Chapter 2

Carrie said, "Rowan's so nervous, he insists I can't wear any of my old clothes and keeps telling me to get everything remade.

"You're a designer, right? Can you make me a few new outfits from head to toe, using my measurements? Think of it as me helping your business out."

I stared at Rowan's card lying in front of me, my feelings all over the place, unable to say a word.

This time, I wasn't trying to dodge the request. I was just being honest with her.

I said, "Ms. Grant, my design schedule is already booked up for the next three years. I really can't take your order."

After I finished speaking, the room went quiet for a moment.

My repeated refusals finally made Carrie, who'd gotten used to being a pampered socialite all these years, visibly upset.

She snatched the card off the table and stuffed it back into her bag.

When she spoke again, her gentle facade was barely holding together. She snapped, "Stella, I don't think you realize your situation.

"You're not the heiress you used to be. I've remembered your kindness all these years and came here to thank you sincerely. And now you're putting on airs with me?"

Carrie paused, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. "Or is that why you really came back, to take Rowan away from me?"

I had no idea why the conversation suddenly shifted to Rowan, and was about to say something to clear things up.

But Carrie snapped angrily, cutting me off, "Don't you dare. I'm already pregnant with his child.

"Back then, Rowan picked me, not you. It was me five years ago, and it'll always be me, no matter what."

With that, Carrie grabbed her purse and marched out in a huff, almost running right into the assistant who was bringing us coffee.

Amy had been by my side for years, so she knew all the drama between me and Carrie.

She couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "She snatched away her savior's first love, and now she's strutting around like she's queen of the world.

"No wonder you still can't forgive her after all these years."

I watched Carrie disappear around the corner, letting out a tired sigh. "Amy, you just don't understand.

"It's never been about Rowan. That's not why I hate her."

Amy stared at me, clearly puzzled.

I just smiled bitterly and shook my head, remembering the shy Carrie who used to stand in front of me.

I asked her, "Give me one good reason why I should support you."

Carrie looked up at me, her eyes shining with courage and grit. She said sincerely, "Because I want to go to teacher's college.

"When I graduate, I want to come back and teach the girls in my village. I want to show them that we can live our own lives, not just get married off young and make a living."

Back then, there was a spark in her eyes, a light full of hope and dreams.

I'd never hated the girl she used to be. What I couldn't stand was the polished "Mrs. Blanchard" sitting in front of me now.

Not the Maria Grant who once promised, with all her heart, to return to the villages and help other girls find a way out.

Carrie Grant, I was the one who gave her that name.

The day I brought her home, I smiled and asked, "Maria, how about I give you a new name, one that'll help you stand tall and start a new life? Would you like that?"

I picked up a pen and paper, and with careful, neat strokes, wrote out her new name: Carrie Grant.

I explained, "The name means your new life. I hope you can return back and help more girls find a new path."

Maria looked at the name, gently tracing each letter on the page. Her eyes welled up with tears.

She whispered, "This name... it's really beautiful. From now on, I'll be Carrie Grant. Thank you, Stella."

Maybe it was because we looked so much alike, almost like sisters, that deep down, I always treated Carrie as my own little sister.

Carrie held onto that thin piece of paper and came home with me to the Morse family.

The first time she saw neon lights and towering skyscrapers, she was so excited she couldn't sleep a wink all night.

To help us communicate better, I started teaching her proper Sopealian.

I patiently corrected her, one word at a time, making sure she got it right.

Learning was a real struggle for her, but Carrie was stubbornly hardworking, pulling all-nighters just to keep up.

When she started school, her pronunciation was thick with her rural accent, and her classmates teased her mercilessly. She'd come home and cry when no one was looking.

So I got Rowan, who spoke Sopealian better than anyone else back then, to tutor her.

Rowan was pretty impatient at first, but thanks to my constant pleading as his girlfriend, he finally gave in.

He showed her how to speak with a Sopealian accent and had her watch Sopealian movies with him.

Bit by bit, Carrie's eyes sparkled with newfound confidence. Her grades climbed from the bottom of the class, and she became more and more radiant.

What I didn't realize was that, after all those times together, the way Carrie looked at Rowan changed, from respect to a full-on crush.

And Rowan, he just got used to having a girl around who relied on him for everything, always looking at him like he was her whole world.

It wasn't until that day, when I came back early from my studies abroad, hoping to surprise Rowan.

I pushed open the door to Rowan's apartment, only to see Carrie wearing my own pajamas, cooking breakfast for him.

She moved around the kitchen like she owned the place, acting just like Rowan's wife.

Meanwhile, Rowan was sitting nearby, reading the news, and the whole domestic vibe was so painfully sweet. It felt like a slap in the face.

When I walked in, both Rowan and Carrie were stunned, caught completely off guard.

The spatula slipped from Carrie's hand and hit the floor with a loud clang. She looked at Rowan, her eyes full of panic, silently begging him to say something.

For a moment, panic flashed across Rowan's face, but he quickly regained his composure and started to explain.

Rowan stammered, "Stella, don't misunderstand. Carrie was just helping me sort out some paperwork, and she happened to make breakfast. That's all."

Right then, I knew something deep down had already started to rot, and there was no going back.

The day everything fell apart, I happened to spot Carrie's diary in Rowan's study.

I opened it. The first pages were all about her uneasiness when she first came to the city, her eagerness to learn, and her deep gratitude.

Reading those words, I seemed to see that bright-eyed girl all over again.

But the more pages I turned, the harder my heart thudded in my chest.

[November 3: Today I purposely wore the same dress as Stella. Rowan actually looked at me a few times. Maybe he thinks I look pretty in it too? We really do look alike... so why can't Rowan like me, just like he likes Stella?]

[November 7: I bombed my English test on purpose. Rowan said he'd help me study tonight, just him and me. Stella, please don't hate me. You've already got everything.]

[November 12: Rowan kissed me. He said Stella's way too tough, and girls like me, soft and always needing him, make him feel important. He said once the time's right, he'll dump Stella for me.]

[November 17: Success. I finally spent the night with Rowan.]