Page 114 of How to Break My Heart 1

Aston holds on to her tighter. “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s… it’s not right,” Maddy stammers, her head shaking. “This doesn’t feel right.”

“It’s just cold feet, Madelina.” Aston tries to soothe her.

“No, Aston. This isnotjust cold feet. I’m not some actress being all dramatic in an audition forWicked. This is my life!” She takes a breath, then releases it. “I’m sick of all these lies!”

“What lies?” Aston questions.

“All the lies. The lies I tell myself, and the lies the two of you insist on telling me. I’ve watched you and Eva hate each other, then like each other, then hate each other again. I saw you change before my own eyes. You, out of all people, mentioned settling down.”

I swallow the lump inside my throat, unsure how to react. The truth has come out at the worst possible time.

Maddy turns to face me with a tearstained face. “You think I didn’t realize you were falling for my brother? Why did you lie to me, huh?”

“I… I, um…” I trail off, lost for words. “I wanted to tell you but—”

“Both of you fell so damn hard right in front of me! Only for me to realize I don’t feel the same way about Myles. From the moment he proposed marriage, something felt forced. Almost like someone was pushing him, but I didn’t listen. I wanted what I thought was a fairy tale, but it’s not. I should have DNF’ed this relationship months ago.”

Aston cocks his head in confusion.

“DNF stands fordid not finish,” I say faintly.

“I lied to myself all along,” she sobs. “I can’t walk down that aisle and marry him. I can’t have children with a man I’m not head over heels in love with.”

The door opens for Patricia, who walks in with concern for her daughter.

“Madelina, sweetheart. We’re running behind.” She notices Maddy’s tears, then frowns. “What’s wrong, honey?”

Maddy shakes her head and chews on her bottom lip as tears continue to fall down her perfectly made-up face. Patricia reaches out to embrace Maddy. She holds on with a vacant stare, then glances at Aston with a pained expression. They stand together for minutes on end with Maddy crying openly. I keep my distance from Aston, unsure what to do after Maddy revealed the truth about us.

But right now, this isn’t about him or me.

The door opens again, this time much louder, with a thud. I don’t have to turn around to know who is breathing heavily behind me.

“What the hell is going on here? People outside are whispering,” her father barks.

“I’m sorry, Dad. I won’t marry Myles.”

Mr. Beaumont clenches his hands into fists, rage seizing him as he shouts, “Youwillmarry him. Do you understand me, Madelina? There is too much riding on this!”

Maddy cowers, scared by his vicious words. I straighten my shoulders. I may be nothing to him, but it doesn’t make me any less of a person. For once in his life, someone needs to tell him to shut the hell up and stop acting like the biggest asshole to ever exist.

When I’m about to open my mouth, Patricia beats me to it.

“No, Harvey. I willnotforce our daughter to marry some man she isnotin love with,” she states adamantly.

An evil laugh escapes him. “And what is love, Patricia? Is love sneaking behind my back with some poor man who works in the stables? Birthinghisson, notmine?”

Patricia curls her lips, showing her teeth. “A man who has more integrity and compassion than you will ever have in your lifetime.”

He moves closer, pointing his finger in her face. “You and your son are nothing without me!”

My eyes blink repeatedly, trying to understand what is happening here. I glance back and forth, only realizing now what Mr. Beaumont has revealed. Maddy has stopped crying, and as for Aston, he stands in complete and utter shock.

But then, something clicks.

His muscles and veins strain against his skin, and a guttural roar passes his lips. I’ve never witnessed him this angry, and I’m scared to see this side of him. This isn’t a momentary reaction—this is a lifetime of being made to feel like he would never be good enough to carry the Beaumont name.