Chapter 2

When I was ten, my parents died in an accident, and the Ellison family took me in. I ended up living there for a whole decade.

I always thought I'd end up marrying Kolten one day, and I used to be so excited about it. But now, looking at the cold expression on his face, I just feel completely lost.

"The marriage between the Whitney and Ellison families is set in stone. You don't get to mess this up!" Patrick said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Patrick ordered Kolten to break things off with Delaney, or else he'd cut him off financially and disown him as his son.

Teresa looked panicked, frantically signaling me with her eyes and anxiously trying to smooth things over.

But this time, before I could even say a word, Kolten struggled to his feet, battered and hurting. I instinctively reached out to steady him, but he shoved my hand aside.

"Fine," Kolten said, his voice cold.

I just stood there, frozen, my hand still hanging in the air, not even sure what I was feeling anymore.

When Kolten stormed out of the Ellison family, I rushed after him.

The whole place was a mess, like a pot about to boil over.

Even after I passed through the iron gate, I could still hear Teresa's cries and shouts echoing from inside. And of course, the rain started coming down in a steady, annoying drizzle, making my nerves feel even more on edge.

I finally managed to catch up to Kolten.

But before I could even say anything,

I saw Delaney suddenly rush over and throw herself at him.

Delaney must have been standing out in the rain for who knows how long. She was completely drenched. Her eyes, already red and swollen, filled with tears again as she gazed at Kolten's back, her whole expression full of pain for him.

"Does it hurt?" Delaney asked.

She cupped Kolten's face and kissed him gently.

Kolten shook his head, pulled her close, and gently wiped away her tears. He whispered, "It's all taken care of. No one will ever come between us again."

Delaney's eyes lit up. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the lips. "We'll never be apart again," she promised.

Kolten gave her a loving smile, then held her face and kissed her back, this time with all the emotion he'd been holding in.

They kissed recklessly in the pouring rain, not caring about anything or anyone around them.

Watching them, it was like I'd just been slapped in public. My grip on the umbrella was so tight, my knuckles were turning white.

Even though I was standing under the umbrella, I felt like I was the one getting drenched, chilled to the core, weighed down by it all.

Delaney was the first to catch my gaze. She looked up, clearly caught off guard. Then Kolten glanced over too, and in just a few seconds, his eyes flickered with a dozen different emotions.

Shock, resignation, guilt, all of it, but there was not even a hint of regret.

The rain quickly drenched them, and blood streamed down Kolten's suit in thick, heavy drops, pooling around their feet and staining the ground a vivid red.

I walked over and silently held out my umbrella.

"Aubree, you can hate me, but I'm sorry... I just can't lie to myself," Kolten said.

He didn't take the umbrella, just gave me a complicated look and said those words.

As he spoke, he instinctively shielded Delaney behind him, his body language showing he was just a little on guard around me.

I gave a bitter smile and shook my head.

"Kolten, I could understand you choosing her when you lost your memory. But now you remember everything. So why... is it still her?" I asked.

Where did I lose to her?

I wanted to ask, but my pride kept me silent. I just straightened my back and met his gaze head-on.

I caught the flicker of guilt in Kolten's eyes, but he never let go of Delaney, keeping her close. After a long silence, his voice came out rough and hoarse.

He said, "She's nothing like you.

"You're calm, considerate, always thinking of everyone else. In everyone's eyes, you're the perfect Ellison family daughter-in-law, like you were tailor-made for me. So I felt like I had to be perfect too, just to be worthy of someone as flawless as you...

"It was exhausting. It's like our whole lives were mapped out for us, like when to get engaged, when to get married, when to have kids. Everything had to go by the book, no surprises, no room to breathe...

"But those six months with Delaney were the easiest I've ever had... She's not perfect, but she's real, she's vibrant. When I'm with her, I finally feel alive, like I can actually breathe, like I'm free for once!"

It felt like my heart was being pulled apart, bit by bit, each piece aching more than the last.

In that moment, I was so drained I could barely keep my grip on the umbrella. My fingers felt numb, like I might drop them any second.

I wanted to cry, but I wouldn't let myself break down in front of them. I tried to force a smile, but as soon as I did, I could taste the tears on my lips.

Through the haze of tears, I saw Delaney secretly tug at Kolten's sleeve, her eyes meeting mine with a touch of pity.

It stung.

"Miss Whitney, you're incredible, and I'm sure you'll meet someone even better someday. But Kolten... I'm sorry, all I can say is that what we have is real. We really do love each other," Delaney said softly.

Her voice was soft and sweet, almost childlike, no edge to it at all, just full of apology.