Chapter 3

I didn't even remember how I got home. The moment my head hit the pillow, I slept like the dead. Then—bang, bang, bang—pounding on the door.

"Sophie..." I heard voices around me, but I couldn't wake up.

A sharp, antiseptic smell flooded my nose.

"You're awake. Doctor!" Edward shot upright, slammed the call button, and summoned the physician.

After the doctor checked me over and said I was fine, Edward pulled me into his arms, mumbling over and over again, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

I pulled away from him, my eyes blank as I gazed at him. "What are you even sorry for?"

He was stunned into silence, unable to find the right words, so he just embraced me again.

The room fell utterly quiet. All we could hear was the sound of our breathing.

We stayed like that until his phone rang, shattering the silence.

I couldn't hear what the person on the other end was saying, but I saw Edward smile as he replied, "Wait for me. I'm on my way."

He hung up, kissed my forehead, and then bolted out of the room.

I had a pretty good idea what it was about—most likely something to do with Mia. "Edward, when are you finally going to marry me?" I asked.

He froze. He turned back slowly and forced out a smile. "I will marry you, I promise. As soon as Mia's condition is stable, we'll tie the knot immediately."

With that, he walked out of my ward and slipped into the one next door.

I quietly trailed him, confirming my suspicions.

When Mia saw him, she sat up from the hospital bed and threw her arms around his waist.

Edward stroked her hair and spoke in a soft voice. "I've finally found a top-tier psychiatrist who's willing to perform the surgery."

Mia's head condition was extremely complex, and no specialist in the country dared to operate on her. The Sutton family had been scrambling to find a doctor for her.

Mia tightened her grip, burying her face in his chest. "Eddie, I'm not sick. I don't need surgery."

Edward sighed, exasperated. "Come on, Mia. No one suffering from a mental illness ever admits they have one.

"I know how you feel about me. But I'm only ever going to love Sophia. Because of you, I've already made her wait far too many years. I can't keep dragging this out."

Suddenly, Mia bit down hard on his arm. If Edward hadn't managed to shove her away, she probably would have bitten a chunk of flesh right off.

"Edward, I don't care about your relationship with her," she screamed. "If you want me to agree to the surgery, you have to marry me first."

Edward stared at her, dumbfounded. "Are you out of your mind? We're already family on paper."

Mia smashed every glass she could reach onto the floor. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her expression was absolutely fierce. "We don't need to get a marriage license. Just stage a wedding for me."

Edward remained silent for a long time before he finally slowly spoke. "If we have a wedding, will you agree to the surgery?"

Mia bit her lips and nodded. Perhaps it was true of the grass being greener; even if she couldn't be his actual wife, she still wanted him to promise her a wedding.

The very moment Edward said, "Fine," I stood in the doorway and felt the needle in my arm draw blood back into the IV line. The sharp pain made me gasp, and that immediately drew their attention.

Edward rushed over and raised the IV bag for me. He then grabbed my hand and escorted me to the doctor.

I looked at him and said, "Edward, if I don't get married before I turn 25, I will die. There's less than a week left. Can you marry me right now?"

He scoffed, then raised the hand that had just stroked Mia's hair, intending to pat the top of my head.

I tilted my head away slightly, and his hand just hung there awkwardly. He said, "What are you even saying? Sophie, anyone can see you're blessed. You're destined for a long, happy life."

My expression was serious and unyielding. I repeated my words precisely, "I'm not joking. Just answer me. Yes or no."

His face fell, a hint of anger showing through. "Sophia, do all these years we've spent together mean nothing compared to a piece of paper?

"You really don't trust me? Are you seriously going to make me choose between you and Mia?"

I kept my face expressionless. I simply held his gaze firmly.

He pleaded, "You are both the people I care about most. Why do you have to make me choose? We've finally found a doctor who's brave enough to operate. Mia's condition truly can't be put off any longer.

"Once she's through the surgery, I'll give you the grand wedding you deserve."

I had been swallowing this stale promise for almost five years, and apparently, he still thought I had an appetite for it.

By the numbers, my history with Edward was far longer than his with Mia. I met him when I was six, we became a couple at 18, and we were engaged at 20.

At this moment, I no longer cared about if we married. What mattered more was that after all our years together, he still couldn't choose me unequivocally.

Now, I was grateful we hadn't married. Because I was certain that if Mia and I were ever thrown in at the deep end together, he would undoubtedly save Mia first.

"I'm not lying, Edward." I rolled up my sleeve, showing him the bruises. "If I don't get married, I'm really going to die.

"Even if you think this is all just some crazy superstition, are you truly not willing to change your plan and marry me sooner, just to put my mind at ease?"

He swallowed hard, dipping his head low, his voice slightly shaking. "Sophia, please stop pressuring me, okay? If you're so desperate to get married, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Why do you have to fixate on me?"

My heart seemed to skip a beat. I dug my fingernails into my palms, trying desperately to stay clear-headed. "Fine," I said simply. "I understand now."

He looked up, his eyes all bright, and pulled me into his arms. "Sophie, I knew you still loved me. I knew you couldn't stand to see me in a bind."

His ridiculous words actually made me laugh.

"Sophie, you're smiling. Does that mean you've come to your senses?" he whispered, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"Yeah," I replied. He was right. Getting married to someone else would achieve the same result. There was no need to hang around for him any longer.