Just Before My Wedding: Trapped By My Ruthless Boss novel Chapter 146

KISAREL

The taxi stopped in front of Jace’s house a little after eleven.

For a moment, I stood on the pavement because I didn’t know how to walk through that door as the person I’d become in the last three hours.

The guy at the gate glanced at me but said nothing. I was grateful for that. I did not have any explanation left in me.

I’d cried in the taxi until the driver stopped glancing at me in the mirror out of pity and started doing it out of discomfort. and now my eyes were swollen, and my face felt scrubbed raw.

My throat tasted bitter, like I had swallowed all the things Moonie said and they were still sitting there, refusing to go down. Jace should have been at the office hours ago.

But by the time I pushed the door open, I found him inside.

I didn’t know if I should be grateful or not.

2

He was fully dressed with his jacket in hand and briefcase in the other hand as he descended the stairs.

“Arel.” He crossed to me. “God, look at you. What happened?”

I opened my mouth, and the word wouldn’t come out at first. Saying it out loud made me feel even more used and foolish. “I got fired.”

His brows drew together. “Fired.”

“This morning. My badge didn’t work. They had security walk me out.” My voice cracked. “After all these years, Jace. They processed it over the weekend and walked me out like I’d stolen something.”

“Hey. Hey, come here.” He pulled me into his chest, one hand cupping the back of my head, and I let him because I didn’t have the strength to do anything else. “I’m so sorry, baby. That’s — God, that’s awful. After everything you gave that place His hand moved in slow circles on my back. “Did they say why? Did Stark say anything to you?”

My cheeks burned hotter.

Of course, Stark didn’t even see me. He didn’t want to.

Jesus. Has anyone ever been used in this manner?

“No,” I said into his shoulder. “He wasn’t even willing to see me. None of them gave me a reason. It just happened

“Unbelievable.” He pulled back to look at me with his hands on my arms. “You know what, it’s their loss. You were wasted there anyway, running errands for a man who never appreciated you. Maybe this is a good thing” He smoothed my hair back from my face. “Now you can focus on us. On the wedding. No more late nights, no more being at his beck and call Just you and me.”

There was something underneath his words I couldn’t really place. Some thread of satisfaction stitched into all that comfort so faint I might have imagined it. But I was too exhausted to chase it, and his hands were gentle, and I wanted so badly for someone to just be kind to me that I let it go.

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Chapter 146-

add myself be held by a man whose touch made my skin crawl because I couldn’t bear the thought of falling apart alone

Jace’s palm moved down my back again, and I closed my eyes and tried not to hate how badly I needed the gesture even

from him.

“That place was slowly killing you anyway,” he said quietly, like he was convincing himself more than he was trying to convince me. “You never saw it because you were too busy trying to prove yourself to people who would never see you as one of them.”

I pulled back a little, “Jace, please. Not now.”

“I’m not attacking you.” His thumb brushed under my eye, wiping a tear I hadn’t realized had fallen. “I’m saying maybe this is God removing you from something that was already damaging you.”

God.

Everyone suddenly knew what was best for me now, including God?

I almost cracked a laugh.

“I need to shower,” I said, changing the topic.

He studied my face for one second too long, then nodded. “Okay. Go upstairs. I’ll call the planner and tell her you’re not in the mood to talk today.”

That almost softened me. Really. Because that was one reasonable thing he’d said to me in a while.

Then his gaze dropped to my hand, and my stomach tightened before he even spoke.

“Arel.”

I rolled my sore eyes. “Please, Jace. Not now.” I tried to walk away, but he held my wrist.

“You still haven’t gotten back the ring.” His voice stayed pleasant, but the warmth had cooled a degree. “It’s been off your finger for a week.”

“Jace, I just told you I lost my job.”

“And I’m sorry.” He said a little firmer. “But I was specific this morning.”

I scoffed. “That’s all you care about?” I shook my head, surprised,

“Arel…

I’ll get it.” I cut him off. “It’s still at Elgin’s. I told you. I’ll get it back, I just-”

“You’ve been saying that for days.”

“We had a fight, Jace. I can’t just walk into his house right now-”

“Then I’ll get it.”

The room went extremely quiet for a second.

“What?”

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Chapter 146~

Voucher

+ get it” He picked his briefcase up off the floor. “I’m already dressed. Elgin’s place isn’t far You’re in no state to be running around the city anyway – look at you, you can barely stand up straight.” He checked his watch. I’ll swing by on my way in. get the ring, and that’s one less thing for you to cry about today. You can rest,”

‘No!‘

The word slammed up against the back of my teeth, but I clamped down on it.

Because there was no ring at Elgin’s.

I forced my mouth to speak, and the only words that came out made me feel stupid. “You can’t.”

Jace looked at me slowly with narrowed brows.

“Why not?”

“Because…..” My tongue felt too thick at this point. “Because since Elgin and I are fighting. He won’t like you showing up there.”

“I don’t care what Elgin likes.”

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