Chapter 10
Grace Parrish grew up with the Hawthorne triplets, but they were all bewitched by a girl named Arianna Lynch.
Arianna took away all of the triplets‘ love, which broke Grace’s heart.
To put her relationship with the triplets behind her, Grace married a stranger.
Outside the City Hall, Grace looked at the marriage certificate in her hands absent–mindedly.
She was married?
To a stranger she had only met once.
The certificate was fresh new. The husband’s name on it was Antonio Kaufman. That was all Grace knew about the man.
“When do you think we should hold the wedding? I’m anxious.”
Standing beside Grace, the aloof man fixed his eyes on her.
She thought about it. “In two weeks or so. I need some time to get prepared.”
Antonio smiled thinly. A tad of gentleness showed in his black and intensive eyes. “OK. You don’t have to do anything about the wedding. Just wait for me to pick you up on our wedding day.””
Chapter 10
Grace nodded with a faint smile. “I live in the Hawthorne’s place in the Larkspur Estates. I’ll be waiting.”
Antonio’s thin lips moved slightly. He seemed to have something else to say. Just then, a phone call came, and a Rolls–Royce stopped in front of him.
“Sorry. I gotta go.”
Grace gave him an understanding look, and Antonio got into the car.
His car drove away, became a dot in the distance, and was finally out of sight.
Then, three limos in distinct styles stopped before Grace.
When the doors opened, three men got out. They differed in personalities but looked very much alike.
Alden Hawthorne, the eldest of them, got out first. He strode to Grace with his long legs and airily pushed his gold–rimmed glasses. “Arianna is having a fever. I was taking care of her and didn’t come on time to register our marriage.”
Drake Hawthorne, the middle child of the triplets, had a slim figure and wore a black trench coat. “Weren’t you indecisive about which of us you should marry? It happens we all came late. So, let’s talk about the marriage next year.”
Bryce Hawthorne, the youngest of the triplets, was straightforward and kept a high profile. “Not next year. Give her several years so she can think it over.”
Grace shook her head, took her marriage certificate out of her purse, and smiled.
Chapia i
“I won’t choose from you guys because I’m married.”
The triplets froze. A trace of astonishment flitted across their eyes. They couldn’t believe their ears.
Alden squinted his cold eyes with a frown. “Grace, are you scaring us because we stood you up for Arianna?”
The smile in Drake’s eyes vanished instantly. “We look after Arianna because she saved our lives in a car accident. You know we like you. It’s always you. You’re from a powerful family. Don’t be so petty.”
Bryce pulled his tie. A tinge of cruelty was detected in his unruly face. “The whole Orlea City knows we like you. Who would have the guts to marry you except us? He would be dead meat! Grace, when did you learn how to fabricate marriage certificates?”
With that, he snatched the marriage certificate away from Grace and tore it into pieces.
He raised his hand and tossed the pieces into the air. They scattered across the ground.
Grace looked at him in disbelief. She wanted to say something but managed to keep her mood in check.
She got married today. It was supposed to be a pleasant day. Besides, it was just a marriage certificate. She could get a new
one.
Grace looked at the triplets calmly. “Without the marriage certificate, my marriage still exists. My wedding is set for tw weeks later. You guys are welcome to come.”
The triplets exchanged a glance. They saw disbelief in each other’s eyes.
The three of them shared the same thought. They all believed Grace was playing hard to get.
Drake took a few steps forward and declared coldly, “This trick is getting old.”
“It’s not a trick.”
“Fine. It’s not, OK?” Bryce cut in perfunctorily. “You’re married? How could you lie like that? I’ll see what you do in two weeks.”
With a frown, Alden was about to speak when his phone rang urgently.
He answered, and they heard Arianna’s feeble crying voice.
“Alden, Drake, and Bryce, why did you suddenly disappear? I feel awful…”
The triplets‘ expressions changed. Panic was plain on their faces.
Alden’s tone softened at once. “Arianna, I came out to buy your favorite food. I’ll go back immediately.”
“Arianna, don’t be afraid. I’m on my way.”
“Arianna, wait for me.”
The call ended, and the triplets got into their own cars respectively, started the engines, and drove home.
None of them offered to take Grace home.
Chapter 10
She was left there alone.
Her hair danced in the cold wind, and her vision gradually became blurry.
Watching the three cars zoom off, Grace smiled wryly. Somehow, she had a sense of loss.
She didn’t understand how things between her and the triplets became like this.
When Grace was seven, her parents died in an accident. Afterward, she was raise by the Hawthorne family. The two families had been friends for generations. Grace’s engagement was arranged when she was little.
That day, she came to the Hawthorne’s house for the first time. In a princess dress, she looked soft and sweet. The Hawthorne brothers fell for her at first sight.
They fought for her nonstop and wanted her to be their wife the first time they saw her.
Their parents had thought it was just a childhood crush. However, the crush didn’t pass. The boys still competed for her after they became adults.
Grace was precious to them. She was the apple of their eye. If a boy got close to her or wrote her a love letter, they’d fight him to death.
When they grew up, Alden became the heir to the family. Drake became the best actor in the world. And Bryce bec ne a superstar in electronic sports. They had different personalities but were all attracted to Grace. None of them would withdraw from the competition.
Chapter 10
Baffled, their parents decided to let Grace marry one of them on her 22nd birthday.
That was today.
They were supposed to get their marriage certificates at the City Hall today. Grace came, but the triplets, who had said she was their one and only, didn’t show up.
They broke their pact because of Arianna.
Arianna was the daughter of the Hawthorne family’s new domestic worker. As soon as she moved in, she racked her brains to design encounters and impress the triplets.
She made cookies for them, reminded them not to skip meals, and delivered medication for gastritis to them on a rainy day.
To her dismay, these tricks were cliches to the boys. They remained nonchalant, rejected Arianna as they did other girls, and coldly called her a manipulative bitch. They hated her and didn’t wanna see her.
Then, a car accident happened. Arianna stood before them without hesitation. They were unscathed. But hit by the car, Arianna was sent flying and almost died.
Henceforth, the brothers‘ attitude toward Arianna changed radically.
They became biased in Arianna’s favor and had even hurt Grace repeatedly for her.
When Arianna sprained her ankle, they went to her in a hurry and left Grace alone in the dangerous mountain.
There was one time when Grace had a fever of 40 degrees.
Chapter 10
Then, Arianna played the woman and wanted to go to the amusement park. To grant her wish, the triplets abandoned the feverish Grace.
When Arianna and Grace both fell into the water, they all chose to save Arianna first.
Tons of such things had happened.
Today, they were supposed to register their marriage with Grace, but they all broke their promises.
They had said Grace was the only woman they wanted to marry. They couldn’t live without her. But none of them came today.
Everyone in their circle knew how much the triplets had loved Grace these years.
But now, they had forsaken her. If word went out, the Parrish family would be humiliated.
To keep her dignity, Grace married a random guy.
Now that the engagement was off, she had nothing to do with the triplets from today on.
