After His Obsession Broke Me, I Married My Light

Chapter 3

"Raven, in three days, we leave for Australia."

Inside the funeral home, I held my mother's urn, my gaze hollow and distant.

Jude wrapped his arms around me, his voice aching. "It's going to be okay."

At his words, my mind slowly drifted back to the present. I nodded.

A moment later, my phone chimed. "Imperial City Hotel. Ten minutes."

Damian's commands had always been this cold.

By the time I arrived at the hotel dressed in all black, Damian's brow was immediately furrowed.

"Raven, today Damian's going to propose to Nora! You're dressed like a black widow—don't tell me you still have feelings for him?"

One of Damian's buddies spoke up, setting the rest of the room roaring with laughter.

Nora's presence had made it clear to everyone that I was no longer the exception.

Damian's expression didn't flicker. He casually tossed a gift box at my feet, his tone utterly indifferent. "Put on this dress. I want you to play 'Windy Hill' for us personally."

The words made my fingertips tremble. That was the piece I had learned specifically to confess my feelings to Damian.

I lifted the box by its edge. Inside was the exact same white dress as before. A cold smile curled at my lips. When it came to humiliating me, Damian truly thought of everything.

"Damian, dream on!"

In the next instant, Damian snatched the ashtray from the coffee table and hurled it violently at me.

Blood instantly blurred my vision.

Damian locked his hand around my throat, his voice icy. "Raven, this time, you don't have the right to refuse!"

There was a flicker of something in his eyes. Anticipation. He expected me to do what I'd always done—fight him, claw at him, curse him.

But this time, I only stared into his eyes, a faint smile slowly spreading across my face.

A single tear slid from the corner of my eye and dropped onto his hand.

Damian snatched his hand back as if burned, staring at me with unreadable eyes.

I picked up the gift bag and, under the stunned stares of everyone in the room, walked to the changing room.

I wiped the blood from my forehead and put on the dress.

When I turned around, Nora was standing there, watching me with a smiling face. Behind her stood a row of men in black.

At this time, Nora should not have been here. A chill of unease crept through me.

"What do you want?"

I stared at her warily.

Nora's smile didn't change, but a flicker of contempt passed through her eyes. "Raven, as long as you're by Damian's side for even a single day, I can never feel at ease."

I kept my expression neutral, hands behind my back sending messages, my eyes locked firmly on her. "Don't worry. I'm leaving."

Nora gave a faint shake of her head and leaned close to my ear. "If you just leave like that, Damian won't give up. I know his heart far too well. Unless..."

It was only at that moment that I saw the jealousy flash in Nora's eyes.

My heart lurched. Without a sound, my hand closed around the small knife in the fruit bowl.

Nora's men began closing in.

"Unless you're completely ruined."

In the next instant, the room filled with the sound of tearing fabric, and a woman's desperate, heart-wrenching screams.

"No! No! Damian, help me!"

A crowd rushed in, flinging open the changing room door.

Damian stared at the scene before him in utter disbelief.

"Raven, if you have a problem, take it up with me! Why would you hurt Nora?!"

Damian hastily wrapped his half-naked Nora in his arms, his eyes glaring at me with venom.

"Damian, I don't blame Raven. I know she only did it because she loves you too! But Raven... how could you try to destroy me like this?"

Nora's sobs snapped Damian's sanity entirely.

"Raven, since you're this vicious, then these men are my gift to you!"

"Damian, I didn't—"

The men, desperate to save their own skins, surged toward me.

Just before the door slammed shut, Nora flashed me a triumphant smile.

My heart sank into the abyss.