The Dust Has Settled, And Our Debts Repaid

I was forced into an arranged marriage with Brandon Fuller, and he escaped 99 times. The first time, I was left alone at the beach as I waited for the whole night. The second time, he switched places with a homeless man and left me alone on the stage in humiliation. Brandon finally gave in on the 99th time. However, when I went to him with my wedding dress in my arms, I overheard his conversation with his friends. “Brandon, are you really going to marry your true love seven days later? What about your arranged marriage, are you going to escape that?” Brandon snorted. “I must marry Poppy! As for arranged marriage, I’ll just simply host a fake wedding for her! “She’s the one who caused my older sister’s death! Even though I was in love with her for seven years, she deserves to be stood up!” I froze. It turned out his promise was fake. I turned around without any hesitation. Then, I called home. “Mom, I’m still having that wedding, but please find a new husband for me.” Chapter 1 I sat on the cold ground with the hem of my wedding dress covered in soil. Brandon Fuller looked down at me aloofly. “Aspen, do you know how pathetic you look right now? You’re such an idiot! Do you really think I’ll marry you today?” I heard snorts and snickers behind me. Everyone was watching and laughing at this. Brandon said with sharp eyes, “But I have completed my revenge. Aspen, this is the last time I’m going to do this to you! I’ll marry you next time.” After he said that, he turned around and left. I was expressionless as I stared at him leaving. I had gone numb from all these tortures. I sneered and thought to myself, ‘Brandon, this is also the last chance I’m giving you.’ However, on that same night, I overheard Brandon’s conversation with his friends. The words pierced through my heart like a dagger. Without hesitation, I called my mother. “What? Find you a new husband? Aspen, weren’t you in a seven-year relationship with Brandon? Why—” “Let’s get Samuel Newton to be the groom.” I interrupted my mother. My mother was immediately surprised. “I thought you didn’t get along with him. Aspen, are you sure you’re going to marry him?” “Yes.” After that, I ended the call. Tears welled up in my eyes. Nine years ago, Brandon was hopelessly in love with me. When I had to get an IV drip, he stayed the night in the hospital with me. He would drop everything and travel overseas just because of something I said. He even donated his kidney to me. Everyone thought that we would be together forever, until an accident killed his older sister, Holly Fuller. I tried to defend myself, but he kicked me ruthlessly and ground his foot on me. “Why are you still pretending, Aspen? Don’t you just want that spot for the best postgraduate programme? Just tell me that you want it! I can buy it for you! Why did you kill Holly over it?” His eyes were bloodshot when he shouted, “She’s practically your sister too! Aspen, I hate you. I’ll never be with you ever again.” I had remembered what he said for a long time. I did not expect to be in an arranged marriage with him two years later. Chapter 2 Brandon suddenly opened the door at the same moment. He smashed a wine glass onto the floor. The glass shards cut my cheek, and blood immediately oozed out. “Aspen, you’re finally going to marry me. Aren’t you happy now?” he glared at me as he said coldly. “Don’t worry, even if we get married, I will not touch you. That seven-year relationship was nothing but a joke!” My knuckles turned white. I slowly removed the glass shards from my face. “Alright, as you wish.” I had no words to say anymore. It was useless trying to convince him. He would not believe me, and he would not look into it either. The next day, I sat by myself in the car and wanted to leave. “Ms. Anderson, are you really not going to wait for Mr. Fuller? Aren’t you going to view wedding dresses together?” “No, thanks.” After I said that, I stepped on the gas and went to the bridal shop. Ten minutes later, the car stopped. When I was about to open the door, the shopkeeper stopped me politely. “Ms. Anderson, I’m sorry. Our shop is closed for a private event today. Please come another day.” I was stunned. A private event? The next second, I saw a familiar figure. In the bridal shop, Brandon was holding Poppy Taylor’s foot as he carefully planted a kiss on it. “Poppy, I won’t marry her. I only love you, do you know that?” “Who would like someone who killed their older sister?” Poppy said sarcastically. However, she suddenly caught my gaze. “Brandon, look