fool
Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Look, Ella is totally whipped. Harry’s got her wrapped around his finger,” a gossiper jeered.

Ella Willow ignored the mocking laughter around her and clung to the sleeve of her fiance, Harry Rhys, begging him to stay. It was their engagement party, but after a call from another woman, Harry insisted on leaving, completely ignoring how it would make Ella look.

Harry’s eyes flickered with a twinge of guilt, but he held firm. He pried Ella’s fingers off his sleeve one by one, breaking the her freshly polished nails. The sharp pain shot from her fingertips straight to her heart.

“Sorry, she needs me” With that, Harry walked away without looking back.

Ella stumbled and fell trying to stop him, dirtying her pristine white dress, Forcing a sanile, she reassured those who rushed to help. “The party’s still on. Hell be back soDIL

As Ella anxiously waited with all the guests, her mind was flooded with memories. She desperately searched for the sweet recollections, the cherished moments she had once held dear. But instead, all she found was a lingering bitterness.

Ella had been orphaned at a tender age, her parents snatched away in a cruel twist of fate. Afterwards, her grandfather, Devin Willow, had stepped up to raise her as his owIL

Devin had carefully selected Harry as Ella’s future husband. As an illegitimate child of the prominent Rhys family, Harry had always struggled to replace his footing. Devin believed this would make Harry more pliable once he was brought into the Willow family through marriage.

At first, Harry came around Ella’s home a lot. Despite lacking feelings for Ella, he dutifully went along with the arrangement. Ella, honoring her grandpa’s wishes, knew the Willow family needed stability.

When Devin’s health took a grave turn for the worse, Ella was gripped by a profound fear of losing her loved ones and being alone once mor Desperate, she clung to Harry, sacrificing her own needs to care for him, blindly believing that loving him unconditionally would secure their future together and bring peace to her grandpa

However, things took an unexpected turn. Harry got involved with Grace Madison, whose mother was once a servant of the Willow family. When Grace’s mother passed away, Devin took pity on her and brought her into their home as Ella’s companion.

Now, Grace was in the hospital after a suicide attempt. When Harry got the call, he rushed over immediately.

“Why the urgency? He isn’t even a doctor, Ella muttered inwardly.

As the night rolled in and the chill set in, there was Ella, planted at the door, shaking in the coki wind. She called Harry repeatedly and sent desperate messages, begging him to return even if just to show his face and wrap up the ceremony. Ella had a whole bunch of guests to deal with and her grandfather, who was sciously ill to reassure. But Harry never responded.

Finally, a message came through [Grace attempted suicide because of you. Can you stop being so selfish and self–centered? I’m not coming back. I need to be here when she wakes up. If anything happens to her, it’s over between us]

Ella stared at the screen in disbelief, her heart breaking. Her fiancé accusing her of Grace’s suicide seemed absurd. All the sacrifices she had made, disregarding pride and status, for companionship, now felt futile. A sharp pain pierced her heart, and she collapsed onto the marble floor, blacking

When Ella woke up, three days had passed. In the spacious hospital room, there was only Hazel Moore, the helper at her house, by her side. “Did Harry leave?” Ella asked anxiously, frustrated about waking up too late and missing her chance with Harry.

Hazel replied, her voice trembling with anger, “That scumbag never showed up in here, Ms. Willow. You had a high fever. It was touch and while.

“So I almost died?” Ella murmured, feeling something inside her break. She grimaced wryly, embarrassed by the realization.

for a

Ella checked her phone, hoping for a call or at least a message from Harry. Instead, she found a news notification: “Ella Willow Ridiculed at Her Engagement Party. The headline struck her like a dagger.

Once a dominant force in Ardbert City, with many suitors pursuing Ella, the Willow family’s influence waned as her pare

parents passed away and her grandpa aged, leaving her standing alone and young. Despite these challenges, the Willow family still commanded respect and could not be

underestimated.

Devin, worried that other men might take advantage of Ella, chose Harry, an illegitimate child, assuming he would be easy to manage. But this time, the seasoned social operator Devin had slipped up in his calculations.

