Filed To Story: The Broken-Hearted She and The Icy He Book PDF Free
He knew Adeline already had feelings for her senior. Even if Marilyn weren’t pregnant, they could never be.
But because he had once harbored foolish desires for her, the thought of her standing in that disastrous wedding as Marilyn’s bridesmaid made his chest tighten.
Still, not knowing how badly Marilyn and Adeline got along, he assumed they were simply relatives. He couldn’t object without seeming inappropriate.
Lily, close with Adeline, knew well how deep the rift ran between the Zach and Lynn families.
Unaware of her connection with Victor, she only saw Adeline’s troubled face and assumed she just didn’t want to be Marilyn’s bridesmaid.
She didn’t spare Marilyn any face and said bluntly, “Marilyn, are you sick again?”
“You and the Lynn family-always sucking her dry, and shamelessly trying to grab her house and jewelry. Why would Adeline want to humiliate herself and be your bridesmaid?”
When Grace and the others learned Lily was pregnant, they’d been happier than if they’d made billions.
But hearing that Marilyn was pregnant, they felt as if the sky had fallen.
The thought that Marilyn might give birth to some freak and forever bind that freak to Victor made them sick at heart.
Grace hadn’t known about the feud between the Zach and Lynn families before. Hearing Lily’s words, she realized Marilyn had asked Adeline to be her bridesmaid purely to needle her.
Grace didn’t look at Marilyn. She frowned at Victor. “Are you really going to marry Marilyn?”
Victor didn’t want to.
But Marilyn and the child in her womb were responsibilities he couldn’t shirk-so he had to marry her.
He lowered his eyelids slightly, hiding every emotion beneath, and said, “Yes.”
“Ugh…” Grace’s breath hitched.
Henry slammed the table hard. “Foolish!”
“That Marilyn has repeatedly insulted Lily and stolen so many things from her. Her character is seriously flawed! She’s a homewrecker. If you really marry her, she’ll make the Luke family a mess! If you want to marry her, you’ll have to step over my corpse first!”
Blanc put down his chopsticks and said sternly, “I do not agree to you marrying Marilyn.”
If their second son had impregnated some other girl-even if that girl was poor and plain- he’d still make his son take responsibility. He’d never force her to have an abortion.
But Marilyn’s conduct was the real problem.
He certainly didn’t want his son forever entangled with such a woman, coming home and constantly rubbing everyone the wrong way.
“Victor, someone who only sees money and brazenly steals from our home-what kind of person is she? I will not allow such a scheming, vile, hypocritical person through the gates of the Luke family! You’d better make her abort that child! Even if she refuses, I will never consent to your marriage!”
“Yeah, you can’t marry Marilyn.” Ivan, afraid Victor would leap into the fire, urged, “Better to stay single for life than marry her!”
James, outwardly calm but inwardly protective, had investigated Marilyn and knew her private life wasn’t clean.
He didn’t erupt like Henry; instead he said flatly, “Victor, you can be responsible for Marilyn and the child, but only after the child is born and a paternity test confirms it.”
“Right-do a paternity test before you marry!”
Nancy nodded approvingly at her eldest son and added, “Otherwise your father and I will take back every share we transferred to you, and the property your grandparents gave you-you’ll give it all back. Don’t come home after that!”
“Grandpa, Dad, Mom-” Marilyn was both furious and frightened; her eyes and nose reddened.
She’d been craving sour foods lately. Sour girls bear sons, she told herself-this had to be a boy.
She could never allow Lily’s child to be born and take Luke family’s heir. If her child were the eldest grandson, the family would dote on him; aristocratic clans guarded bloodlines above all.
Marilyn had expected to be pampered and pampered once they knew she was carrying Luke family’s most precious heir. She couldn’t believe Henry and the others still opposed Victor marrying her.
Especially Blanc-he even wanted her to abort the baby. He wanted to kill his own precious eldest grandson? Had he lost his mind?!
