Traded For A Brother His Vows Were Lies Chapter 2

A loud buzzing filled my ears.

My body felt as if it had been run over by a steamroller. It wasn't that Owen and I hadn't been close to that step. But every time, at the last moment, Owen would stop, gently cup my face, and tell me.

"Liz."

"You're different to me."

"I cherish you," he’d say. "I want our first time to happen at the most perfect moment."

And I believed it.

I felt so incredibly lucky to have found such a good man in Owen, that he was a blessing, the best luck I’d ever had. Now, I listened to her mockery.

"Owen told me that every time he tried to take things further, he'd look at your face and just… stop. Eliza Reed, have you honestly never wondered why?"

Tears poured down my face. I swallowed the sourness rising in my throat, gazing at the still-lit red emergency light. Before she could say another word, I cut her off.

"If you truly believe Owen loves you," I said. "Fine."

My chest ached with a burning acid, almost unbearable, but I continued, "Then you tell him to call off the engagement."

"If you’re so capable, then stop hiding in the shadows! Make Owen choose you!"

My emotions were spiraling out of control. Before I could say more, a hand grabbed my hair, yanking my head back.

Veronica Davis, Owen's mother, slapped me hard across the face. Before I could even register the pain, she hauled me up and slammed me onto the floor, screaming at me.

"You tramp!"

"If anything happens to my son, you will never pay enough, even if you die a thousand times!"

Mrs. Davis's voice thundered.

Standing meekly behind the Davis family were my own parents. My mother caught my eye, shaking her head, silently begging me to keep quiet, to endure the abuse. I knew they wanted me to submit.

But when Mrs. Davis took off her high-heeled shoe and hurled it at my face, the impact made my nose bleed. I couldn't stop myself.

"Then let's cancel it."

Tears mixed with the blood streaming down my face, but I was defiant.

"I won't marry him."

I looked at my mother.

"I am breaking the engagement with Owen!"

"Oh, you worthless little bitch! You've got attitude now, do you?"

Mrs. Davis raised her hand again, but my mother was faster. She slapped the other side of my face.

"You apologize to Mrs. Davis right now!"

"You tell them that you will never leave Owen as long as he wants you! Never!"

My tears fell thick and fast as I looked at my mother's face. The heartbreak was suffocating. I wanted to tell her why, but she roared at me instead.

"Say it now!"

My mother’s fists rained down on me, each blow a sharp sting that drove me toward a breakdown.

"Say it!"

"Say you’ll never leave him unless he throws you out! Say it, you hear me!"

"Mom!"

I cried out, my eyes red and swollen. Just then, the emergency room light went dark.

Everyone rushed forward to ask about Owen.

But Owen, despite his exhaustion and injuries, pushed past them all, rushing toward me. He tried to pull me into a hug, crying out again.

"I won't let us break up!"

"Liz, please, don't leave me…"