Page 29 of Forced Innocent Bride By the Bratva

“He’d never do that?” I asked, disappointed by the way she defended him. “Damn, you’re just as naive as you’re pretty.”

“I’m just being realistic,” she said, steeling herself for my response.

“Realistic?” I chuckled dismissively, struggling to suppress the rage swelling within me. “The reality here, Scarlett, is that your precious Liam Callahan is nothing but a dirty little pervert.”

“No.” She shook her head in denial. “You’re wrong. There has to be a mistake somewhere.”

I had to admit that watching her stand up for that son of a bitch only fueled my anger. She was blinded by whatever she felt for that man, and she couldn’t see what was right in front of her.

Scarlett cocked her head to the side, her suspicious gaze locked on mine. “Wait a minute. You’re framing him, aren’t you?”

This was the most ridiculous thing I’d heard all year, and it prompted a smirk to my lips.

“That’s it. You’re trying to paint him as the bad guy here so you can validate the absurdity of your revenge,” she added, her voice rising as though she’d found the missing piece of this little puzzle. “You want me to see you as the victim here, but you and I both know that you’re not.”

I leaned forward, elbows on the table, with a fluid motion. “You’re right. I’m not,” I said, locking eyes with her. “But you know who is? My cousin, Alina.”

Scarlett went silent for a moment, her throat wobbling as she swallowed.

“By the time Liam was done with her, she was so heartbroken that she almost took her own life.” I opened the drawer, withdrew a file, and tossed it over to her side of the table.

“What’s this?” She picked it up.

“Proof that will show you just how naive you’ve been this entire time,” I said, rising to my feet. I watched her skim through the pages, her eyes widening slightly after each flip.

Her breath caught in her throat as she read through the incriminating evidence, including photos that put her precious Liam at the heart of the crime. Her eyes misted, and her lips began to quiver.

“The truth sucks, doesn’t it?” I asked, standing by my floor-to-ceiling window, a hand in my pocket. “You see, Scarlett, people aren’t always who they seem on the outside. You judge me because you think I’m a bad man. I am.” I paused, watching her fidget, flipping through the document with shaky hands. “But in this world, it’s not the likes of me that you should worry about. We’re evil, and everyone knows we are.”

She raised her head, her expression softening with unshed tears in her eyes.

“It’s the ‘good guys’ you should worry about.” I air-quoted the phrase. “They’re the snakes who slither their way into people’s hearts, gaining their trust while killing them slowly. They’re the true definition of wolves in sheep’s clothing.” I paused, letting my words sink in for a moment before continuing. “Do you know the worst part about these guys? You don’t get to know who they really are until it’s too late. But then you can’t get out because you’re trapped—or in your case…married.”

She swallowed hard as though my words had opened her eyes to this harsh reality.

“You should be thanking me; I helped you dodge a bullet…. I saved you from making the biggest mistake of your life.” The slight pause came when I strolled over to her.

She clenched her jaw, fighting back the tears that welled her eyes. “And…and my father?” she stuttered, her voice barely above a whisper. “How’s he involved in this?”

I halted in front of her, my eyes fixed on her sad face. “Your father knew what Liam did to my cousin, and as head of the Irish Mafia, he was supposed to administer the appropriate punishment.” I click my tongue, my tone contemptuous. “But what did he do instead? Sean O’Sullivan rewarded Liam Callahan by giving him his daughter to marry.”

Her breath became heavy, her chest rising and falling as a mix of emotions flashed across her face.

“Not the Callahans, not the O’Sullivans. Nobody reached out to apologize for Liam’s behavior. Not a single soul, and you think that I would sit back and watch you all live happily ever after?” I let out a dismissive laugh. “Liam is lucky that he’s still alive. Although I can’t guarantee for how long.”

Scarlett was still processing this revelation. Her eyes were misted, and her lips trembled as she looked down at the document in her hand. She was confused, unsure of what to believe, but I wasn’t going to make further attempts to explain the situation. The truth was the truth, and I’d rather let her deal with it however she deemed fit.

Chapter 18 – Scarlett

I sat on a worn, wooden bench, its weathered slats leaning against the trunk of an oak tree. The sweet scent of roses, the heady perfume of jasmine, and the subtle tang of freshly cut grass wafted through the air. My gaze swept across the perfectly manicured lawn, drinking in the breathtaking sight of the garden.

Sunlight filtered through the leafy canopy above, casting dappled shadows across the lush greenery and winding path. A gentle breeze brushed against my skin, rustling the petals of flowers as I sat with my hands clasped on my lap.

My mind was still reeling from the conversation I’d had with Daniel last night. A part of me wanted to believe so badly that he made it all up—that the accusations against Liam were false. But how could I deny the evidence that was presented to me? How could I ignore what I saw, what I read in that document?

I saw intimate photos of Liam and Alina together. As if that wasn’t enough, there was also evidence of messages and emails between the two of them showing a progression from flirtation to manipulation and coercion. That wasn’t all; I saw bank statements: transaction records showing large sums of money transferred from Alina’s account to Liam’s, followed by abrupt cessation of payments.

It didn’t make any sense to me. Why would Liam do that?

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