who’s here.” After she said that, Brandon finally looked up and glared at me. “You’re here to accompany me in trying out wedding dresses. Are you really going to let her in?” My fingernails dug into my palm. I was about to turn around and leave. The shopkeeper suddenly grabbed my hand. “Ms. Anderson, Mr. Fuller says you may enter.” I did not hesitate and went in directly. After all, I was here to retrieve my wedding dress. Even though I had switched the groom, I still wanted a beautiful wedding dress. However, I had just entered when I saw Poppy cutting up a luxurious wedding dress with a pair of scissors. “How dare you display such an ugly wedding dress!” Chapter 3 I snatched the wedding dress over and slapped Poppy forcefully. I had spent a lot of money and pulled all-nighters for a month to design this wedding dress. “Aspen, how dare you?” Brandon’s face immediately fell. He carefully wrapped his arms around Poppy. “I didn’t think you’d still be so vicious after two years.” A hint of disgust flashed in his eyes. “Security!” After he said that, his bodyguards surrounded me and grabbed my wrist. My face turned to the side from the impact of the slap. “Aspen, you shouldn’t have touched her, do you understand me?” Brandon glared at me as though he was looking at a dead person. My heart throbbed in pain. He sounded like that when I was bullied nine years ago. “I’ll make whoever gets close to Aspen and bullies her suffer!” That person only touched one of my fingers, and Brandon broke all ten of his and locked him up in a freezer for three days. One of the bodyguards slapped me again. My cheeks turned red and swollen. “Brandon, let’s just… forget about it. After all, I was the one who cut her wedding dress…” Poppy pretended to be understanding as she sounded pitiful. “I’ve said before that anyone who dares to harm you will have to pay a thousand times more, even if that person is my fiancee.” Brandon sounded extremely cold. “Continue!” The bodyguards kept slapping me. My cheeks were burning in pain. Brandon just silently watched. Finally, after a long time, he finally said, “Stop.” The bodyguard immediately released me. I fell onto the floor, and the pain was brutal. “Ah…” “Poppy, let’s go.” Brandon did not even look at me. He held Poppy’s hand and wanted to leave. That night, I lay on the hospital bed with ice bags on my cheeks. “Aspen, your nemesis… Samuel. He said he wants to meet you.” My older brother, Martin Anderson, told me over the phone. I smiled. Was Samuel planning to laugh at me? “I’m not meeting him.” Martin paused. Then, he sounded a little hesitant when he said, “Even though you’ve fought for many years, he doesn’t actually dislike you. In fact, he…” He paused. “Aspen, he just doesn’t know how to show that he cares.” I frowned as I did not understand what Martin was saying. “I’m tired, I’ll see him at the wedding venue in seven days.” Chapter 4 After I ended the call, I stared at the ceiling silently. Nine years ago, Holly was killed in that fire. Everyone was affected, and I was the only one without an alibi. The police investigated for an entire night and finally claimed that they suspected that I was behind the fire. The reason they quoted was because of the slot for the best postgraduate programme. I laughed in disbelief, but no one believed me. I had cried, made a scene, and even tried to prove my innocence by attempting suicide, but Brandon stopped all of my attempts. “Aspen, don’t try to use death to gain my sympathy. “I won’t forgive you just because you die, do you understand me? From today onwards, I have nothing to do with you.” From then on, I had completely given up. I went overseas to study for two years. It was until I returned to the country that I learned that I was forced into an arranged marriage with him. Brandon suddenly opened the door to my hospital ward and glared fiercely at me. “Where did you hide Poppy? Why did she suddenly disappear?” After he said that, he choked me, and I could not breathe. “I… I didn’t.” Blood drained out from my face. However, Brandon kept squeezing down. “If you don’t tell me, I’m going to kill you.” He did not sound like he was kidding. I opened my mouth, but I could not say a word. “Do you really think I wouldn’t dare to kill you?” Brandon sneered. The next second, he tightened his grip even further. Just when I was about to suffocate, he suddenly let go and threw me on my hospital bed. “Aspen, I didn’t think you’d still be the same vicious killer!” Brandon’s voice turned hoarse. “But I still can’t bring myself to kill you. “Don’t