5
Silas just stared for a few seconds, then his
voice cracked with a raw, desperate emotion.
“No, this has to be some kind of sick joke
you’re all playing on me! Everyone in our
circle knows Quinn is crazy about me,
absolutely head–over–heels! Why would she
ever marry someone else?”
My mom shot a disgusted look at Silas, who
was still shouting like a lunatic. She just
shook her head, muttering under her breath,
“Deciding to sponsor him… that was honestly
the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my
entire life!”
I heard her words, met her kind, sympathetic
L
eyes.
“Thank God our Quinn finally saw sense,”
Mom continued, her voice softer now, “and
stopped wasting her precious time on a man
like that.”
Silas was still looking at me, waiting, his face
a mask of utter disbelief.
“Quinn, say something! Your father has to be
joking, right? The man you chose to marry
that day… it was me, wasn’t it? Are you just
angry with me? Mad that I was spending too
much time with her?”
He actually looked hopeful, pathetically so. “Is
that it? Did you get them all to come here and
put on this little show just to scare me?”
く
I almost laughed at the desperate hope still
flickering in his eyes.
“Silas, my fiancé has always been Landon
King. As for you,” I said, my voice devoid of
any warmth, “you were never even in the
running. You simply don’t qualify.”
Hearing this, Silas’s eyes widened in stunned
disbelief.
“You’re lying! You clearly said you loved me!
Everyone in this city knows you wouldn’t
marry anyone but me! How could you possibly
choose some… some cripple you’ve never
even properly met!”
Grandma King’s face instantly hardened at
his cruel words.
My dad stepped forward and slapped Silas
hard across the face.
“Silas Thorne, haven’t you embarrassed
yourself enough already? Apologize to
Landon, now!”
Silas’s face flushed a deep red, but he jutted
out his chin stubbornly. “No! Why should I?
Was I wrong? His legs…”
His voice suddenly choked off. He stared,
dumbfounded, at Landon King standing
perfectly straight and tall beside me, his face
a comical picture of bewilderment.
It was like a spell had broken. The remaining
guests, jolted from their stupor, suddenly
remembered their manners and rushed to
<
offer their congratulations to Landon and me.
Grandma King’s expression softened, a warm
smile spreading across her face. “Today is my
birthday, and this… this makes me incredibly
happy. As a token of my gratitude for your
blessings on my grandson and my new
granddaughter–in–law, everyone here is
invited to select a gift from the front hall
before you leave.”
Silas was quickly swallowed by the crowd,
pushed aside.
He still looked desperate, unwilling to give up,
but Cora grabbed his arm and started pulling
him towards the exit.
Silas thrashed, shouting over the noise,
“Quinn! Tell your father! Tell him he’s made a
<
mistake! The person you’ve always loved is
me! The only one you’ve ever wanted to
marry is me!”
Landon gave a subtle nod to a nearby
bodyguard.
The bodyguard understood immediately. He
moved swiftly, clamping a large hand over
Silas’s mouth and efficiently dragging him
away.
Once the crowd had mostly dispersed,
Grandma King gently shooed my parents and
Landon away for a moment.
She took my hand, her eyes twinkling with a
knowing, grandmotherly warmth.
“Quinn, my dear,” she said, her voice soft,
<
“you should come visit an old lady like me for
a chat more often. My grandson, Landon…
he’s a man of few words, a bit awkward
sometimes, but he has a good heart. I still
remember when our families lived closer,
before… well, before. He used to follow you
around like a little shadow. He never says
much, but I know, Quinn. After you chose him,
I saw it. He’s been a different man, so much
happier.”
Just then, Landon, who’d been sent to fetch
something, returned.
“Well, I won’t keep you two young people any
longer,” Grandma King said with a knowing
wink. “Landon, dear, why don’t you take
Quinn for a little stroll around the grounds?”
