Chapter 8 He Doesn't Believe Her

Caleb cried out when he saw Miriam. He started wriggling on the floor to try and get close to her.

Scared, Miriam stepped back in a hurry. Unease crept over her again.

One of the bodyguards strode over, grabbed Caleb by the hair, and dragged him back to the corner of the corridor.

Miriam quickly walked into the lounge.

The room was a complete mess. Most of the furniture had been overturned, and shattered vases and things lay on the floor.

Annette was curled up on the sofa, her curly hair tousled and her wedding dress tattered beyond repair. She was hugging her shins, and her face was buried in her knees. She was trembling like a leaf.

Kayson's face darkened. He dashed over to her and called, "Anne."

Hearing Kayson's voice, Annette jerked her head up. She had been crying her eyes out. Her makeup was beyond ruined, and she looked utterly miserable.

"Kayson..." Annette sobbed and threw herself into his arms. "Where have you been, Kayson? Why didn't you come and save me?"

Kayson raised his hand and gently patted her on the back, his mouth set in a grim line.

He was just with Miriam.

Grabbing onto Kayson's shirt, Annette whimpered, "Today is our wedding, but I was... Where were you when I needed you?"

Kayson wrapped his arms around her waist. Her every word weighed onto his heart like a boulder.

He was consumed with guilt and frustration.

He had vowed to protect Annette. But he failed.

He wanted to try and explain himself, but for some reason, his eyes drifted over to Miriam.

Miriam stood by the doorway, her fingers clutching the door frame like it was some sort of security blanket. She raised her head and stared back at Kayson with anticipation. Their eyes met, but Kayson looked away.

"I'm sorry," Kayson apologized in a low voice. He closed his eyes, hiding all the emotions in them. "It's my fault. I didn't protect you like I said I would."

Miriam blinked, and the expectation in her eyes disappeared in an instant.

She put on a self-mocking smile. Looking at the hugging couple in front of her, she felt a sense of peace that strangely tasted like defeat.

What was she still hoping for? They were about to get married.

Still holding onto Kayson's shirt, Annette buried her head in his arms and wept even harder.

Kayson held her and comforted her patiently. They indeed appeared to be a perfect match.

Feeling a deep ache building in her heart, Miriam looked away and took a small step back in silence. All she wanted at this moment was to leave the room.

"Miriam, help me!" Suddenly, a voice came from the corridor.

Somehow, Caleb was able to spit out the piece of fabric that had been stuffed into his mouth. He shouted, "Miriam! Help!"

Kayson and Annette heard the noise and turned to look in its direction.

As soon as Annette saw Miriam, her face paled even more, as if she had seen a ghost. "No, let me go..."

"Anne..." Kayson called out, holding her tightly in his arms. "Calm down."

Annette shook her head. "What are you doing here at my wedding, Miriam? Do you have anything to do with all this?"

Miriam was stunned. She suddenly realized where the uneasiness in her heart came from.

Wanting to explain, she opened her mouth.

However, Annette grabbed Kayson's collar and questioned him with tears all over her face, "Were you with her just now? Is that why you didn't come to rescue me? Am I right, Kayson?"

Frowning, Kayson said nothing.

Annette widened her eyes in shock. She put one hand over her chest and started gasping for air. Color completely drained from her face.

"Anne..." Kayson held her tightly and then turned to his secretary. "Call the family doctor! Now! Hurry up!"

The atmosphere in the room became even more chaotic and tense.

At this time, Caleb struggled to crawl toward Miriam. One of the bodyguards tried to subdue him. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Help me!"

Miriam stepped aside to avoid him. She asked anxiously, "Why are you asking me to help you? There's nothing I can do."

Before Caleb could answer, one of the bodyguards gagged him again. He stared at Miriam with wide, frantic eyes, as if he was trying to tell her something.

Leaning weakly against Kayson's chest, Annette turned to look at Miriam and murmured, "They know each other..."

She spoke under her breath, but Kayson heard her. Then, a thought crossed his mind. He didn't want to believe it.

He whipped his head at Miriam, who looked innocent. Afterward, he fixed his eyes on Caleb, who appeared to be talking to Miriam.

He narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together in a thin line.

Miriam stiffened. Although Kayson hadn't said anything, she still couldn't help fearing that brewing storm behind his stare.

He looked like he suspected her of something.

"Do you know this man who hurt Anne?" Kayson asked in a voice that was devoid of emotion.

Miriam balled her hands into fists. She wasn't stupid; she could figure out what was going on here.

Annette masterminded the whole thing, and the objective was to frame her.

She and Caleb entered the villa together. As long as Caleb and Annette insisted that she was behind this, there was no way that she'd be able to prove her innocence.

"I haven't done anything to hurt Annette, Kayson," Miriam said, but her words carried no weight.

"You didn't answer my question. Do you know the man or not?" Kayson pressed, his face terrifyingly calm.

Miriam felt her mouth and throat go dry. She paused for a few seconds and then answered, "Yes, he and I..."

"Miriam!" Kayson interrupted her like he always did. He never wasted a second of unnecessary time on her. "Why did you come here at our wedding? What do you want?"

Miriam clenched her fists so hard that her nails dug painfully into her palms. But she didn't feel any pain. She looked at Kayson with dead, gray eyes.

"If I told you, Kayson, would you believe me?"

If he had no faith in her, then what was the point of explaining?

She had no proof, and her word alone wouldn't be enough. He would believe that she was the one behind all this.

Kayson flashed her a hard look, a muscle flickering in his jaw.