Ninety-Nine Betrayals, One Final Wedding Invitation

“Does your proposal still count? I accept.”

A low chuckle came through the line. “Of course it does. I’ll come get you in a week.”

Then came his promise, “Don’t worry. I won’t let you regret this.”

Emma smiled faintly.

Everyone in Bellington knew the young master of the Rhodes Family was a sickly man with little time left. How could he possibly keep such a promise?

But she said nothing. She simply replied, “Okay.”

After hanging up, a video arrived.

In the footage, Cole Barrett and Theo Blackwood stormed into a private bar room like men unhinged. In front of a stunned crowd, they snatched the wine glass from Juliet’s hand and downed it in one gulp.

Juliet’s face flushed instantly from her alcohol allergy. The moment they saw it, both men turned red-eyed with fury, lashing out at the others, demanding who had dared to force her to drink.

Their sudden explosion stunned the room into silence.

“Brother Cole, Brother Theo, isn’t Emma sick today? Why would you leave her alone to come see this woman?”

“Yeah, Emma’s at a critical point in choosing a fiancé. You’ve both liked her since childhood; how could you let her find out you were with Juliet?”

Cole frowned, his expression dark and menacing.

“Who said I liked Emma? The only one in my heart is Juliet. She’s the only one I want to marry.”

“Emma was just a distraction during a dull phase. You people have no idea how hilarious she’s been lately, watching her get toyed with.”

As if recalling something amusing, he sneered. “Other than the two of us, who else could Emma even marry?”

The room erupted. “No way, Brother Cole! That orphan girl can’t possibly compare to Emma! Even if you want to marry her, your family would never approve!”

“Brother Theo, say something! He’s completely lost his mind!”

All eyes turned toward Theo, who had always been the cold, composed one. He pressed his lips together, then said quietly, “Emma’s had enough love all these years. It’s time someone gave a little to Juliet.”

The video cut off there.

A moment later, a message from Juliet followed.

[Sister, they were just drunk and rambling nonsense. Please don’t take it to heart.]

Emma stared at the screen, her fingers tightening around her phone.

She stared blankly at the familiar faces on the screen. Their cold, indifferent expressions pierced her like thorns, sharp and merciless, embedding deep into her heart.

Everyone used to say Theo and Cole had eyes only for their childhood friend, Emma.

They would run across streets, breathless, just to buy her favorite pastries.

When she fell ill, they climbed all 999 church steps, praying with trembling hands for her safety.

To make her smile, the two young masters once planted over ten thousand roses beneath her window.

But everything changed the moment Emma took pity on Juliet and brought her into the family.

The once hot-tempered Cole now spoke to Juliet with startling gentleness as if terrified she might frown.

Even the always distant Theo began to soften, his gaze often lingering in Juliet’s direction.

And when Emma had to choose a husband, it took Juliet only one sentence, just one, for both men to reject her and fall hopelessly in love with someone else.

Later, Emma quietly asked them what Juliet had said that day.

But neither ever answered.

The ones who once shielded her from the world now took turns tearing her down.

Those who once stood between her and every hurt had become the ones who hurt her most.

At that thought, Emma’s eyes burned. Hot tears slipped silently down her cheeks.

She raised a hand to wipe them away and with each tear shed, her resolve to leave only deepened.

Cole had been wrong; those two weren’t her only choices.

Very soon, she would marry their greatest rival.

When Emma returned home and was about to head upstairs, faint sounds drifted down the hallway, low, breathless and unmistakably intimate.

She paused. Something pulled her forward. Step by step, she approached the slightly ajar door at the end of the corridor.

And then she saw it.

Through the narrow gap, Theo and Juliet were locked in an embrace.

Theo kissed her hungrily as though trying to merge her into himself. His usually icy expression was now flushed with desire.

He gripped her waist tightly, his voice rough and low.

“Juliet, do you like it?”

Panting beneath his touch, Juliet weakly pushed at his chest and murmured, “I like it…”

Just one wall away, Emma stood motionless, listening, watching, as their kisses deepened.