Chapter153WalkingStraightIntoTheTrap Chapter153WalkingStraightIntoTheTrap +5FreeCoins Anthonydeliveredthetwoslapswithouthesitationormercy.Itwasntaperformance.Itwas clearthatAnthonyheldadeeprespectforCarter.
Everyoneknew Carterwasformidableabroad,butfewunderstoodtheextentofhisinfluence.
PerhapsAnthonyhadwitnesseditfirsthand,whichexplainedhisreverence.
Ontheotherhand, Ashleyhadbeenexpectingsupport.Despitebeingthelessfavoredson,theHudsonswereknowntodefendtheirown.Hedassumedhis fatherwouldbackhim.
However,hewaswrongaboutit.
Youdisgracefulbrat!Mrs.Boltonisfarbeyondyourreach.Apologizeimmediately!Anthonysvoicewascold andunforgiving TheslapsmadeAhsleydizzy.Yet,seeinghisfathersfury,hehad nochoicebuttocrawltomyfeet.
Zohebegan,onlytoreceiveanotherslap.
Whatdidyoucallher?Anthonysnapped.
Ashleyquicklycorrectedhimself.Mrs.Bolton,I…Iwasfoolishandmisledbytheothers.Iapologize.Please,forgiveme.AndMr.Bolton,Ideeplyregretinsultingyourcondition.Iwaswrongineveryway.ForthesakeoftheHudsons,pleasespareme.Iwontdaretooffendyouagain.
IcouldnthelpbutpityAhsleywhenIsawhisswollenface.
Zoeysdeathhadbeentragic.Shehadfallenforamanshethoughtwashertruelove,onlytodiscoverthathewasshallowandunworthy.
Tohavediedforsomeonelikehimwashergreatestmisfortune.
Getup.Isaidindifferently.
Ashleylookedupandwasmomentarilystunnedbythecoldcontemptinmygaze.
Zoeyseyeswould havebeenfilledwithloveandlongingforhim,butthatwomannolongerexisted.
AnthonyturnedtoCarterrespectfully.
Mr.Bolton,mychildrenhavecausedagraveoffensetotheBoltons.Pleasetellmehowyouwishtohandlethis.
Ifounditstrange.
Anthony wasapatriarchofawealthyandinfluentialfamily,yethisdeferencetoCarterwentbeyondrespectitbordered onfear.
ItwasasthoughCarterstoodwayfar abovehim.
IstaredatCarterscomposedprofileandrealizedhewasevenmoreunfathomablethanIhadimagined.

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1/3 ။ Chapter153WalkingStraightIntoTheTrap CarterturnedhisattentiontoLukeand Alisa.Whatsthestorybetweenthetwoofyou? Lukesdemeanorwashollow, asthoughtheeventsofthepreviousnighthaddrainedhimcompletely.
Hisexpressionwasmumb,hiseyesdevoidoflight,likeanoldmannearinghisend.
Heraisedhisheadandmetmygazewithamixofemotions.
Perhapshehadguessedthatlastnightsordealhadbeenorchestratedbyme.However,theoutcomewasirreversiblenomatterhowmuchheresisted.
ComparedtoAnna,marryingAlisawasthelesserevil.
Herfamilybackgroundwasfarsuperior,andheknewhehadnofuturewithme.
Therewouldbeotherwomentooifhedidntchoose Alisa,buthehadnochoicenow.Eventhoughheknewthatitwasatrap,hehadtowalkstraightintoit.
HisgazelingeredonmemomentarilybeforehelookedatCarter.Lastnight,in mydrunkenstate,ImistookMs.Hudsonformylatewife.Iwrongedher.UncleCarter,Ihopeyoullallowmetomakeamendsbymarryingher.
Iwasgladthathewasntfoolishenoughtobringupthedrugs.
Hisresponsewasfarmoredignifiedthan creatingascene.
