Chapter 4

Alex and I were, to put it simply, an arranged marriage.

Seven years ago, he came to my family with his father, asking for my hand.

I'd been secretly in love with him since childhood. That day, seeing the deep affection in his eyes as he said he loved me, it felt like a dream.

We were happy for about six months after the wedding.

Then, on his birthday, six months later.

I'd painstakingly prepared a table full of his favorite dishes, waiting for him to come home.

I waited until deep into the night. He finally stumbled in, drunk.

His expression was one of despair and profound sorrow, a look I'd never seen on him before.

He staggered over, then, with a sweep of his arm, violently knocked all the dishes onto the floor.

I stood frozen by the table, my face aghast.

It wasn't until Alex, in a drunken daze, his face contorted, reached out and grabbed my neck.

His voice was full of hatred and resentment.

"I married you! Why did you still force Genevieve to go abroad?!"

"Why aren't you satisfied? Why aren't any of you satisfied?!"

I stared at the man who had always been so gentle, now behaving like a madman.

My expression was blank. "Alex, what are you talking about?"

His face was tormented, his eyes, brimming with hatred, seemed to want to flay me alive.

"You conspired with my family to kick me out of Thorne Industries, caused my mom to suffer a heart attack and be hospitalized!"

"Then you cut off all our cards, just to make me abandon Genevieve and marry you, didn't you?!"

I didn't understand a single word, yet I felt like I understood everything.

"So, Genevieve is the one you love?"

Alex tightened his grip on my throat, not uttering another word.

My burning love, little by little, plunged into an icy abyss.

I looked at the man before me, my voice trembling uncontrollably.

"So, you never loved me, and you never wanted to marry me?"

Alex stared at me. Under the stark white light, he spoke, word by agonizing word.

"Love you? No. I wish you were dead. I wish all of you were dead!"

It felt like a lightning bolt had struck me.

After a long while, I slowly calmed down, accepting the absurd truth.

I looked at him, then, after a long pause, spoke calmly.

"Alex, I wouldn't stoop to such things."

"And my mother, she would never."

I did love him. I had loved him for so many years.

But I wasn't stupid. I wouldn't demean myself.

My mother had taught me since childhood that you can't force love.

Alex violently shoved me away, then stormed out, slamming the door.

After that, we never knew peace again.