He Sent Me Home With His Buddy. Bad Idea, Ex! Chapter 03
“Don’t forget who got me out of that pyramid scheme. Who’s
been paying for Mom’s treatment? Go apologize to Dorian right now!”
“Gideon, I didn’t cheat on him. He was the one who betrayed me.”
“Try showing some gratitude, Seren! Dorian has done more
than enough for this family. So what if there’s something
going on with Celeste…”
He stopped abruptly.
I trembled in disbelief.
“You knew about them all along?”
I desperately wanted Gideon to say no, if only to prove that
there was still one person in my life who hadn’t lied to me.
Instead, the brother I had depended on my whole life
answered with complete indifference,
“If you already know, try harder to keep Dorian happy.
Everyone’s calling you a cheater. Who else would marry you
now? You’d have to be an idiot to cheat on Dorian.”
I never thought my own brother would turn on me like
everyone else, blaming me without even asking what had
happened, as if everything were my fault.
“Listen to me, Seren. Dorian just found me a job, and Mom’s
treatment got even more expensive this month. Just put up with it.”
I didn’t know how to respond.
After a long silence, I canceled the train ticket I had bought
the night before.
Dorian had been the one who brought me out of Coldwater Ridge.
He paid for my education, helped my family, and gave me the
kind of love I had never known before.
But over time, every kindness came with a price.
After he rescued Gideon from a pyramid scheme, Dorian
loaned me out for the first time. The day he covered another
stack of my mother’s medical bills, he moved Celeste into our home.
In Dorian’s eyes, we had never been equals.
My phone buzzed again. This time. Dorian was calling,
“You heard what your brother said. Stop making a scene.”
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“What will I have to give you in exchange for Gideon’s new job?”
Dorian paused, and his voice cooled.
“You still need to go home with a few people over the next
several days. Beckett is picking you up this afternoon. Don’t embarrass me.”
The color drained from my face.
This was the bleakest Thanksgiving I had ever known.
That afternoon, Beckett Shaw picked me up and took me to a restaurant.
He and his family made it clear they looked down on me, but
at least no one attacked me during dinner.
Afterward, I was about to get into Beckett’s car when
someone grabbed me by the hair and hauled me backward.
You bitch! I’m Beckett’s girlfriend!”
Before I could say anything, Mallory Keene struck me acrossthe face.
The world went dark for a moment. Through the ringing in
my ears, I heard Beckett speak with concern.
Mallory? What are you doing here?”
“You’re having dinner with some homewrecker, and I’m not
allowed to show up?”
Beckett made no attempt to explain. He simply let Mallory
hit me again and again.
She kicked me to the ground, reopening the wound on my
forehead. Blood blurred my vision.
Through the haze, I thought I saw Dorian standing nearby.
The shock and concern on his face were emotions I hadn’t
seen from him in a long time.
He started toward me, but Celeste caught his arm and
whispered something in his ear.
Dorian stopped and stared at me, conflicted.
So I wasn’t imagining him. If I had been, the Dorian in my
mind wouldn’t have stood there and watched someone hurt me.
Only after Mallory had vented all her anger and Beckett had
taken her away did Dorian approach and carry me home
without a word.
He offered no explanation. Even with injuries covering my
body, he only called the Ashfords‘ on–call physician to patch me up.
Sleep was the only escape I had from the pain, but even then,
I couldn’t rest. At some point, I heard Beckett speaking nearby.
“Dorian, Mallory didn’t mean for it to go that far. Tell me
what you want, and I’ll make it right.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Dorian replied. “I was the one who
asked you to take Seren home. Without you guys, I couldn’t
bring Celeste to the Ashford house.”
“Then it’s no trouble. We’re all happy to help if it means you
and Celeste end up together.”
I covered my ears, but their words had already reached me.
When I woke again, Dorian was sitting beside my bed, his
expression gentle.
Don’t worry. I won’t send you anywhere else until you’ve healed.”
He leaned close to my ear, a trace of anticipation in his voice.
“Once you’re better, we’ll get married.”
I didn’t ask whom he intended to marry.
Me or Celeste?
But Evander arrived before any wedding did.