Chapter 3

I looked up and stared right into his eyes. "Jason, let's get one thing straight. That wasn't any dress. You told the manager to make it for me, to fit my style and size. It was meant to be my wedding dress.

"And then you let another woman wear it, and let her brag about it online.

"You stomped all over my dignity, and now you have the nerve to call me heartless?"

Jason flinched at the coldness in my eyes, his grip on the suitcase loosening.

He tried to soften his tone, reaching out as if to pull me closer. "Em, this all happened so suddenly today. Olivia doesn't have parents. I'm the only person from school she can rely on."

"So because she doesn't have parents, everyone has to bend over backwards for her?" I cut him off. "Go marry her then. Why are you messing with me?"

Jason's face went dark in a flash. "You're impossible."

He pulled his hand back, took a step away, and fixed me with a cold, hard stare. "Alright, so you're really leaving?"

He let out a cold laugh. "Go on, then. Let's see how long you can keep sulking."

He thought I was trying to make him give in by walking out.

He was sure I couldn't live without him.

I didn't say another word. I reopened the suitcase, packed my essentials, and zipped it shut.

Dragging my suitcase to the front door, I saw Jason sitting on the couch, cigarette in hand, not even giving me a single glance.

I pushed the door open and walked straight into the chill of the night.

The door shut behind me with a dull thud.

I knew, deep down, I would never walk through that door again.

The next morning, I was staying at a hotel.

As I finished sending the studio's share settlement documents to my lawyer, my phone rang. The screen lit up with "Mrs. Carter."

I answered the call.

May Carter's usual high-and-mighty voice came through, laced with obvious reproach. "Emily, I heard from Jason that you ran away from home in the middle of the night?

"Your wedding is around the corner, and now you pull this stunt? What will our relatives and friends think of the Carter family if they find out?"

I gazed out at the busy street below, keeping my voice steady and calm. "Mrs. Carter, I didn't run away. I'm breaking off the engagement."

There was a brief silence on the other end, then May's voice shot up an octave. "Breaking off the engagement? Because Jason lent that wedding dress to that girl?

"Emily, when the Carter family chooses a daughter-in-law, we want someone generous, someone who understands the bigger picture. Jason values loyalty. What's the big deal if he helped out a younger schoolmate?

"If you are this petty, how are you supposed to run the Carter household someday?"

"If the Carter family's standards are so high, maybe you should go find someone else who lives up to them." I didn't waste another word on her and hung up.

Later that afternoon, I headed to my own design studio.

I'd barely sat down when the glass door swung open.

Jason walked in.

Right behind him was Olivia, her eyes still red from crying.

She was carrying a huge garment bag.

Jason saw me sitting behind my desk, his brows furrowing slightly as he walked over and tapped the desk. "Have you calmed down after all that drama last night?"

His tone still carried that patronizing softness, as if comforting me were some favor.

I ignored him, my eyes landing on the bag Olivia was holding.

Olivia stepped forward, hesitantly placing the bag on the sofa. "Emily, I'm really sorry. I honestly didn't have a choice yesterday. Jason only made you mad because he was trying to help me out."

She bit her lip, looking all pitiful and fragile. "I brought your wedding dress back. I had it cleaned last night. Please don't call off your engagement with Jason because of me. If you do, I'll never be able to live with myself."

I walked over and unzipped the garment bag.

The expensive wedding dress came into view.

Along the hem of the gown, there was an obvious dark red stain.

"Is this your idea of clean?" I asked, pointing right at the wine stain.

Olivia's face went ghostly pale, her eyes darting to Jason in a panic. "Jason, I... someone bumped into me at the party. I swear I didn't mean for this to happen."

Jason stepped in front of Olivia, shielding her. "Come on, Em, it's a stain. I told you I'd buy you a new one. Don't take it out on Olivia."

I stared coldly at him, watching the way he was shielding Olivia.

I reached out and turned over the lining of the wedding dress. And I remembered that when Jason had this dress custom-made, he'd specifically asked for my initials to be embroidered inside the neckline.

My fingertips brushed against the embroidery.

I turned the neckline over.

When I saw those letters, my blood ran cold.

It wasn't "ED" stitched in silver thread at all.

It was "OL", Olivia's initials.