Chapter 3

When I got home, I saw Mom in the living room discussing tomorrow's wedding arrangements with a few madams.

As soon as I walked in, Mom jumped up with a big smile. "Emma, you're back. Come here, Lena and the others can't stop raving about what a wonderful fiancé you've found."

I looked around the living room. Wedding candies and favors for tomorrow were neatly arranged, while decorations bathed the entire space in a festive glow.

Yet my heart was ice-cold.

I said, "Mom, can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

Mom frowned. "Why can't you say it in front of everyone? Tomorrow's your wedding day. Don't go saying anything that might ruin our moods."

"Mom, seriously, this is crucial." My tone was serious.

Lena, sensing something was wrong, tactfully stood up. "We'll head out now. See you tomorrow."

After the guests had left, Mom shut the door behind them, her face darkening. "Emma, what exactly are you trying to do?"

I looked at her and said, "Mom, I told you. Ethan cheated on me."

"So what if he cheated?" Mom's reaction shocked me. "Emma, you're a grown woman now, not some naive girl. You should know by now. Men are all like this."

I challenged. "So you're saying I should just put up with it?"

"Of course, you have to put up with it," Mom said matter-of-factly. "Do you think marriage is child's play? Where are you going to find a perfect man?"

"But he doesn't even love me." I protested.

"Love?" Mom sneered. "Does love pay the bills? Emma, Ethan owns a house, drives a nice car, and has a stable job. What more could you possibly want?"

I looked at the woman in front of me. Suddenly, she felt like a stranger. Was this really my mother?

"Mom, would you say the same thing if Dad cheated on you?" I said.

Mom's expression hardened. She snapped, "Your dad has nothing to do with this."

"Really? Cheating is cheating. Why should I be the one who has to put up with it?" I demanded.

"Because you're a woman." Mom's voice rose sharply. "A woman's place is with her family."

I felt sick to my stomach. "Mom, your way of thinking is downright toxic."

"Toxic? I'm doing this for your own good," Mom snapped, her hand clamping onto my arm. "Emma, just listen to me. Go through with the wedding tomorrow, and after that, make sure you keep Ethan in line."

I wrenched her arm free and cried, "No. I won't marry someone who doesn't truly love me."

"Then who do you want to marry?" Mom's eyes grew sharp. "Emma, you're already 24. In a few years, you'll be left on the shelf. Who would want to marry you then?"

"Even if nobody wants to marry me, then? Fine. But I'll never marry Ethan," I declared.

Mom's face turned scarlet with fury. "Emma, you've gotten too big for your britches. How dare you talk back to me?"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Mom opened the door to find Ethan standing outside, a bouquet of roses in his hand.

"Mrs. Rivers, is Emma home?" Ethan asked, wearing his customary gentle smile, as if the incident at the Grandview Hotel had never happened.

"Yes." Mom instantly switched to her sweetest tone. "Ethan, thanks for your flowers. They are so pretty."

"You're welcome. Tomorrow is our wedding," Ethan said as he stepped into the living room, his gaze settling on me. "Emma, these are for you."

I stared at the bouquet of roses, remembering what Emily had told me. "I don't even have hobbies, because he thinks buying flowers is a waste of money."

I said coldly, "I don't want them."

Ethan's smile faltered for a moment. "Emma, what's wrong? Are you just too nervous about the wedding?"

Mom quickly stepped in to smooth things over, flashing Ethan a reassuring smile. "Oh, don't mind her, Ethan. Every bride gets wedding jitters before the big day."

"I understand," Ethan said with a gentle gaze. "Emma, I know you're upset. Why don't we talk this through?"

I stood up, my voice cold. "There's nothing left to say. Ethan, we're done."

The living room instantly plunged into stunned silence.

Mom's face turned livid. She snapped, "Emma, what kind of crazy talk is this?"

Ethan was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained his composure. "Emma, I know why you're upset. I can explain what happened this afternoon."

"Explain what? Are you going to explain why you called me your free maid and personal ATM?" I said.

Mom stared at Ethan, stunned. "Ethan, what on earth is going on?"

