Chapter 5

Hugo said: [Elodie, this is your last chance.]

The last message, sent ten minutes ago, read: [Fine, you're ruthless. The wedding's still on tomorrow. If you don't show up, I'll make sure the whole Southville sees the Moore family as a joke.]

I stared at the message, my finger hovering over the screen for a long time.

Then I opened my contacts and found a number I'd almost never dialed myself.

After three rings, a sleepy female voice answered. "Hello?"

"Mom," I heard my voice trembling. "I ran away from my wedding."

There was a long silence on the other end.

Then I heard my mom take a sharp breath. "Elodie? What did you just say? Where are you? And what about Hugo?"

"I'm at a friend's place," I said, dodging the details. "The wedding's off. I'm not marrying Hugo."

"Are you out of your mind?" Mom's voice shot up. "The wedding's tomorrow! All the guests have been notified, the media's been arranged, and now you're saying it's canceled?

"Elodie, do you have any idea how much shame this will bring to the Moore family?"

"I know," I said. "But I know even better that if I really marry Hugo, my whole life will be ruined."

"Don't be ridiculous. What's wrong with Hugo? His family's great. He's talented, and he treats you well..."

"Mom," I cut her off. "On the eve of the wedding, he was helping Natalia try on wedding rings."

Mom went quiet again.

Her silence stretched on even longer this time.

Natalia's name was off-limits in our house. Everyone knew Hugo still carried a torch for his unattainable crush, but we all pretended not to see it.

The Moore family needed the Kennedy family's resources, and the Kennedys needed our connections. This marriage was a strategic alliance. Love? That was the last thing anyone cared about.

"Elodie," Mom's voice softened, heavy with exhaustion. "That's just how marriage works. Sometimes you just have to look the other way and get through it.

"Every man has his own secrets or desires. As long as he treats you well in public and gives you the status of Mrs. Kennedy..."

"I don't want it anymore," I said.

"What did you just say?" Mom asked.

"I don't want the title of Mrs. Kennedy anymore," I repeated, making sure to pronounce every word clearly. "If the Moore family cares about appearances, just tell everyone I got sick out of the blue, or make up whatever story you want.

"But I'm not going through with this wedding."

"Elodie!" Mom's voice was sharp with panic. "Do you have any idea what this will lead to? The Kennedys won't let this slide, and your dad..."

"Mom," I said softly, "it's been seven years. I've done everything you asked, seven years as a puppet on a string. Just this once, can I please make my own decision?"

From the other side of the line, I could hear Mom's muffled crying.

I gripped my phone tightly, and my tears finally fell again. They weren't for Hugo. They were for myself and for my mom, who sounded so lost and powerless on the phone.

"Where are you?" Mom asked. "Are you safe?"

"I'm safe," I replied.

"Do you need me to come over?" Mom asked.

"No, you don't have to," I said, wiping away my tears. "Let me deal with this on my own. Mom, I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you and Dad."

"Sweetheart," Mom cried, her voice breaking. "I'm so sorry. I never should've pushed you into this..."

After a few more words, I hung up.

The screen faded to black, showing just how messed up I looked—swollen eyes, pale lips, and my hair sticking to my forehead, wet with tears.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the mirror, just watching myself for what felt like forever.

Then I opened the message and found my conversation with Hugo.

I typed, erased, and typed again, my fingers trembling with indecision.

In the end, I only sent four words: [The wedding's off. Elodie.]

I hit send.

Almost at the same time, my phone lit up with Hugo's incoming call.

I watched his name flash across the screen, answered the call, but stayed completely silent.

"Elodie," Hugo's voice was cold, chilled to the bone. "Do you even realize what you're doing?"

"I do," I replied.

"Fine, very well," Hugo laughed, his voice dripping with venom. "Since you refuse to play nice, don't blame me for what happens next. Starting tomorrow, every project between the Moore family and the Kennedys is finished.

"And that land your dad's been negotiating for? Believe me, I can make sure he doesn't even get a single brick."

"Whatever," I said, my voice so steady it almost shocked me.

Hugo clearly hadn't expected me to be this calm. He paused for a couple of seconds, then his voice got even colder. "You really think having Lincoln backing you means you can challenge me?"

My heart skipped a beat.

Did he know Lincoln helped me leave? Did he see us together?

"Elodie, I'm giving you one last chance," Hugo said, his voice taking on that usual patronizing edge, like he was doing me a favor. "Come back now and the wedding goes on tomorrow, just like we planned.

"I'll overlook what happened tonight, and your dad's business with us will keep moving forward. We can act like none of this ever happened."