Chapter 2

My health had always been fragile, and the physical and emotional toll of the day finally broke me. I fell severely ill.

I didn't know how long I had been drifting in and out of consciousness when I felt a warm hand gently brush across my forehead.

It felt exactly like Nathan.

Whenever I was sick, he would stay by my side, sometimes staying awake all night, gently coaxing me to take my medicine until I fell asleep.

Tears slipped down my cheeks uncontrollably.

I grabbed that hand and murmured, "Nathan..."

The next second, a sharp pain flared in my wrist.

I opened my eyes and met Julian's furious glare.

"Evelyn. Who the hell were you just calling out for?"

I lowered my eyes.

"An old friend. I was dreaming about when I was a kid."

The suspicion in his eyes didn't fade, but he chose to accept my excuse.

He didn't know my past, nor did he know why I had clung to him so desperately in the first place.

In his mind, a woman like me, who had revolved her entire life around him, couldn't possibly have someone else in her heart.

"Why are you in my house?" I asked.

Julian's expression stiffened slightly.

"You gave me the passcode. I called you multiple times and you didn't answer, so I came over."

He paused. "Tonight is the joint charity gala for our families. I expect you to be there."

"I'll be there," I cut him off. "I'll play my part."

I knew exactly why he had rushed over. He just needed me as a prop tonight.

For years, I had mistaken him for Nathan, and I had indeed clung to him.

This time, I'd consider it giving him back his freedom.

I forced my exhausted body up and applied flawless makeup to hide my pale, haggard face.

Julian went downstairs first and waited for me in the car.

When I opened the car door, a cloying mix of perfume and food hit my nose, making my stomach churn.

Sabrina turned around from the passenger seat, beaming.

"Julian said he wanted to bring the people he cares about tonight. You don't mind, do you, Evelyn?"

I gave Julian a cold look. "I thought this was a private dinner for our families."

Julian glanced at me, his tone slightly unnatural. "A lot of people are coming tonight. Sabrina just moved back to the States and wants to network with people in our circle."

He paused. "Besides, you can introduce Sabrina to a few key donors tonight. Put in a good word for her."

Making his fiancée vouch for his old flame.

Only Julian could pull off something this absurd.

It was just another piece of proof that he could never be the man I loved.

When we arrived, I realized this wasn't a private family dinner at all. It was a charity fundraising gala hosted by the Whitmore family in Greenwich, Connecticut, using the Ashford family's name as a draw.

For years, they had relied on the Ashford family's prestige, introductions, and credibility to secure investors and lock down partnerships, giving the Whitmore Group a massive commercial advantage.

They needed me standing there so every investor would believe the Ashford family was still backing the Whitmore Group.

After the formal fundraising segment ended, Sabrina led a few acquaintances up to the hotel's top-floor private lounge, an exclusive after-party meant only for invited friends.

Once we were out of sight of the donors and the media, she finally cornered me at a table.

"Evelyn, it's so boring sitting over there all by yourself. Come play Truth or Dare with us."

Before I could answer, her group had already crowded around, trapping me in the middle.

A bottle spun on the table, eventually slowing to a stop with its neck pointing right at me.

Sabrina pulled a card from the deck and handed it to me.

I flipped it over. There was only one question:

"Is the person you love most in this room right now?"

"Do we even need to ask?" someone laughed. "Isn't the answer obvious?"

Everyone's eyes shifted to Julian, who was standing not far away.

"Everyone knows Evelyn is Julian's shadow. The answer is obviously him."

They all thought the answer was set in stone.

But I slowly shook my head.

"No. He isn't."