Chapter 3

Chloe’s grandmother had arrived in a wheelchair, hooked up to an oxygen tank, clinging to her final breaths.

Chloe's face fell. She shot me a venomous look, then glanced back at Damian.

Damian chimed in with saintly understanding. "Chloe, if this is your grandmother's dying wish, just give it to her. Don't worry about me. A meaningless ceremony won't break my heart."

Grandma Hayes had always treated me like her own grandson. When she found out I grew up as an orphan, she would invite me over for every holiday so I wouldn't spend them alone.

She reminded me to dress warmly when the weather dropped.

When I was sick, she would drag her frail, aging legs up seven flights of stairs to bring me homemade soup and nurse me back to health.

Chloe used to be jealous of how much her grandmother cared for me.

Grandma was the single warm light in my otherwise cold, lonely life.

If seeing us get married was what she needed to go in peace, I was willing to swallow my pride and play along for the ceremony.

But Chloe hesitated. She yanked me aside into a corner, glaring furiously. "What kind of spell did you put on my family? Isn't it enough that my dad hands you promotions? Now even my grandmother is wrapped around your finger! There is no way I'm marrying you!"

I grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away. "She's hanging on by a thread! Can't you grant her this one final wish? I promise you, this is just for show. I'll explain everything to your family afterward."

Chloe violently slapped my hand away. "She's *my* grandmother, not yours! Stop acting so righteous! She might have been nice to you, but you're still an outsider. You have no say in our family business."

"Damian and I have already wasted enough time because of you. I won't make him suffer anymore."

Ignoring my pleas, Chloe dragged Damian toward the front. "I'm going to introduce him to Grandma right now and make him official."

I lunged forward and blocked their path, my voice dropping to a desperate whisper. "She's on her deathbed! You'll break her heart and kill her!"

She froze, a flicker of doubt showing on her face.

I seized the moment, appealing to whatever reason she had left. "I swear it's just a show for Grandma. We won't sign the marriage license. Afterward, I'll take the blame and explain it to everyone. You won't take the fall."

Chloe went silent for a few seconds, then looked up with a calculating smirk. "My dad promised to transfer company shares to me after our first year of marriage. If you want me to play along, you agree to fake this marriage for one whole year. And during that year, you don't interfere with me and Damian. At all."

She was literally telling me to smile while she cheated on me in plain sight.

I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth ground together.

Across the hall, her father was calling for us, surrounded by eager relatives.

"Fine. I agree."

I couldn't let Grandma die with regret.

Under Grandma's frail, teary gaze, we put on our best smiles and exchanged vows.

When the reception finally ended, we went back to the penthouse.

Chloe kicked my leg as I sat numbly on the couch. "Ethan, we're starving. Damian wants some noodles. Go make some."

"If he wants food, he can cook it himself. Who the hell do you think I am? Your servant?"

I grabbed my jacket to leave, but she snatched my sleeve. "My dad definitely has people watching this place. What do you think you're doing? You want Grandma to find out we didn't spend our wedding night together?"

Cornered, I was forced to stay.

Surrounded by celebratory red decorations, my chest burned with bitter humiliation.

On my supposed wedding night, my bride was sleeping with another man down the hall.

The muffled sounds coming from the master bedroom made my skin crawl.

Early the next morning, my phone jolted me awake.

Grandma was crashing.

"Ethan, what is your problem? Why are you banging on the door so damn early? Don't you know I was exhausted? I barely fell asleep before dawn!"

Chloe glared at me, her robe slightly parted, revealing fresh red marks on her collarbone that spelled out their passionate night.

Swallowing the nausea, I said coldly, "Grandma is dying. We need to get to the hospital. Now."

The girl who had never lifted a finger in the kitchen actually stopped to make Damian a bowl of porridge before leaving.

Seven years together, and she hadn't cooked a single meal for me.

At the hospital, Grandma struggled to flutter her eyes open.

She held both of our hands tightly. "Ethan... visit home often, okay? Now that you have Chloe by your side, I can rest easy. Seeing you two together... is all I ever wanted."

Chloe pouted slightly, clearly annoyed. "Grandma, you're playing favorites. *I'm* your granddaughter."

"You are my precious girl, too..."

Suddenly, an obnoxious ringtone shattered the silence. I glanced down. Damian was calling.

Without a second thought for her dying grandmother, Chloe yanked her hand back and answered.

Damian's frantic voice came through the speaker. "Chloe, I was in a car crash. I'm heading to the ER now. I didn't want you to worry when you got home, so I'm letting you know."

Chloe pulled away completely and rushed toward the door.

"Which hospital? I'm coming right now!"

I dragged her out into the hallway and hissed under my breath, "She could slip away any second! Can't you just stay by her side for five minutes so she can go in peace?"

"Grandma was talking just fine! How could she suddenly be dying? You're definitely making this up to guilt-trip me into staying married to you!"

I gripped her shoulders and shoved the medical chart into her hands. "The doctors aren't lying! Open your damn eyes and read it!"

Chloe slapped it aside. "I don't care! Grandma has doctors and family surrounding her, she'll be fine! Damian only has me. I can't leave him alone!"

"Chloe, I'm begging you!" Desperation overtook me, and I dropped to my knees in front of her. "I'll send people to look after Damian. I'll hire the best private nurses for him! Just don't walk out on your grandmother's final moments!"

Chloe let out a cruel laugh. "Ha! You really will do anything to get your hands on my family's money, won't you? Too bad I'm not falling for it. Grandma is tough. She's not dying today."

"You're going to regret this."

She ripped her arm free and strode away without looking back.

Half an hour later, Grandma passed away.

Just before her last breath, she amended her will one final time.