The Avenger in the West
Chapter 1
My fiancé, Chloe, and I were kidnapped on
our pre–wedding trip.
The kidnappers demanded Chloe’s location,
but I refused to betray her, enduring 100
hours of brutal torment.
Chloe, using her family’s resources, found me,
broken and battered.
She went on a rampage, vowing to put those
men in jail. They begged for mercy, crying,
“Ms. Carter, Mr. Shane Miller made us do it!
Are you going to put him away too?”
Chloe hesitated, her face a mask of conflict.
Shane Miller–Chloe’s first love, her “white
moonlight,” gone for five years.
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That moment, I knew Chloe and I were over.
I woke up in the hospital and canceled the
wedding.
- 1.
“Hi, I’d like to cancel my marriage
registration.”
I recited my ID number and appointment date
to the clerk.
Silence. Then, hesitantly, “Mr. Evans, your
date was scheduled by Ms. Carter. She
wanted to get married on the anniversary of
your first meeting… Cancelling means you’ll
have to wait another year.”
A crushing pain squeezed my chest, blurring
my vision.
“Cancel it.”
Seeing my resolve, she agreed.
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As I confirmed the details over the phone, I
surveyed the empty hospital room. Cold.
Empty. My heart sank.
“Ethan, you’re awake?”
Startled, I turned to see Chloe.
After more than ten days, she was still
radiant, her face glowing.
I saw my reflection in the window
swollen,
bruised, festering wounds. I barely looked
human.
“Why’d you call so soon? The doctor said you
were seriously injured, needed rest.”
She acted like nothing happened, expertly
settling me back into bed, tucking the
blankets around me. Her pretty eyes held
what seemed like concern and love.
“The doctor said your injuries aren’t life-
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threatening. Rest is key. As for your legs…
surgery’s best scheduled in six months, once
you’re stronger…”
“Chloe, did you even visit me while I was
unconscious?”
My cold question stopped her mid–sentence.
Her eyes flickered away. “Of course I did.”
I knew she was lying. This sterile room was
devoid of any trace of her presence.
Last year, when I was hospitalized for
stomach pains, Chloe nearly tore the hospital
apart. She tracked down top surgeons,
practically wrestled doctors into operating,
causing chaos. Even after discovering it was
just a simple case of gastroenteritis, she
stayed by my side, filling the room with
supplements and gifts. She even had flowers
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delivered daily, claiming it improved my mood.
It’s been two weeks since the kidnapping.
She hadn’t visited once.
The deep love I felt vanished the moment I
heard Shane’s name.
But I was tortured for her, left broken and
crippled. What did it matter?
Chloe’s hesitation when she heard Shane’s
name, the pained look she gave me
– it
choked me.
“Leave…”
I choked back a sob, turning away.
Chloe panicked. “Ethan, don’t misunderstand.
I couldn’t get away.”
“Shane… he had his reasons for leaving. He
hasn’t been well since, he has severe
depression. He needs me…”
