Chapter 2

Every time I saw him work so hard all week, only to buy me just a small box of cherries, it made my heart ache.

I'd tell him not to buy them, but Derek would just smile and gently mess up my hair.

He'd say, "I'm still a student, so I can't afford anything expensive for you. All I can do is make sure you get all the cherries you want. But don't worry.

"Once I graduate, I'll buy anything you like and bring it home for you."

The more heartfelt Derek was back then, the more it ached me now.

I didn't reach for the cherries. Instead, I clenched my fists and asked him, "So, what's going on with your marriage?"

Derek's hand froze for a second as he set down the fruit plate. After putting it down, he looked at me and said calmly, "I'll get you a train ticket. You should go back this afternoon."

Tears suddenly spilled down my cheeks again.

I stood up angrily, wanting to shout at him.

I wanted to yell, "Derek, do you think you've treated me right? You're getting married. Don't you owe me an explanation?"

But I just couldn't bring myself to say it in front of Veronica. I really didn't want to look pathetic.

So I grabbed my bag in a rush and stood up. "I just remembered something I need to do. I'll head out," I mumbled.

After that, I could only bolt for the door, feeling like a fool barely holding it together.

But as soon as I opened the door, I ran straight into a girl I didn't recognize.

She stared at me, surprised.

"Who are you?" she asked.

She was kind of cute.

She was definitely Derek's type.

My first reaction was that she must be Derek's fiancée.

When Derek saw us locking eyes, he instinctively stepped in front of me.

He hurried to explain to her, sounding both anxious and a little scared, "That's Adele Kain, my college friend. She found out I'm getting married and came for the wedding."

Then Derek turned to me, his brows drawn together, his voice carrying a subtle warning.

"Adele, this is my soon-to-be wife, Bailey. Didn't you always say you wanted to meet her?" Derek said.

The way Derek stressed his words made my chest tighten, like I could barely breathe.

I forced myself to swallow the pain, and after a long moment, managed to squeeze out, "Hello, Bailey."

Bailey flashed a dazzling smile.

She said, "Oh, a college friend! Hi, thanks for coming to our wedding.

"Come on in and have a seat. Since you're here, maybe you can help me pick out a wedding dress. I was actually worried about it.

"Derek's such an engineering type, totally clueless about these things. It's great that you're here. You can help me figure it out.

"After all, you're an old friend, so you probably know Derek better than anyone, right?"

Even though Bailey was smiling, her eyes were unmistakably provocative as she looked at me.

I instinctively clenched my fists, while Derek just walked over and grabbed Bailey's hand.

Derek explained quickly, "Bailey, she's in a rush to catch her train. She's only here on a business trip and dropped by to see me.

"I've gotta take her to the train station now."

As he spoke, Derek turned to look at me again.

"Adele, didn't you buy a ticket for three o'clock? Let's go, I'll drive you to the station," he said, his tone brisk.

With that, he snatched the suitcase from my hand and hurried toward the elevator.

My chest ached so badly I could barely breathe. So, after half a year of no contact, I had somehow become his dirty little secret without even realizing it.

For a split second, I wanted to snap at Derek, "What are you so afraid of? Is there something about me you're so desperate to hide?

"Don't forget, you never even broke up with me. If anyone should be hiding, it's Bailey, the girl standing right next to you."

But before I could say a word, Bailey suddenly came over smiling and slipped her arm through mine.

"Adele, right? I've got nothing else to do, so I'll go with Derek to drop you off at the station," she said, her voice sugary, but her grip was anything but gentle.

Bailey kept smiling, but her nails were digging into my arm, hard.

It hurt like hell, but I didn't dare make a scene.

After all, I still had my pride.

My chest was so tight I could barely breathe, but I still went along with what Bailey wanted.

It was for no reason. It was just that Derek still owed me a proper breakup.

Even if he'd betrayed me, I wanted to walk away with everything clear, not left in the dark.

But as soon as we got to the underground garage and stood by Derek's car, Bailey came over and shouldered me out of the way.

"Wow, Derek, your old college friend really doesn't know how to behave, huh? She actually thinks she can sit shotgun," Bailey said, her tone mocking.

The shove stung, but Derek didn't even pause. He shot me a cold glare and barked, "Adele, the front seat is Bailey's exclusive spot. Don't go stealing her place."

I never even wanted to sit up front, but Derek's words still stabbed me right in the chest.

That took me back to six months ago, when Derek came all the way to my hometown to see me.

We were bored out of our minds, so we went to check out a car dealership.

I teased him, "Derek, the shotgun seat is mine, okay? Even if we're doing long-distance, I don't care if it's your female coworkers or your relatives, no other girl gets to sit there."

Derek messed up my hair and grinned, "Don't worry. Who else would I ever give a ride in the front seat but you?"

Thinking back now, it just felt absurd. It turned out this exclusive seat was already claimed by someone else.

My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe, but I still opened the car door and slipped into the back seat.

As soon as I sat down, Bailey smirked at me through the rearview mirror.

"Adele. That is your name, right? You and Derek seem so close. I've been with him for two years, and yet I never knew he had a friend like you," she said.

She put extra emphasis on the word "friend."

My mind got stuck on "two years."

I realized that Derek been cheating on me for so long.