me."

Lily let out a heavy sigh, not having the heart to tear down her defenses anymore.

"So, do you actually want to get married?"

He held his fork for ages, barely touching a single bite of food.

His mother, Yolanda, sat directly across from him. Setting down her soup spoon, she shot him a sharp look.

"Since you've taken some time off, stay home and keep Chloe company. York is getting older now; it's high time you two officially had the wedding. Or at least get the marriage license signed first. Dragging this out isn't good for the boy."

Chloe's hand trembled violently around her silverware. Her eyes flushed a brilliant red as she dropped her head, her long hair spilling forward to conceal half her face.

She possessed a naturally soft, demure beauty, and every time she played the victim like this, it dragged out everyone's pity.

But this time, Finn remained utterly stone-faced.

Finn's father, Grant, sat at the head of the table, radiating an oppressive, tyrannical authority.

He didn't speak, chewing his food slowly, but his glare felt like a lead weight pressing down hard on everyone in the room.

After a tense silence, he set down his knife and fork.

"Sign the marriage license immediately. The wedding will be in three months." His voice wasn't loud, but it slammed down like a massive rock. "No more delays. We made an agreement, and you will honor it."

Finn slowly set his silverware down on the table.

The movement was painfully deliberate, the silver clinking sharply against the fine china.

"An agreement." He repeated the words, his lips twisting into a bitterly dark smirk. "That was your agreement. What the hell does it have to do with me?"