Ch. Three Husbands, One love it wasn’t me 7 Three Husbands, One love it wasn’t me 7

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Chapter 7 

“Sebastian, Julian, Nathaniel… I know I’m just the butler’s daughter. I don’t have Miss Caldwell’s beauty, her status, her pedigree. So I learned early to accept my place–to never hope for things that could never be mine. But then you came into my life… and you said you loved me. For the first time, I dared to hope.” 

“I’ll never forget how you left Miss Caldwell alone at the campsite that night, driving back just to comfort me after a nightmare. I’ll never forget the Northern Lights you showed me on my birthday, pretending it was a ‘business trip.‘ And I’ll never forget how you gave me your blood, your kidney–how you nearly died for me…” 

“By the time you see this, I’ll be standing on the rooftop of Caldwell Group. I know one of you must marry Miss Caldwell. But the thought of you becoming her husband–of you cutting me out of your lives forever–it’s tearing me apart.” 

“I know you don’t want this. I know you’re only agreeing to the alliance to protect me from your families. But I refuse to let you chain yourselves to a lifetime of misery for my sake. So today… I choose to set you free. After I’m gone, you’ll have no more shackles. Follow your hearts. Love… whoever you truly want.” 

The five–minute video ended abruptly, plunging the grand hall into dead silence. 

Every guest stared, wide–eyed, at Sebastian, Julian, and Nathaniel–everyone except Evelyn. 

When the video first played, her mind had gone blank. But now, remembering Daphne’s state before she left home, none of this surprised her. 

She studied the three men below the stage–frozen as if struck by lightning–and the elders beside them, trembling with rage. A quiet sigh escaped her. 

The hardest hit wouldn’t be her parents–who, knowing her true fiancé, would only feel relief–but the close family friends who’d watched her grow up, those who’d genuinely believed their sons would cherish her. 

After tonight, none of them would ever propose a marriage alliance again. 

Just as she predicted, the elders snapped into action. Bodyguards swarmed in, restraining Sebastian, Julian, and Nathaniel as they tried to bolt for the doors. 

“You will NOT leave!” roared Mr. Jasper Whitmore, slamming his cane down. “This is Evelyn’s birthday! You disgrace yourselves— humiliate her–then run to that butler’s daughter? Over our dead bodies!” 

But the three men were beyond reason. The moment they’d heard “suicide,” the world had narrowed to one thought: Get to Daphne. 

They shrugged off the jeering crowd, the furious patriarchs, the wall of guards- 

“Is a party more important than a life?” Julian snarled, ripping off his suit jacket: “If Daphne dies because you stopped us, none of us will EVER marry Evelyn!” 

A wine bottle shattered against the marble floor. Chaos erupted. 

As the trio fought their way out, Evelyn watched from the stage, her lips curling in a bitter smile. 

Even in this second life, they’d chosen Daphne over everything. 

She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart hammer–not with pain now, just a dull, heavy ache. 

Below, whispers exploded, “All three of her childhood sweethearts all picked a butler’s daughter over her? Christ, Evelyn’s been utterly humiliated.” 

“And on her birthday! The grooms fled, the venue’s wrecked–is she about to have a breakdown?” 

Evelyn ignored them. Calmly, she took the microphone. “My apologies for the disruption,” she said, her voice clear. “But since you’re all here… I’m pleased to announce my wedding to Liam Sinclair of the Silverpine Sinclairs will take place in two days. Your presence would honor us.” 

The gasps were louder than the chaos that preceded them.