The Bride Who Said No: Escaping the Shadows of Yesterday novel Chapter 5

When Freya stepped out of the car, Johanna's vehicle screeched to a halt right behind her.

Johanna burst out of the car, yelling, “Freya! Have you lost your mind? Announcing a break-off at a time like this? Are you out of your wits?”

Freya ignored her, calmly removing every piece of jewelry on her as she walked.

Seeing Freya return early, Nancy asked in confusion, “Ms. Dawson? Isn’t your engagement party with Mr. Sutton tonight? Why are you back already?”

Without a word, Freya headed straight to her walk-in closet. She yanked off her pearl necklace and stepped out of her evening gown, tossing every piece of clothing that screamed Eloise-style into a cardboard box.

“Ms. Dawson! What are you doing?” Nancy was dumbstruck.

Freya glanced at the row of perfumes on the shelf, all once favorites of Eloise. She smashed every bottle on the floor with a crash, startling Nancy.

“Nancy, step aside.” Freya's voice was icy, leaving no room for argument. She picked up the cardboard box and went downstairs.

Freya dumped the contents into a large drum in the Dawson family's backyard. With a toss of gasoline and a lighter, it instantly blazed out from the drum.

Watching the fire blaze, a chill ran through Freya's gaze. Life had given her a second chance. This time, she wouldn't be Eloise's understudy. Thinking this, Freya dialed her best friend, Luna Jennings.

“Luna, I need a favor. Can your family's newspaper run a story for me? It’s something that’ll go viral in an hour. I’ll cover the costs.”

“Huh? Isn’t tonight your engagement with Kieran? You don’t need to announce it to the whole country to celebrate!”

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“Changed your mind about what? Wishing you’d let the whole country know sooner?”