Chapter 2

I gave a smile and stepped closer. "Charles."

He paused mid-step and turned to face me. "Yeah?"

"Where's my gift?"

"What gift?"

He looked genuinely lost.

"The ring," I said.

He stiffened, and almost instinctively, his eyes darted to Julia.

I couldn't help but smile again.

"Elevator's here," He muttered, grabbed Julia, and practically bolted, vanishing from my sight in a rush.

Five years ago, I asked him, "When are you finally going to marry me?"

He ruffled my hair, his gaze steady and sure. "When the company goes public, that's when I'll propose. I'll make you the happiest woman alive."

But without a ring, how was he supposed to propose?

I picked up the phone and called. "I'll take that gala offer."

On the other end, their voice shot up. "I've been asking you to step back into the game for three years. You finally said yes."

Suddenly, they remembered something and asked, "But aren't you supposed to marry Charles this year?"

I glanced at the empty house and shook my head. "Not anymore."

*****

When I woke up the next morning, Charles was already off to work.

He'd only been back for one night, but his presence was everywhere in the apartment.

His dirty clothes were still tossed in the bathroom. There was a half-finished cup of coffee sitting on the dining table. His socks from last night were still lying by the front door.

I took a quick look around, decided not to bother with any of it, and called a cleaning lady.

The lady worked fast. She had the place spotless in less than thirty minutes and whipped up some breakfast for me.

"Mrs. Eden, if you ever need help like this again, let me know," she said.

"I'm not Mrs. Eden," I replied.

"Oh?" She paused, trying to figure it out. "Ms. Grant?"

"Yeah. For the next five days, come by at this time. I'll pay you for the full day," I said.

The lady's grin nearly split her face. "No problem."

After the cleaning lady left, I started packing my suitcase.

Lucky grabbed his dog bowl and dropped it right into my suitcase.

He panted, tongue out, grinning at me.

I scratched his head. "Alright, I'm taking you with me, too."

Lucky was six years old. Charles gave him to me the year I lost the baby.

He said, "When I'm not around, Lucky will keep you company."

Charles told me so many lies, but this one was real.

In the end, Lucky was the only one who stayed by my side.

And honestly, he was the only one I wanted to bring along.

*****

At six in the evening, my phone rang. It was Charles. "Don't bother making dinner for me. I've got a dinner to attend."

I glanced at the takeout on the table and replied casually, "Okay."

"Also, it's your father's birthday today. Don't forget to call him," he added.

I paused mid-chew. "Since when did you two get so close?"

"That's not important. In business, there are no permanent enemies. Do it for my sake, okay?" He smiled.

Before I could say no, Charles hung up. Charles was so sure that I'd let go of my resentment toward Lucas Grant because I loved him.

Back then, I did love him. But now, I didn't love him anymore.

I put my phone down and kept gnawing on the BBQ ribs.

I didn't take his words to heart.

Ten minutes later, my phone lit up with another notification.

This time, it was Julia.

She sent me a video, less than a minute long.

It was the family dinner at the Grant residence, and Charles was there, too.

In the video, he was sitting right next to Julia, peeling shrimp for her.

After he finished cleaning the last one, he gently placed it on Julia's plate. But he never did that for me.

Lucas cracked a joke. "Looks like our little girl's all grown up. I guess we'll be planning a wedding soon."

Charles didn't deny it.

Then Julia sent me a short message. [You can't make him happy.]

I smiled. I typed slowly, with care and reverence. [Yeah, so he's yours now. You want him?]

Julia: [Yes.]