Chapter 4

"Claire, don't worry. I've already talked to my family, the wedding's set for three days from now," he said.

That was when I finally knew why James wanted to marry me.

He knew that no matter what happened, I'd never be able to let him go.

So whether I ever found out about Joanna or not, it made no difference to him.

None of it mattered.

He was searching for a wife who could accept Joanna, someone who could live with the fact that he'd always give her those two hours every single day.

And me? I'd already survived his three-year trial period.

Now, I was about to finally become his wife.

A faint tap came from the car door, almost like a reminder.

James dropped his arms from around me in an instant.

He took a few steps back without even thinking, suddenly leaving a gap between us.

"Just wait for me. When I get back, we'll tie the knot," James said.

It turned out that when someone was the one he loved, she could get away with anything without ever worrying about the consequences.

He didn't even try to comfort me; he was so sure I wouldn't stay mad at him.

But what was I supposed to do now?

I didn't want this wedding anymore.

I went back to my room and plugged in my phone.

As soon as it powered on, a few messages from James popped up on the screen.

He'd sent them after handling things with Joanna and coming home to find I wasn't there. [If you come back right now, you can take ten times as much from my hours.]

[Claire, this is the only shot you get. Miss it, and that's it, no second chances.]

Reading those messages, I couldn't tell if I wanted to cry or laugh. Seriously, it was just ridiculous.

James knew all too well how obsessed I was with those two hours he never really owned.

Sometimes, I'd nitpick over even a single extra second, making a fuss like it actually mattered.

I kept telling myself that once we got married, those two hours would finally stop.

That the so-called two hours a day would finally come to an end.

That the 586 hours he owed me would stop increasing.

But now I finally get it.

It would never end. It would never be over.

Did it even matter if it's a bit more or a bit less?

I opened up my social media feed.

The very first post was from James, posted just a few minutes ago.

Honestly, I was stunned.

In three years of dating, James had never posted a single thing on social media, not even a like or a comment. He barely even scrolled through it.

But now, here it was.

James's name popped up on my phone screen, and honestly, it felt absurd. [Weekend is my personal time. Don't disturb me.]

I knew this was meant for me.

I'd just found out about Joanna, and he posted this immediately. Anyone could tell what he was getting at.

I picked up my phone and, for the second time tonight, dialed a number.

"Hey, Claire, what's up? It's pretty late," a man answered.

With my tongue pressed tight against my teeth, I finally managed to get the words out. "Can you check James's latest feed? What did he actually post?"

After a moment, the man finally spoke up. "What feed? He hasn't posted anything."

His voice sounded distant, like he was talking to someone else. "Hey guys, take a look at James's feed; what did he post?"

Even though his voice was quiet, I could still make out what he was saying.

"There's nothing there."

"I don't see anything."

"Nothing at all. Are you sure you're looking at the right guy?"

So James had made that post just for me.

He didn't have to go out of his way like that.

He really didn't have to.

Jack realized he'd put his foot in his mouth and fumbled for words, not sure how to respond.

"I know about Joanna," I said.

Jack Evans actually sounded relieved when he heard me say her name myself.

He said, "When I first introduced you two, all I knew was that James's secretary got hurt because of him, and he felt guilty about it. But I never expected things to get this complicated between them.

"Claire, I could see James really was different with you these past three years. Honestly, it's just two hours a day; if you grit your teeth and get through it, it'll be over before you know it."

I didn't say anything.

I had already put up with this for three years, so I know just how much it sucks.