After the CEO Divorced Me, He Wants Me Back (Aveline and Lucas)

"Why did you do this?" Sidney's gaze remained fixed on Fawn, his confusion still gnawing at him.

Tears welled up in Fawn's eyes as she cried, "It's her! She's the one who ruined everything! If it weren't for her, you would have agreed to marry me! I wouldn't have to go through with this arranged marriage. I hate her!" Sidney's frown deepened. "It wasn't her. She never tried to stop anything. I was the one who didn't want to marry you."

"Why?" Fawn's voice trembled with disbelief. "Why didn't you want to marry me? When I proposed it, I saw you hesitate. You were considering it! Why would you change your mind?"

She stared at him, convinced he was lying, that he was defending Maria.

Sidney released her hand, his tone calm. "I have ambitions, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my marriage for them. It's as simple as that."

Fawn shook her head, her voice almost pleading. "I don't understand. It would've been a fake marriage! Why wouldn't you agree? How could you not?"

Sidney replied firmly, "Why shouldn't I refuse? Miss Powell, you've been trying to avoid your arranged marriage through this plan, but did you ever stop to consider what it would mean for me? Do you think your parents wouldn't start pressuring me too?" Fawn was momentarily speechless, her mouth opening and closing without finding the right words.

Maria shot a surprised glance at Sidney.

"Hmm... seems like we were both thinking along the same lines," she mused.

Sidney's tone grew colder. "Miss Powell, you owe her an apology."

Fawn bit her lip, glaring at Maria with venom in her eyes. "I will never apologize to her. Even if I could do it all over again, I'd make the same choice!"

With that, she spun around and stormed out.

"Hmph." Maria let out a cold laugh, her gaze trailing after Fawn with a steely glint.

Sidney looked at her, his brows furrowed. "What do you plan to do?"

Maria's voice was cool as she replied, "Naturally... I'll return the favor."

She wasn't the kind to just let things slide. If someone dared to target her, there was no way she wouldn't strike back.

Sidney didn't say much in response,

but he was still taken aback by the lengths Fawn had gone to. Her

actions were a stark contrast to the sweet, innocent image she usually projected.

After a quick clean-up, the two of them left the hotel. Maria didn't say a word to Sidney and headed straight home.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Once in her study, her fingers flew over the keyboard as she pulled up all the information she could find on the Powell family.

Then, she dug into the details of

Fawn's arranged marriage. The man she was supposed to marry was a real estate tycoon, nearly sixty years old, who had already outlived three wives. Officially, they had all died of illness, but Maria discovered that each one had actually died from abuse.

The tycoon had a twisted hobby-he enjoyed "sharing" women with his son.

The old man from last night was none other than the real estate tycoon.

Fawn wouldn't surrender easily-she would try everything to escape this marriage.

"That won't do," Maria thought. "I'll make sure she goes through with it myself." Nightfall.

Inside the bar, the lights flashed in vivid colors, the music pounding through the air. Fawn sat with her group of friends, downing drink after drink, her face a mask of frustration.

If she couldn't find a way out soon, she'd be married to that old man.

"What now?" she wondered desperately. "What should I do?"

At that moment, one of her friends leaned in with a suggestion. "If you hate the old man so much, why not go after his son? He's about your age. You're stuck with the family either way-might as well pick the younger one."

Fawn seethed with anger, but she had no better options. "How can I achieve that?"

Her friend smirked. "I happen to know where lan will be tonight. You could confront him and explain the situation. If he agreed problem solved."