Ethan's expression flickered, but he quickly regained his composure. "Mrs. Rivers, please don't listen to Emma's nonsense. She's probably just under a lot of stress today and letting her imagination run wild."

"My imagination runs wild?" I scoffed. "Ethan, dare you deny you were with Sophia in Room 1208 at the Grandview Hotel tonight?"

Ethan's face drained of all color.

Mom's eyes darted between me and Ethan, her voice trembling. "Ethan, is this true?"

Ethan fell silent for a few seconds, then forced a bitter smile. "Mrs. Rivers, I admit I messed up. But men occasionally stray. It's only natural. I promise it won't happen again."

"You promise?" I scoffed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Ethan, what exactly is your word worth?"

"Emma, I truly love you," Ethan said, moving closer. "I only went to the hotel with Sophia on a whim. You're the only one in my heart."

"Enough." I recoiled a few steps, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Ethan, you're quite the actor. If I hadn't heard those words from your mouth, I might have actually fallen for it."

Mom suddenly cut in, "Emma, since Ethan has admitted his mistake, you should just forgive him."

I stared at Mom in utter disbelief. "Mom, did you really just say that?"

"It's normal for men to slip up sometimes. As long as he learns from hi mistakes, that's all that matters," Mom said dismissively. Her words made me sick to my stomach. "Besides, the wedding is tomorrow. You can't possibly call it off over something so trivial, can you?"

Something so trivial?

I looked at Mom, then at Ethan, and it suddenly hit me why Emily had become so jaded.

I'd been alone from the very start.

I said, "Mom, if this is trivial, then what exactly is a big deal?"

"Emma, stop making a scene," Mom snapped. "Ethan's already apologized. What more do you want?"

"All I want is simple." I stared at Ethan. "Ethan, tell Mom exactly what you said at the Grandview Hotel just now."

Ethan's face darkened further. "Emma, let bygones be bygones."

"Say it." My voice rose sharply. "You're so good with words, aren't you? Tell my mom exactly what you think of me."

Ethan gritted his teeth, turned to my mom, and muttered, "Mrs. Rivers, I just said that in the heat of the moment. I didn't really mean it."

"What exactly did you say?" Mom pressed.

I answered for him, "He called me his free maid and personal ATM, said my only virtue is blind obedience, and admitted he's only marrying me for my family's connections to boost his career."

Mom's face paled as she turned to Ethan. "Ethan, did you really say that?"

Ethan hung his head, offering no denial.

The living room was plunged into a suffocating silence.

After a long, heavy silence, Mom finally spoke. "Even after all this, the wedding will still go ahead tomorrow."

I couldn't believe my ears. "Mom, what did you just say?"

"The wedding will go on." Mom's voice was steel. "Emma, you're not getting any younger. How many more years can you afford to wait? The invitations are out, the venue is booked. Calling it off now would disgrace the Rivers family name."

I asked, "Is our family's reputation really more important than my happiness?"

"Of course," Mom declared with steel in her voice. "Emma, listen to me. You will go through with this wedding tomorrow."

Utter despair washed over me.

Ethan smirked triumphantly from the sidelines. He knew my mom would take his side.

"Fine." I nodded coldly. "Since my feelings clearly don't matter to any of you, I have nothing more to say."

"Emma, have you come to your senses?" Mom let out a sigh of relief.

"Fine then." I turned toward the stairs. "I'm exhausted. I need to be alone."

"Emma?" Ethan called after me. "Tomorrow, we'll be happy together. You'll see."

I didn't turn back. "Really? We'll see about that."

Back in my room, I locked the door behind me and sank onto the edge of the bed, staring blankly into space.

Outside the window, the night was deep, with only the occasional sound of passing cars breaking the silence.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts, desperately wanting to talk to someone, only to realize that apart from Ethan and my family, I barely had any friends.

When had my world become so small?

My phone suddenly rang. It was an unknown number.

I answered, "Hello?"

"It's me," Emily spoke up, her voice calm and steady. "How did your mom take it?"

I said, "She's making me go through with the wedding tomorrow."

"I knew it would turn out this way," Emily said calmly. "Do you finally understand now, Emma? In this world, the only person who truly cares about you is yourself."