Chapter 3

I had only learned about the new secretary a year ago. At first, I did not think much of it.

But within a month, I noticed Andrew favoring her. When Chloe made a mistake on a file, he would take it back and stay up all night fixing it for her.

On holidays, he would send me flowers. At the same time, he would send Chloe flowers too.

Whenever Chloe called, he would drop everything and run to her side.

The first time Chloe called Andrew away from me, I lost my temper. "Today is our anniversary," I snapped. "We've been together seven years. Are you having second thoughts? And anyway, doesn't she have any friends? Why does she always have to call you, the one in charge?"

Andrew rubbed his forehead. He sounded impatient. "She's just a junior from our old school. I want to look out for her a little more, that's all.

"She's a young girl. She doesn't have any friends here in Westbridge.

"Can you stop being so suspicious?" he asked. "If you don't trust me, we should just break up."

The word "break up" stopped me cold. My anger vanished. Andrew and I had been together for seven years. He had become part of me. I could not lose him.

I would die without him.

So I backed down. I only wanted us to stay together.

One month before we decided to get engaged, Andrew said he had a meeting. I went alone to try on wedding dresses.

When I finished and came home, I opened the front door. Chloe lay in our bedroom, fast asleep on the bed. She wore my pajamas.

Andrew had given her the spare key.

I flew into a rage. I grabbed her and pulled her upright. Chloe looked completely innocent. "Ms. Sterling," she said, "Mr. Cole told me I should be your bridesmaid."

She clapped a hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Sterling. I didn't know this was your room. I just got back from a business trip with Mr. Cole. I was exhausted and didn't realize."

I lost my temper and slapped her.

Chloe covered her face at once. Tears fell as she started to cry. "I'm sorry, Ms. Sterling. I'll leave right now. Please don't be upset."

I was about to tell her to stop putting on an act when I heard Andrew's voice behind me. I turned around.

He was supposed to be in a meeting.

He stood there holding a bowl of soup. His face was tense as he looked at me. "Ava, Chloe is your bridesmaid, so I asked her to move in. She just went into the wrong room by mistake. Did you really have to react like this?"

Something in me snapped. "I have friends. I don't need you to pick a bridesmaid for me."

Andrew gave a faint, dismissive look. "Your friends?"

He saw my expression and softened his tone a little. "Where I come from, there's a custom. The groom chooses someone from his side to stand with the bride, to show respect. As for your friends, they're not suitable."

He set the bowl of soup down. Then he took Chloe by the arm and led her away as she cried.

I stood there and looked at the bowl. It was still warm.

Eight years. In all that time, Andrew had never made soup for me. Chloe had been here for one year, and he was already doing it for her.

I picked up the spoon and stirred it once. Then I took a sip. It tasted good. But to me, it was bitter.

*****

After I left the party, I did not go back to the home I shared with Andrew. I told the driver to take me to the old house instead.

My parents had not lived there since my grandfather passed away. These days, they were probably with other people, living their own separate lives.

When I arrived, the butler, Arthur Bennett, looked surprised. "Ms. Sterling, are you planning to get married from the old house?"

I was too tired to answer. I shook my head and went straight to my room. I lay down and fell asleep at once.

I started to dream. I was back at the party. Chloe threw the ring into the lake again. The guests laughed as they pushed me toward the water and forced me to go in after it.

Then the scene changed. Andrew was holding Chloe. His face was cold. "Ava, don't flatter yourself. I've never loved you."

The dreams kept coming. I saw moments from our past, one after another. Every time, it ended the same way. Andrew looked at me without any warmth.

When I finally woke up, Arthur was standing by the bed. He looked worried. The family doctor was there, setting up an IV. Arthur let out a breath when he saw my eyes open.

I had a fever.

He handed me a glass of water and told me to rest. He said the wedding could be postponed, that my health mattered more.

I gave a faint, bitter smile. What wedding was left to postpone? By now, Andrew was probably telling everyone it had been called off.

I had no appetite. I took a few sips of water, then drifted back to sleep.

When I woke again, Andrew was sitting by the bed. His face was dark. I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was still dreaming. But he was real.

He spoke with anger in his voice. "Ava, you're getting more unreasonable by the day. Do you have any idea how many people are waiting at the venue? Do you know how embarrassing this is for me and Chloe?"

I let out a weak smile. But Andrew took it the wrong way. He thought I was mocking him.

His face darkened. "What kind of attitude is that? Do you even want this wedding or not? If you don't, then forget it."

I coughed a few times and pressed down the pain in my chest. "I already told you yesterday. There is no wedding. I'm not joking. I mean it."