worry, Aspen, I’ll no longer love you.” I felt hurt. His words were like salt on my wounds. Tears started to stream down my cheeks. “Brandon, how many times do I have to prove myself to you?! You’d rather trust someone else than me! “Now that Poppy’s missing, the first person you’re suspecting is still me! I’ve been lying here in this hospital all along, how could I possibly leave to kidnap her?! Forget it, just do whatever you want!” After I said that, I calmed down. Chapter 5 Brandon clenched his fist and slammed it against the table. “Security, bring her away,” he said coldly without a hint of emotion. They pulled out every single needle and tube in me. Blood splattered out, and I bore with the pain. I was then forced into a car. When I saw that the road was getting unfamiliar, I was shocked. “Where are you bringing me, Brandon?” “To the hospital, of course.” He sneered, and his tone was as cold as ice. The car slowly came to a stop. I saw a huge luxurious private hospital before me. At this deserted place, no matter what he did to me, no one would find out. “Brandon, I’m begging you, please look into the matter before torturing me. Please…” I looked at him with desperation in my eyes. “Look into it?” Brandon seemed like he had heard a joke. “I don’t have to look into anything when it comes to you.” The basement was very dark and cold. I was tied to a cold electric chair, and I could not move. “Where’s Poppy?” Brandon did not even look up when he toyed with the remote control in his hand. I did not speak. I did not explain either. It was… completely useless. He would not believe me. “Not talking?” At that moment, Brandon pressed the remote control ruthlessly with bloodshot eyes. “Ah!” I started to twitch and convulse. Even breathing was hard. “Is it not enough that you killed my sister? Now, you’re trying to kill another person who’s important to me? Aspen, am I too forgiving toward you?” Brandon’s words felt like poison to my system. “Well? Speak!” The current was numbing my body. A sense of hopelessness rose in me. However, he did not seem like he was going to stop. “Mr. Fuller, if you continue to shock Ms. Anderson, she might really die… Should we tone it down?” His assistant could not help but voice up. “Shut up!” Brandon kicked his assistant. “She’s all mine. You don’t have to worry about her.” After he said that, he glared at me with cold eyes. At the same time, his phone started to ring. Poppy’s name showed up on the caller ID! Chapter 6 “Poppy! Where are you now? Are you hurt?” Brandon’s voice was trembling as he asked carefully. “Huh?” Poppy was stunned. “I’m not hurt. I went to a mountain to… prepare gifts for you. There’s no signal up there. That’s why you couldn’t reach me for the whole day.” At that moment, Brandon suddenly froze. He then frantically turned off the remote control and stopped the torture. The currents immediately stopped. I grimaced and looked at him mockingly. “Brandon? Are you alright?” Poppy asked hesitantly. “I’m fine… are you hurt?” Poppy immediately started to sob. “Brandon, in order to pick that flower for you, the rocks cut my legs. I’m bleeding a lot now. I have just gotten them bandaged in the hospital.” Brandon’s expression immediately changed. “Send me your location. I’ll come over now!” After he ended the call, Brandon finally shot me a glance. “I’ve misunderstood you earlier.” He sounded tense, but his eyes were still cold. “But it’s because of you that I delayed my plans in finding Poppy! Otherwise, my men would’ve located her a while back!” I smiled mockingly and stared silently at him. I did not say a word. “Keep her here. If something happens to Poppy, she has to be responsible!” Brandon instructed the bodyguards coldly. However, he personally untied the contraptions on me and passed me a clean towel. After he did that, he turned around and left. The towel fell onto the floor. My eyes were cold when I stepped on it, as though it was trash. I no longer cared about Brandon’s love and apology. I was left alone in the basement. It was dark, so I could hardly see anything. After a long while, the door cracked open, and light poured in. “Aspen!” Samuel, who used to call me an idiot, looked at me as he trembled. He ran toward me and carefully wrapped me in his arms. “Silly, don’t you know how… afraid I was of something happening to you? You look so pitiful, and I feel so bad.” I looked at his face as my vision started to blur. Then, I lost my consciousness. “Aspen, I’ll… make him pay for this.” Samuel walked toward the light and carried me out of the basement.