Chapter 2

That bed. So big.

It made my blood boil.

"You married her, and you still expect to marry me? Have you even read the marriage laws?"

Blake picked up Ashley’s bra and tossed it to her. "Don't sweat the small stuff, Chloe. Marrying Ashley was just a temporary solution. We'll divorce eventually."

I laughed, a sharp, humorless sound. How dare he think that I, Chloe Hayes, the esteemed heiress of the Hayes family, would stoop to being his secret mistress?

Right in front of me, Ashley stripped off the wedding dress, putting on her own lingerie. "Chloe, don't you think this dress is a little small? Even without a bra, Blake had to squeeze me into it."

She emphasized her generous curves, and Blake’s eyes were practically glued to her.

I struggled to keep calm, but tears welled up. "Blake, it's over. We're done."

Ashley jumped in, feigning indignation. "Chloe, you're so ungrateful! My buddy is the son of one of the country's wealthiest families. He's doing you a huge favor by agreeing to marry you."

"He married me to shut his parents up. Do you honestly think a regular girl like you could ever catch the eye of someone from his family? He wouldn't even dare introduce you to his parents, would he?"

I looked at Blake, stunned. "But I… I've met your parents."

Ashley burst out laughing, looking at me as if I were an idiot. "Blake, your girlfriend is so gullible! She still doesn't know those were just hired actors I found for you?"

Blake didn't show an ounce of embarrassment at being exposed, nor did he care about the tears streaming down my face. "Chloe, I love you, and I want to marry you. But I can't introduce you to my circle. There's just too big of a social gap between us."

Ashley saw me crying. "God, I hate it when girls cry all the time, acting like someone owes them something. You've certainly milked my buddy for all he's worth over the years. He was so broke he had to live at my place for six months!"

I wiped my tears away furiously. "Then let's call off the wedding. I'm not interested in being your charity project."

Blake’s face turned cold. "You, a scholarship kid, dare to complain I'm poor? The invitations are already out! Your entire small town, from the oldest to the youngest, even your family dog, Duke, will be there to feast. Marry me or don't, it's your embarrassment, not mine."

Ashley grabbed Blake and pulled him away. "Forget her. I bet she'll be back on her knees crying and begging you tonight. After all, she's been with you for six years; she's old news. Who'd be idiotic enough to pick up her sloppy seconds?"

I wiped my tears, tossed the wedding dress into the trash, and calmly pulled out Julian Blackwood’s contact information. "This is Chloe Hayes. I'm getting married in three days. Can you attend as the groom?"

My parents airlifted 66 crates of dowry and flew in on a private jet amidst their busy schedules to attend my wedding. Since they were already here, this wedding had to happen.

The next day.

I went to try on a new wedding dress and snapped a few photos for the wedding planning group chat.

Julian Blackwood replied that the gown was one he'd designed, waiting for its true owner.

Not long after my message, Blake’s Ferrari pulled up outside.

Ashley jokingly leaped onto his back, and the two walked into the store, practically attached at the hip.

Blake’s tone was mocking. "You say you won't marry me, but you're still trying on wedding dresses? And deliberately posting it in the wedding group chat."

Oh, I forgot he was in the group too. But he never said a word, acting like he wasn't even the groom.

"Chloe certainly knows how to pick 'em," Ashley whispered to Blake, her voice loud enough for me to hear. "This dress is studded with real diamonds. It must be worth hundreds of thousands, even millions. Your poor sap of a buddy, your gold-digging fiancée is finding new ways to bleed you dry!"

Blake looked displeased. "You already have a wedding dress, why are you trying on another one? Take it off!"

"That one? I find it dirty."

The words were barely out of my mouth when Ashley spun around and slapped me across the face. "You manipulative bitch! How dare you call my dress dirty? If you don't like it, don't wear it! Just get married naked!"

It was the first time in my life anyone had ever slapped me. My blood boiled, and I raised my hand to strike back.

But Blake grabbed my arm. "She's my buddy! You hit her, you hit me!"

I stared at Blake, my heart feeling as if it had been ripped from my chest. He used to say those words to me.

When I first came to the capital city for university, Blake was instantly smitten. He pursued me relentlessly, but I never agreed, until—I was being bullied by a group of rich kids, and he saved me, getting badly injured in the process.

He'd said, "Chloe is my girlfriend! You hit her, you hit me!"

That was the beginning of my love for him. Now, it was time for it to end. After all, to him, his girlfriend was less important than his best friend!

I slapped him hard. "I'll hit you too!"

"You dare to hit me? I've spoiled you too much!" Blake tore at my wedding dress, his face contorted in a terrifying expression I'd never seen before. "You don't deserve such an expensive dress. Who do you think you are, the Hayes heiress? If I hadn't fallen for you, I could have married some wealthy socialite with an excellent family background, just like my brother!"

I screamed, desperately clutching at the dress. "I am the Hayes heiress your brother is supposed to marry!"

Blake froze, but Ashley burst into laughter. "The Hayes heiress is studying abroad! You should at least do your research if you're going to impersonate someone!"

I was furious but too weary to argue. My parents were high-ranking military officials, and my brother was a rising business magnate. They deliberately spread false rumors about my background to protect me from being targeted by bad people.

"Slap!"

Ashley's laughter abruptly stopped.

Because my brother, Ryan Hayes, suddenly appeared, a dark expression on his face, and slapped Ashley hard!

"My sister is the Hayes heiress. Do you have a problem with that?"