He’s just a jerk, and there’s bound to be plenty of other fish in the sea, Ella thought, attempting to soothe the ache in her heart. However, even Harry – an illegitimate child who had to use the Willow family to get a scrap of clout back home–couldn’t stay loyal to her. Ella didn’t have a clue who che out there might actually be willing to devote themselves to her, through and through.

11:17 AM dd

Chapter I

Suddenly, a man popped up in Ella’s mind. “Wait, isn’t there a fool among the prominent families in Ardbert City?” she asked,

“You mean that guy from the Watson family?” Hazel, ever the well–informed one, immediately recalled the infamous Jaden Watson.

“What’s his situation? Ella asked.

Though Hazel couldn’t understand why Ella was curious, she replied, “Jaden Watson is twenty–six now. His mother was Frank Watson’s late wife, but the poor sod got himself a nasty head injury as a teenager that really did a number on his wits. Before that little accident, he was hotshot number one on Ardbert Cuy’s top young talent list,

“But for the past decade or more, he’s been operating with less than a full deck, if you catch my drift. His father remarried and had another son and daughter. From what I hear, life at the Watson homestead isn’t exactly been a walk in the park for Jaden. So tell me, Ms Willow, what’s got you so curious about him?”

“Well, looks like it’s Jaden’s lucky day. Ella declared, wiping her tears and steeling her resolve to leave her past behind. “Get ready. I’m about to put a ring on his finger,”

Ella was

was no stranger to drawing attention, often barreling healfirst into hold and audacious stunts that left onlookers shaking their heads. When it came to Harry, she’d pull some real donies, paying no mind to what anyone che thought.

But now, with her grandpa knocking on death’s door, Ella was feeling the pressure. Facing the lonely road ahead once the old man passed, she figured marrying Jaden and maybe even popping out a little one could provide her grandpa some comfort in his final hours.

What Ella really needed from Harry wasn’t love, but loyalty and companionship, plain and simple. Honestly speaking, it was not too much to ask for. Since he had cheated on her, Ella reckoned it was high time to stop beating her head against a brick wall. If she hadn’t stared death right in the eye this last go–round and seen the ice in Harry’s veins, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten this wild hair to make such a drastic decision.

She would show Harry that it was his loss for failing to see her true worth. Ella didn’t mind settling for a guy a few rungs below her own station. even a dimwit, as long as it brought some peace of mind to her ailing grandpa and scored her a partner to see her through the golden years.

The Willow family’s procession set off in grand style, heading towards the Watson Villa. Both families were the cream of the crop in Arlbert City, so Ella knew there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell she’ll get shown the door.

Frank’s current wife, Rose Watson, sauntered out to greet the group. Rose was no stranger to the high life, but even she had to tip her hat to the impressive spread of gifts Ella had brought along. “Well, well, if it isn’t Ms. Willow herself, Rose said, sounding downright tickled. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”

*Im here to propose, Ella replied casually.

Rose was taken aback by the response, thinking, ‘After Ella had pursued Harry for over a decade, making a spectacle of herself, now she wanted to marry into our family? I certainly wouldn’t allow my son to marry such a woman‘

Initially, Rose was fit to be tied at Ella’s bold proposal. But then it dawned on her – despite the Willow Family’s recent fall from grace, they still had plenty of coin to their name. And with Ella’s parents gone early and her pour old grandpa on his last legs, marrying her would mean inheriting a tidy sum of assets.

Rose’s hackles lowered a bit at that realization. Maybe letting her marry into our family isn’t such a bad idea – I’ll get my boy hooked up with that Willow money, and then who knows, maybe we could replace a way to cut this poor girl loose down the line, Rose thought schemingly,

Rose’s expression went through a whole range of shifts before she finally cuted on a grin and motioned for Ella to follow her to the backyard. Frank’s father, Aaron Watson, had a real soft spot for classic aesthetics, and the entire villa oozed that vintage style. As they made their v the living room. Ella could hear laughter drifting in from somewhere deeper inside the place.

*Come on, bark like a dog, and we’ll give you a treat

way through

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BEND GIFT