The Unwavering Heart That Broke (Nathalie and Lance) novel Chapter 539

Arthur and Eleanor Crawford stared at the stage in absolute disbelief. They had known Damaris for years and always thought she was a sweet, innocent girl. Mrs. White practically leaped onto the stage, her face twisted in horror and fury. She grabbed Damaris's arm. “Is what he's saying true?” she demanded, her voice trembling violently. Damaris looked like she was going to pass out. Even her flawless makeup couldn't hide how utterly drained of blood her face was. She stared blankly at the crowd. Standing under the glaring stage lights, she felt completely naked, exposed to the brutal judgment of everyone she loved. “Damaris!” Mrs. White shrieked when she didn't answer, raising her hand as if to shake the truth out of her. Bagot immediately stepped between them, pushing Mrs. White's hand away and shielding Damaris. “It was a mistake. Just an accident. Neither of us cared about it, Mrs. White. It's not the end of the world. You don't need to treat her like a criminal.” Mrs. White pointed a shaking finger at Damaris, desperate to scream at her, but she swallowed the insult. She turned her furious gaze toward Lawrence. “What exactly do you want from my daughter? Do you expect her to take responsibility for you?” Lawrence nodded with absolute, chilling sincerity. “Exactly. She has to take responsibility for what she did to me. Which means she cannot marry anyone else.” Mrs. White scoffed in disbelief. “This is insane. She just married Bagot. Your little encounter was nothing but a meaningless accident!” Lawrence's expression darkened instantly. Without a word, he raised his gun and leveled it straight at Mrs. White's head. All the color drained from Mrs. White's face. She stumbled back, instantly silenced. “I didn't come here to negotiate,” Lawrence stated coldly. “She is leaving with me today.” He tilted his head, looking past Bagot to lock eyes with Damaris, his tone dropping to a sickeningly sweet purr. “Darling, what's it going to be? Do you stay, or do you leave with me?” He framed it as a choice, but his gun was pointed directly at her mother, and his men had their weapons trained on the terrified guests. If she picked the wrong answer, it was going to be a bloodbath. Bagot grabbed Damaris's hand tightly. “Don't be afraid of him.” Lawrence's eyes flashed with psychotic rage. “Let go of her! She's mine!” he snarled. Bagot stood his ground. “Lawrence, we just signed the papers. We are legally married. Dragging her out of here by force isn't going to end well for you.” “Then get a divorce!” Lawrence snapped arrogantly. “The choice is yours.” He suddenly shifted his gaze to Lance. “Don't even think about trying anything stupid. We still have a score to settle.” He shot Nathalie a venomous look before turning his full, suffocating attention back to Damaris. Lance's posture went rigid. The situation was spiraling entirely out of control. Whispers erupted from the crowd. “Just go with him! What are you waiting for?!” “If you don't go, he's going to kill us! I don't want to die for your mistakes! You provoked him, you fix it!” “You slept around and now you're dragging us down with you? Get the hell out of here and go with him!” The vicious murmurs echoed through the hall, piling blame and resentment squarely onto Damaris's shoulders. Lawrence just watched her, completely unfazed by the crowd. “My patience is wearing thin, darling. Don't make me wait much longer.” Damaris blinked, the light slowly returning to her eyes. She looked at him, her voice deadened. “If I go with you... you swear you won't hurt anyone else here?” Lawrence's lips curled into a victorious smirk. He had won, and he knew it. “Darling, you really aren't in any position to be making demands.”