Chapter 2

On my way home, I bumped into our next-door neighbor.

She looked at me in shock.

"Aren't you supposed to be getting married today? Why are you back so early?"

Hearing the wedding mentioned again didn't hurt as much as before.

I just smiled calmly. "Everything wrapped up early, so I came back."

Though confused, she didn't pry further.

Instead, she handed me a small wrapped gift box she had prepared.

"Julian has been protecting you since you were kids. He even gave up his family inheritance just so he could marry you."

"You two have to stay happy together, okay?"

He really did only have eyes for me back then.

He had rejected an arranged corporate marriage and gave up his claim to the family business just to be with me.

Yet ever since Sienna showed up, everything had twisted beyond recognition.

My grip on the gift box tightened.

My heart gave a faint, painful shudder.

Still, I smiled at her. "Don't worry, Mrs. Evans. He's going to be very happy."

Just... not with me.

Back at the house, I started packing my bags to leave.

I noticed Sienna's handbag sitting half-open on the desk.

I didn't have a habit of going through other people's stuff, but just as I turned to head to my bedroom, a flash of red caught my eye.

A marriage certificate.

The bold letters stung my eyes.

My hands trembled as I pulled out the document.

I opened it.

Julian and Sienna's smiling photo was right there on the page.

The registration date was exactly one month ago—on my birthday.

That day, Mom used her usual excuse that I failed to book her time, taking Sienna to a hot spring resort instead.

I was disappointed, but I didn't make a scene; I had grown numb to being let down.

Yet that entire night, Julian had ignored my texts too.

I waited all night, but he never showed up.

It wasn't until dawn that he dragged himself through the door and pulled me into an exhausted embrace.

"Chloe, let me hold you for a second to recharge."

Seeing how drained he looked, I forgot to ask where he had been.

I completely overlooked the faint scent of jasmine clinging to his collar, and the faint reddish mark on his neck.

Tears finally spilled over, hot and uncontrollable.

I was the only fool kept in the dark the entire time.

Once my tears dried, I expressionlessly put the certificate back.

Just as I stepped out of the study, I ran straight into Julian.

"Chloe, please don't be mad, okay?"

He had run all the way here; beads of sweat lined his forehead.

He reached out to grab my hand, but I sidestepped, letting his fingers brush empty air.

He froze.

Soon, he sighed and loosened his tie impatiently.

"I know you're hurt. But the booking system is your family's rule. I couldn't just break it."

"Don't worry. Even if the ceremony went to Sienna, you have to believe me—you're the only one I love, and you're the only one I want to marry."

Seeing my silence, he sighed again, his voice carrying a hint of compromise:

"In three days, let's go register our marriage, alright?"

The floating text rolled across my vision again:

[Oh, sure, you only love Chloe! Doesn't stop you from knocking Sienna up though, does it?!]

The stinging pain in my chest finally faded into nothingness.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

When I opened them again, there was only cold detachment in my gaze.

"Congratulations on becoming a father."

"Now stop bothering me."