Chapter 1
On the third day of the engagement, Nick Sullivan, my fiancé, and Emily Lane, his kept woman, registered their marriage.
"She's young and insecure. I want to comfort her. That's all," he explained.
I tightened my grip on the edge of my dress and went silent. After a pause, I finally nodded.
The moment the door was shut, someone inside teased, "Sophie Bennett actually agreed. But Nick, aren't you afraid she'll get upset and leave you?"
Nick snorted, "She won't leave me even if I try to drive her away."
He and I had met when we were kids, and we'd been together for ten years. He was certain I couldn't bring myself to let him go.
But he didn't know my transfer request had been approved. In three days, I'd be leaving the country.
The banter in the room kept going.
Someone asked, "Nick, what if the other woman refuses to leave? Would Sophie really be okay with not having a proper status?"
Nick set his glass down nonchalantly. "So what if she doesn't have a title? Her parents are gone. Where else does she have to go but here with me?"
I didn't remember how I walked out of there.
When I finally came to, tears were streaming down my face.
Three days ago, at our engagement, Nick had promised he'd always be my shelter.
But in no time, he brought a storm crashing down on my world.
Nick met Emily about a year ago.
He pulled out all the stops to win her over.
He braved a downpour to bring her soup when she was on her period. When he heard she'd burned her hand, he dropped a major international project so he could rush back home.
But Emily had that stubborn look on her face.
"You've got a girlfriend. I'm not about to be the other woman," she said.
She stormed up to me, bawling her eyes out, pointing at my nose and yelling, "Can't you keep your boyfriend in check? Why do you let him go around hurting other girls?"
She was wearing a dress that cost a fortune, dripping in jewelry worth millions.
She was like some pampered flower, gorgeous, but totally clueless about how harsh the world could be.
It was like someone had stabbed a knife into my heart, and every time I so much as moved, the pain kept pouring out.
By the time Nick showed up, Emily was crying so hard she could barely breathe.
He shot me a look full of disgust, like I was his mortal enemy.
His words cut like ice, chilling me to the bone. "Sophie, you seriously disgust me. I'm the one who fell for her. If you've got tricks, use them on me. What gives you the right to mess with her?
"You really think you're Mrs. Sullivan? As long as I don't agree, you'll never step foot in the Sullivan residence. If I catch you targeting Emily again, I swear you'll pay for it."
After spitting out those threats, he gently picked Emily up and marched out of the room.
I stood there, taking in all the awkward stares and hushed gossip around me.
I opened my mouth to explain, but not a single word came out.
My heart was pounding, and I couldn't stop trembling.
I had sensed it. Breaking up was a matter of time.
The next day, as soon as I got to the office, Jimmy Carter, my boss, called me in.
He looked a bit unsure as he asked, "Are you really set on going? This is a great chance to grow, and the higher-ups are all rooting for you.
"But I heard you got engaged to Nick a few days ago. You'll be gone for years. Is your family okay with it?"
"I'm sure," I answered firmly, almost laughing at myself. "Besides, he's already tied the knot with someone else. It's over between us."
Jimmy sighed and offered a few words of comfort.
When my coworkers heard I was transferring, they were super bummed to see me leave, but honestly, they were as excited for me. Everyone was all about throwing me a farewell party.
They booked a private room for that night.
Since I still had some work to finish up, I ended up arriving a little late.
On my way there, I walked past another private room and unexpectedly caught sight of Nick inside.
The whole place was buzzing with excitement. Nick had his arm around Emily, flashing her that doting smile.
But Emily was pouting, looking all sulky. "You're a married man now, so you'd better stay loyal. If I catch you getting involved with other girls, I'm done with you."
Nick laughed and nodded, playing along. "Alright, whatever my wife says. Ryan, hurry up and apologize. Her anger's already coming for me."
One of Nick's buddies grinned and raised his glass. "Emily, my bad. I couldn't keep my mouth shut. It's your and Nick's big day. I shouldn't have brought up those downer topics."
The rest of the group jumped in to back him up.
"Emily, everyone knows how much Nick cares about you. We've all seen it. No one else comes close."
"Yeah, that Sophie is a total simp. She's always chasing after Nick, but honestly, he's been sick of her for a long time."
"If it weren't for Nick's grandpa, he wouldn't bother looking at her."
Every word of mockery and insult felt like a knife, stabbing straight into my heart.
Nick kept his head down, silent. Everyone knew that was as good as admitting it.
All in the name of keeping things lively, the comments got more vicious.
Watching Nick act like none of it bothered him, it felt like someone was squeezing my heart in a vise.