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I’m thankful for Uncle Marc. He took me in. But since college, it’s too much. Telling me what to do, what to think, and who to love.
It’s not his fault. It’s mine.
I let him. I wanted him to do it because I couldn’t trust myself anymore. But…
Nobody is going to save me. Sebastian isn’t going to appear out of thin air and object. Jason isn’t going to have a change of heart. Uncle Marc wants this.
I can only save myself.
“I’m—” I straighten. “I’m not going through with this.”
Jason’s eyes widen. “What?”
“I can’t marry you. I’m sorry.”
“Porca miseria.” Ricarda faints.
“Think about what you’re doing.” Uncle Marc’s face turns red. “Think about our family.”
“I am thinking about our family,” I say. “But I’m also thinking about myself. And I can’t do this.”
“Enough! This wedding will go on as planned, and these two,” Uncle Marc points at Gemma and Mary, “will leave immediately. I knew they were trouble.”
“Uncle Marc, listen to yourself. It has nothing to do with them,” I say. “Don’t you want me to be happy?”
“Your father would roll over in his grave if he knew you were still associating with the likes of them, especially that Barron girl.”
“That’s enough.” Landon draws my uncle back. “Let it go.”
Uncle Marc whirls on him. “Stay out of this. This doesn’t concern you.”
“Like hell it doesn’t. She’s our sister,” Levi says.
“Lil, please.” Jason grabs my arm. “Don’t do this. We can work it out.”
I yank it away. “Work what out? The fact that I don’t love you? That I never have?”
He recoils as if I’ve slapped him. “You don’t mean that. After everything we’ve been through, you’re going to throw it all away? For what?” His gaze lands accusingly on my best friends when it should be on me.
“This isn’t about them. It’s about me making my own choice, for once.” I take a deep breath, willing my voice to soften. “Please try to understand. Be honest. You don’t love me. You love the idea. We would both be miserable. We are not even a ‘we’. You said it yourself, and I did, too.”
He takes a menacing step toward me, but Gemma pushes between us. “Back off.”
“Jay, stop.” Chloe, his sister, bursts through the crowd and grabs Jason's arm, lowering her voice. “You're making a scene.”
“Making a scene? She's the one ruining everything.” Jason yanks his arm free and turns to my uncle. “Marc?”
Landon steps between them, his eyes cold. “I suggest you go. Now.”
“Or what?” Jason’s face twists into an ugly sneer. “You’ll sic your attack dog on me?”
I flinch at the venom in his words. Is this really the man I was going to marry?
“Lilian, you’re not thinking clearly,” Uncle Marc says. “This is just pre-wedding jitters. It’s normal to have doubts, but you can’t let them control you.”
It’s like they don’t listen to me. “No, Uncle Marc. These aren’t just doubts. I can’t go through with this. I won’t marry someone I don’t love.”
“Love?” Jason scoffs. “What do you know about love? You’re a selfish little girl who doesn’t know what she wants.”