Dear Ex-wife, Marry Me novel Chapter 2024

She felt nauseated, her skin crawling with disgust. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined her parents and Mark conspiring together like this.

It was her own fault, really, for being too soft-hearted, never suspecting they would team up against her, especially not in such a despicable manner. She waited bitterly for Mark, but for him, this moment had been a long time coming, and he was not about to let it slip through his fingers.

In his eyes, Shirley was a traditional girl. When they first got together, she had made it clear she didn’t want to rush into intimacy. She had hoped to wait until they were discussing marriage. It was precisely because of her perseverance in this matter that Mark found her so irreplaceable. In this day and age, finding someone who sticks to their principles is rare; even he couldn’t claim to do the same. He was determined to keep Shirley by his side, no matter what it took.

His kiss landed on Shirley’s lips, then moved to her neck. Shirley’s pupils contracted sharply, but the inherent strength disparity between men and women, compounded by her drug-affected state, left her powerless.

"Ugh..." She didn’t know where the drugs had come from; everything was a blur, all her surroundings seemed like wavering landscape paintings. "Get off..." Her fingernails nearly bled from scratching at the door, but no matter how she struggled, all was silent outside.

Mark grasped her waist firmly, ready to take the final step. Suddenly, a loud thud against the door echoed from outside. Before anyone could react, the door was kicked open with a forceful blow. Abner, bruised and battered, witnessed the scene before him and grabbed a vase from nearby, hurling it at Mark’s head.

Shirley was quickly released, and she crawled to the side, wrapping herself tightly in a bedsheet. Abner pounced on Mark, his fists raining down blow after blow, distorting his face beyond recognition.

Outside, Mr. and Mrs. Davis were shouting. “If you don’t stop this instant, we’re calling the cops!” Abner, as if deaf to the world around him, kept pounding his fists into Mark. Mark spat out blood, along with two teeth. He was so close; why did Abner always have to ruin his plans?

He tried to rise, grabbing a chair to strike Abner. But Abner dodged smoothly, kicking him into the wall. Mark felt a sharp pain in his back, coughing up more blood. Mr. and Mrs. Davis hurried in, looking furious. “Abner, what in the world do you think you’re doing? This is a family matter. If you don’t stop now, we’re really going to call the police. You’re about to graduate, do you really want to get expelled over this?”

The darkness in Abner’s eyes deepened as he picked up a shard of the broken vase, aiming for Mark’s throat, only for Shirley to grab his hand. “Abner, Abner, stop.” “Let’s go home. I don’t want to be here anymore.” Shirley’s voice trembled, but she carefully removed the shard from his grasp. His grip was so tight, the shard had cut into his palm, leaving it bloody.

Shirley’s mind cleared in an instant, pressing his hand against her cheek. “Stop, please stop.” Abner’s blood smeared on her cheek, and he gently wiped it away with his sleeve. Shirley’s eyes flickered between clarity and confusion, clutching his hand tightly. “Let’s go back. No more fighting.”

It was then Mrs. Davis spoke up, “And what about you and Mark...” Abner said nothing, simply lifting Shirley in his arms. At that moment, no one else could make Shirley feel safe but him.