Obedience No More He's the One I Deserved novel Chapter 217

Sydney was drowning in charges. Breaking and entering, assault, destruction of property—every crime stuck to her name, and there was no chance she would escape prison this time.

The officers snapped cold cuffs around her wrists. She thrashed with wild kicks and jerks, but they slammed her face-first against the hood of the squad car.

"Let me go! I didn't do anything wrong! You can't just arrest me like this!"

Her voice shredded as she twisted her head to scream, "Dawn! Dawn, how could you do this to me? Austin's going to come after you for this! Aren't you the least bit scared?"

Dawn's laugh rang out sharp and bitter. "Why on earth would I ever be scared of him?"

Sydney gasped, choking on her breath.

Her voice broke as she shrieked, "Don't you dare forget, I am your uncle's fiancée!"

Dawn stepped up close, her gaze hard and cold as steel. "Don't waste your breath telling me you're his fiancée. Even if you were his mother, I would still press charges today. You tried to touch my husband, and that is something I will never forgive."

The cops dragged Sydney off, her heels scraping the ground, while Tony trailed behind toward the station.

Dawn stayed alone in the yard. The place looked wrecked, flowers crushed, decorations ripped apart. What had once been beautiful was now wreckage.

She hadn't even noticed Ethan appear until his hand slid around hers. His voice came soft and smooth, rich as honey. "Don't break your heart over this. If you want, we can plant it all over again. We'll cover the whole yard in flowers."

Dawn shook her head slowly. "That would take too much work."

She turned to him, her eyes sharp and thoughtful. "What I'll never get is why people always dump their pain on others instead of owning it."

Sydney had done it.

Austin had done it too.

"Because blaming others feels easier than facing the truth," Ethan answered.

The golden sun pressed heavy over them, heat clinging to their skin. He held her hand as they walked inside, and the breeze lifted her skirt, brushing the fabric against his pants with every step.

"People like that don't deserve mercy," Ethan said. "The more you give, the more they'll keep taking. The only way to handle them is to stop giving them power."

Dawn cast him a side glance. "Mr. Jackson, sounds like you've had a lot of experience."

"Enough to know."

He eased her onto the couch, his brows lifting with mischief, his handsome face softened with warmth. "Call me honey, and I'll teach you everything I know."

Her lashes fluttered.

"Teach me what, exactly?"

"Anything you want to learn."

His breath spread through the air, so close it stole her strength. His deep tone drew her in until she felt like she might melt.

She gave a faint sound, then whispered, "Are you mad at me? It's our wedding day, and all this chaos happened because of me."

"Was it your fault?"

"No."

Thank you for showing me what's right and what's wrong.

Thank you for proving I am worth loving.

Micah's face held no emotion, his gaze cutting like glass, laced with mockery. "What, are you upset I didn't crash your wedding? Should I have ruined it just to make you happy?"

Dawn had grown used to his biting tone. She laughed under her breath. "I already sent one person to jail today. Do you want to be next?"

"Please. Like I'd ever be scared of you."

"You sure about that?"

This banter was childish.

The silence stretched, heavy, until he finally spoke. His eyes burned with something sharp. "You and Ethan won't ever be happy together."

Dawn's hands clenched.

She couldn't make sense of this kid's hatred.

He'd been gone for days, and she thought he went back home. Yet here he was, appearing only to curse her marriage.

Her voice chilled as she bit back her temper. "Who do you think you are to say that?"

Micah's lips pressed thin, and a storm rolled through his stare. "Because the one he really loves isn't you."

His words were venom, meant to slice her apart. Dawn refused to let them in. She crossed her arms, tossed her phone aside, and scoffed. "You little brat. Didn't anyone ever tell you that tearing apart marriages ruins your own luck? Keep running your mouth and I'll sew it shut myself."

Micah barked out a laugh, sharp and cruel, like her warning was the funniest thing he had ever heard.