Chapter 1205:

But Elena only felt repulsed. Her frown deepened, her voice cold and flat. “Torin, what is this supposed to be?”

Torin arched an eyebrow and let out a low chuckle. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m proposing. I’ve said it before—I like you. I’m not angry about your little games, but you do owe me for all the damage you’ve caused.” He paused, then smiled. “And you can start by marrying me.”

Those who had assumed Torin’s proposal was nothing more than a charade now looked at Elena with something else in their eyes—envy. This was Torin: gorgeous, magnetic, with a gaze that made women forget how to breathe. And he wasn’t just anyone. He was the head of the Duncan family, the most powerful duke in all of Yoswye.

Women dreamed of landing Torin, but he was infamous for his wild moods and his complete disinterest in romance. People loved to daydream that they would be the one to change him, the—

One woman who would finally break through his walls and get him down on one knee—that was all it ever was, a fantasy. Nobody in their right mind tried to cross Torin. So when a woman actually got him to propose, everyone was stunned. Shock gave way to envy, thick and bitter.

Elena, though? She looked at Torin like he was dirt beneath her heel. His smile didn’t charm her—it made her skin crawl. She didn’t even hesitate. “I don’t like you,” she said, flat as stone.

The whole room gasped. She had actually turned Torin down.

Tinsley let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her shoulders dropped, and her chest eased just a little.

Lance’s grin stretched ear to ear. He was clearly enjoying every second of Torin’s humiliation. What had Torin been thinking? Proposing to Elena? The man had lost it.

Torin’s smile stiffened. His eyes narrowed like blades. “You might not like me now,” he said in a low voice, “but you will someday.”

Elena caught the warning in his words and the sharp edge in his stare, but she didn’t flinch. No one controlled her. Not even Torin.

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With the music still playing in the background, Elena turned on her heel and walked away without looking back.

The band kept playing, clueless to the tension that hung in the air like smoke.

The guests stood frozen, none daring to speak. They had all witnessed it—Torin, shot down in front of everyone. Now, no one wanted to risk his wrath.

Torin remained on one knee in the middle of the massive hall, holding the ring she hadn’t even glanced at. The silence was brutal.

The music, meant to celebrate a “yes,” now played like a bad punchline. Each note only made Torin’s rejection feel louder.

Torin stood, tossed the ring into the nearest trash can without a second thought, and strolled after Elena as if he hadn’t just been humiliated. He had braced himself for this outcome—it had been a test, one that had crashed and burned. Elena hadn’t hesitated to reject him, even after he had taken a bullet for her. How cold-hearted.

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