Chapter 75: Married by Force

I had felt it in my bones all evening that sharp, restless pull that meant something was about to go wrong. I expected chaos. I expected shouting, maybe tears.I didn’t expect this.

Lewis had seen it all long before it happened. He didn’t react. He planned. Every step he took closed another door, tightened another corner. By the time anyone realized what was happening, they were already trapped.

Watching him work was unsettling.

The Morrigans were boxed in with no escape, and in that moment, I finally understood why people lowered their voices around Lewis. Why even powerful families hesitated when his name was mentioned.

It had nothing to do with the chair beneath him.

It was the way he commanded the room without raising his voice. The way pressure followed him, heavy and invisible, making everyone instinctively straighten their backs or avert their eyes.

The rumors about him weren’t lies.

He was precise. Calm. Merciless when needed.

And I thanked every force watching over me that he stood beside me because if he ever stood against me, I wouldn’t survive it. Not once. Not ever.

A shaken voice finally broke the silence from the Morrigans’ side.

"This has gone too far! They don’t even care about each other! Lewis, are you really going to force a bond like this?"

Lincy stepped forward, her face flushed with rage. But beneath it, I saw panic. Desperation.

"He’s my fiancé," she snapped. "Everyone knows that. And now you’re saying he belongs to someone else? Do you have any idea how that makes me look in front of the Ashbourne family?"

This wasn’t about love anymore.

She knew she’d lost the facts, so she clung to pride. To image. To reputation.

Grant stood beside her, silent, his jaw tight. He looked like a man calculating losses, trying to figure out how much damage could still be controlled.

Lewis didn’t care.

His voice was cold. Flat.

"He was caught with Camilla in front of everyone," he said. "And now you’re worried about appearances? That ended the moment he made his choice."

Lincy flinched.

I knew exactly what she was remembering the sight of Yenik betraying her, right in front of her eyes.

I stepped forward before I could stop myself.

"Lincy," I said quietly, "this isn’t about whether he should marry Camilla or not. The moment he betrayed you, you lost the right to stand beside him."

She turned on me, eyes blazing.

"Are you really trying to glue together what’s already broken and pretend it’s fine?" I asked. "You’re fighting over someone who proved he doesn’t value you. That’s not loyalty. That’s denial."

I tilted my head slightly.

"It’s like picking trash off the ground and calling it a gift. Very generous of you."

Her face twisted with fury.

"You how dare you "

She lunged forward, fists clenched.

Then she saw Theo.

He hadn’t moved. He didn’t need to. He stood there like a wall silent, solid, warning enough.

The memory of the slap she’d taken earlier flashed across her face. Her pride shrank back before she did.

She bit her lip hard, turning away, blood blooming where her teeth sank in.

For once, she had nothing to say.

She hated my words but she knew they were true.

Grant finally spoke, his voice sharp and final.

"Your sister is right. Our name is already damaged because of him. Let it go. You can start over. He’s finished with us."

That was when Yenik broke.

He scrambled forward on his knees, panic pouring off him.

"Mr. Ashbourne, please!" he begged. "I didn’t plan for this! Don’t abandon me!"

He grabbed Grant’s trousers with blood-stained hands.

Grant’s face hardened with pure disgust.

He kicked Yenik away without hesitation.

"Get out of my sight. If you could betray Riley once, you’d betray anyone. You’re done. Whatever you had with this family is over."

Yenik collapsed onto the floor, staring blankly ahead.

Just minutes ago, he had belonged somewhere.

Now, no one claimed him.

Then the door opened.

A new presence filled the room.

Dale Hudson Yenik’s uncle stepped inside.

The Hudson family mostly lived overseas, but Dale and his branch had always stayed close to home. The moment he stepped inside and saw Yenik sprawled on the floor bruised, bleeding, barely holding himself together he rushed forward without hesitation.

"Yenik!" he shouted. "What happened to you?"

Melissa followed close behind him, her voice sharp with panic. "Why is my nephew like this? Wasn’t this meant to be a celebration? How could a party turn into something like this?"

Dale slowly straightened and looked around the room, his gaze moving from face to face, searching for answers. The pressure rolled off him in waves, heavy and demanding. Finally, his eyes locked onto Jeffrey.

"Mr. Jeffrey," he said coldly, "my nephew walked into this house whole. Now look at him. The Hales owe us an explanation. His father may not be here, but I won’t allow the Hudson name to be trampled like this."

Before Jeffrey could respond, Lewis spoke.

"He was fine when he arrived," Lewis said calmly, "because he came here planning to drug and violate someone else’s wife."

Silence slammed into the room.

Dale turned slowly toward me, his face darkening with disbelief. "Yenik," he asked, his voice low, "is that true?"

Yenik didn’t look up.

His shoulders trembled. Shame clung to him thick and sour. He didn’t deny it. Not a single word.

Theo pushed Lewis forward and began explaining everything, his voice steady and clear. The drugged drinks. The switching of glasses. The intent behind it all. Nothing was hidden.

With every sentence, Dale’s expression hardened.

He had come in ready to defend his family. Instead, he stood exposed, humiliated in front of everyone. His fists clenched at his sides.

"You’ve disgraced us," Dale snapped. "Just wait until your father hears about this. You’ll answer to him yourself."

Then he turned to Lewis, his tone changing, pride forced down.

"Mr. Lewis, I won’t deny my nephew was wrong. He’s already been punished. Let’s end it here. When his father returns, he’ll make a formal apology."

Lewis didn’t even blink.

"I don’t believe in delaying consequences," he said. "I believe in settling things properly. He used Camilla. That means he takes responsibility. He will bind himself to her."

Dale hesitated. "That decision is too big for me alone. I can’t agree without speaking to his father "

He stopped mid-sentence and frowned, glancing around the room.

"Where’s Sera?" he asked suddenly. "She should be here."

Lincy stiffened, eyes widening. "Wait... I think I saw Sera talking to Mr. Julian earlier."

The realization spread fast.

Julian was missing.

So was Sera.

Julian avoiding drama wasn’t surprising. But Sera? She wasn’t even family. Why would she disappear now, when her brother was in this mess?

Before anyone could speak, Jane rushed in, pale and shaking.

"I I have something to report!" she cried.

I stepped forward quickly. "Jane, breathe. Just tell us."

Her voice trembled. "I heard screaming... from Mr. Julian’s room. A woman. She sounded terrified. It was loud. I was scared something terrible had happened."

Every head turned at once.

Theo didn’t hesitate.

He stormed down the hall and kicked the door open.

What waited inside froze the entire house.

Vivian’s legs gave out. Malcom grabbed her just in time, holding her upright. "Stay with me," he whispered urgently.

Vivian stared ahead, hollow and broken. "It’s over," she muttered. "Everything is ruined."

Any hope Camilla had of joining the Hale family vanished in that instant.

James stood frozen, his plans collapsing before his eyes. He had known Julian was reckless but not like this. Never like this.

"What the hell is going on?!" he shouted.

The room was chaos. Clothes littered the floor shirts, shoes, skirts, belts scattered like evidence of a storm.

And there they were.

Julian and Sera, tangled together on the bed.