James was outrageous too-daring to demand a paternity test. The child in her belly was Victor’s seed, Luke family blood. How dare he ask for proof? He clearly feared this child would compete with his and Lily’s inheritance.
She was terrified of James and couldn’t say what she felt. Stomping her foot in anger, she said, “Victor is the only man I have. The child in my belly can only be his. I will not do a paternity test! This is your Luke family’s blood-how can you make me abort it? Victor is your kin; is his flesh and blood so cheap and worthless that you can casually kill it?”
“You refuse a paternity test, and Victor still can’t marry you.”
James had found evidence that Marilyn had been entangled with several men. He hadn’t obtained photos or videos to crush her outright, but he certainly wouldn’t let his brother be ruined by someone with such motives.
A 486
James lifted his gaze, his eyes sharp and cold as they pierced Victor. “If you can’t wait until the child is born, then wait until the pregnancy is far enough along to run a paternity test.”
“Until the results come back, our parents will never acknowledge you. Of course, if the two of you want to hold a wedding, no one will stop you. After all, a wedding has no legal meaning. You could hold a hundred of them, and your marriage still wouldn’t be recognized.”
“Come on…”
Marilyn panicked.
Without the Luke family’s approval, how could she and Victor even register their marriage?
She pouted, eyes brimming with tears as she looked pitifully at James, hoping he might soften.
But James only felt disgust at her theatrics.
He took a sip of water to push back his revulsion before saying icily, “I remember warning you not to call me your brother. I don’t have such a disgusting sister.”
His words cut deep, almost making Marilyn burst into tears.
And she finally understood: the entire Luke family had already been turned against her by Lily. Even Adeline’s presence tonight must have been Lily’s doing, meant to make the family like Adeline more while hating Marilyn even further.
Realizing the elders wouldn’t side with her, she clung to Victor’s arm and whined, “Victor, they’re all bullying me… Once my belly grows, I won’t look good in a wedding dress. I just want to marry you quickly. You promised-when you come back from abroad, we’d register our marriage. Don’t go back on your word! Victor, please, just marry me already, won’t you?”
Victor lifted his eyes and accidentally met Adeline’s.
The next second, he turned his head away almost in panic.
And he realized then just how despicable he was.
He should have married Marilyn right away, taken full responsibility. After all, he had slept with her and left her carrying a child.
But hearing James declare that the family wouldn’t acknowledge them anytime soon, he’d actually felt… relief.
He knew he couldn’t escape responsibility forever.
Yet part of him still wanted to delay it, to struggle for a little more time before being shackled to her.
“Victor…”
Marilyn, growing impatient with his silence, pouted even more. “Do you not want to marry me? I gave you my purest self, and now I’m carrying your son. If you abandon me, you’re nothing but a heartless man! Let’s hold the wedding first, Victor.”
Victor’s face was pale as he kept his distance. “I’ll have people arrange the wedding. When I return from abroad, we’ll hold it.”
“I…”
Marilyn was unsatisfied.
She not only wanted a grand wedding to flaunt to her friends but also the legal protection of being Mrs. Luke.
But she knew the Luke elders had too deep a prejudice against her. If she kept pushing now, they’d only humiliate her further in front of Adeline.
She would never allow a paternity test.
Once she and Victor held their wedding, the public would see them as husband and wife.
She would then find a way to truly become his woman.
And once he tasted her and grew addicted, how could he ever doubt her or press for a test?
She lowered her gaze, voice soft and pitiful. “Victor, I don’t want to make things hard for you. I’ll listen to you. Let’s hold the wedding first, and once your parents agree, we’ll get the license.”
“…Alright.”
Victor’s reply was faint as he picked up his fork, eating without tasting.
Marilyn found no flavor in her food either, only bitterness swelling in her chest.
She could see it clearly now-none of the Luke family wanted her, none wanted Victor to marry her.