CartershiftedhisgazetoAlisa.Ms.Hudson,whatdoyouthink? Alisa,whowasdressedimpeccably,lookedeverybittherefinedyounglady.Sheblushedandloweredherheadshyly.SinceIhavebecomeLukeswoman,Imwillingtomarryhim.
Anthonyfrowned.Itwasclearhehadntexpectedhisusuallyintelligentdaughtertomakesuchadecision Hewasveryfondofher,sohespokeinafirmbutgentletone.Haveyouthoughtthisthrough?Mr.Boltonslatewifepassedawaynotlongago.Ifyoumarryhimnow,youllfaceagreatdealofcriticism.Anthonysreluctanceforhisfathertobeinvolvedinthischaoswas understandable.
NolovingfatherwouldsendhisdaughterintotheBoltons,especiallywhenhefearedCarter.HelikelyunderstoodthatLukeheldnorealpowerwithinthe family.
HealsocouldntopenlysaythatLukewasntaniceman Alisa wasnotafoollikeAshley,shekneweverythingthatwashappening.
Iunderstand,Dad.ButIvealreadygivenLukethemostpreciousthingIhave.Itrusthelltreatmewell.LukeglancedatAlisa.Hisgazewasntaffectionate,butneitherwasitdisdainful.
Ms.Hudson,mylatewifespassingisstillfresh.Ifwemarry,itwillbeasimplecivilceremonyIcannotgiveyouagrandwedding.hesaidfaintly.
Alisa clungtohisarmandsmiledsoftly.Iunderstand,Luke.IveheardaboutMs.SanderwhenIwasabroad.Iadmiredheralot.
2/3 Chapter158WalkingStraightIntoTheTrap Afterreturning.Ioftenvolunteeredattheorphanageunderherinfluence.Herdeathinatragedy Lukesexpressionshowedaflickerofsurprise.He hadexpectedsuchwordsfromAlina Meanwhile,AnnaseyesburnedwithhatredasshestaredatAliss.Thenewcomerhadshatteredallher plans.
Ismirked.Lifewasunpredictable.DidAnnathinkthegameshehadsetupwouldplayoutexactlyassheintended? Myrebirthwasthegreatestvariable inthisequation.Shehadlonggonefrombeingtheplayertoanotherpawnontheboard.
SinceMs.HudsonandLukehavenoobjections,Dad,whatdoyouthinkofthismatch? AlleyesturnedtoJeffrey,whohadremainedsilentuntilnow.
HisgazelingeredonCarterandmebeforehefinallycroaked,Ifthepartiesinvolvedhavenoobjections,thenIhavenoneeither.
Hisdissatisfactionwascleartoanyonelistening.
CarterwastheonecontrollingtheBoltonsnow.NotonlyhadAdamsfamily lostallinfluence,butevenJeffreycouldntturnthetide.
IcouldntimaginewhatJeffreywasthinking,but itwasobvioushedisapprovedofCarterandmyextrememethods.
ButhedidntunderstandthesufferingIdendured.Ifanything,Ifearedmyactionswerentextremeenough.Iwantedtorepayeveryounceofpaintheyhadinflictedonmeathousandfold.
Verywell.IfMs.Hudsoniswillingtomarryinto theBoltonsinasimpleceremony,wellsetadate.TheBoltonswillhandlealltheformalitiesproperly.AndsincetheHudsonsandBoltonswillbecomeinlaws,weshouldstrengthenourbusinesstiesmovingforward Uponhearingthat,Anthonysfacelitupwithjoy.Yes,yes!Werefamilyfromnowon.TheHudsonswillberelyingontheBoltonsforsupport.
Cartersstrategywasmasterful.Hestruckwithone handandofferedgoodnesswiththeother.
Originally,Anthonywas worriedaboutAlisamarryingLukewhodidnthaveanypower,butCarterswordseasedhisconcerns.
Lukemightnothavepower,butCarterdid.
AslongasAlismarriedintotheBoltons ,itwouldestablishafamilyconnectionthatheacknowledged.
Whataclevertactic! CarterglancedatAshleynext,Now,letsdiscussaboutyouandMs.Anna.