Chapter 3

I said, "My sister's pursuit of true love is priceless, isn't it? Since Ethan has such a bright future, I am sure he won't miss this money.

"But this cash was Carlos's gift to his bride. Since I am the bride now, that money belongs to me.

"If you insist on stealing it, I will go straight to the county sheriff and press charges against you for fraud and forced marriage!"

"Don't you dare!" My dad lunged forward, raising his hand to strike me.

Suddenly, Carlos stepped in front of me like a solid brick wall.

He was a full head taller than my dad, built like a tank, and his eyes were absolutely lethal.

"Sebastian, try touching her. I dare you," Carlos growled.

My dad's hand froze in midair. He didn't know what to do, his face turning beet red from embarrassment.

Carlos glanced back at me, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes. "Sebastian, I came here for a wedding, not a war. But if you think you can play me for a fool..."

He smirked, showing a row of stark white teeth. "I will consider that fifty grand a down payment on some coffins. You can figure out who's going in them."

Sebastian trembled. He wasn't afraid of me trying to reason with him, but he was terrified of a man like Carlos who had nothing to lose.

I took the opportunity to deliver the final blow. I pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from my pocket.

It was the registry receipt I had snatched from the table earlier.

"Dad, we live in a modern world," I said. "Forcing someone into marriage and stealing their money is a felony. This paper lists every single thing Carlos paid for.

"Since I am the bride, these are my assets. If you hold back a single cent, I am taking this to the courthouse. I will sue you for fraud, and I will make sure everyone in town knows Audrey is a cheating scam artist!"

"You wouldn't!" Audrey went completely pale. In a small town like ours, a scandal like that would ruin her completely.

"Watch me," I said with a cold glare. "I have nothing left to lose. Dragging you all down with me sounds like a great deal."

My dad looked at Carlos's furious red eyes, then at my absolute resolve.

He waved his hand in defeat, suddenly looking ten years older. "Take it. Take it all! Just pretend I never had you as a daughter!"

"No, Dad! How can you let her take everything? What does a basic girl like her need with a vintage sewing machine? She doesn't deserve it!" Audrey whined, throwing a tantrum alongside my parents.

I ignored them completely.

I walked into the back room and grabbed the check for the money.

I also hauled out the new down comforters, the expensive stand mixer, and even the heavy vintage sewing machine Audrey had desperately wanted to keep.

"Carlos, give me a hand," I said.

Carlos blinked in surprise, but then a brilliant light sparked in his eyes. He strode over and hoisted the heavy sewing machine onto his shoulder like it weighed nothing at all.

"You got it, honey. Let's go home," he shouted.

Like a pair of bandits, we cleared out everything that belonged to us right under Audrey's murderous glare.

The neighbors watching from the porch gasped.

Carlos was ruthless, and he didn't care what anyone thought.

Audrey pointed a finger at me. "Clara, you better hold onto this blessing I gave you!"

She emphasized the word "blessing."

In her eyes, Carlos was nothing but a violent, uneducated thug with dirty money.

Meanwhile, Ethan was refined, wrote poetry, and was destined to be a big-city elite.

She genuinely believed she had won the lottery.

I turned to look at Audrey's smug face and smiled. "Audrey, since you are being so generous, I am leaving you a gift too."

I walked over to the table, picked up the torn pieces of the prenup she had destroyed, pieced them together, and slapped them hard against Ethan's chest.

I said, "Ethan, my sister can't handle hardship. She hates working, and she needs to be pampered every single day.

"Since you claimed her, no returns allowed. You two are locked in for life."

Ethan stumbled back a step, looking incredibly awkward, but he tried to maintain his fake gentleman persona.

He said, "Don't worry, Clara. I will treat Audrey well for the rest of my life."

"I sure hope so," I said.

Then I turned to Carlos. "Let's go. Take me home."

As his truck rumbled down the dirt road, Carlos suddenly asked in a low voice, "Was it worth it?"

I sat in the passenger seat, hugging the soft comforters, looking at his broad shoulders. "Was what worth it?"

"Burning bridges with your family over some stuff."

I buried my face in the fabric, breathing in the scent of fresh cotton.

"Carlos, it was never about the money or the gifts. It was about respect. In that house, if I don't fight for myself, I get nothing. They would have chewed me up and spit me out."

Carlos stayed quiet for a long time. It was so long that I thought he was done talking.