Chapter 3 · The Wrong Proposal, The Right Marriage

Through the smoke, I saw Ryan and Sophie walking over side by side, sharing an ice cream and laughing.

Ryan spotted the cigarette in my hand, yanked it away, and crushed it. "You've still got pneumonia and you're smoking? You have a death wish?"

I only got pneumonia because of him.

He had a burning fever, and I stayed by his side day and night, taking care of him. I caught it from him.

He'd said coldly, "Why are you at the hospital all day? You're not a doctor or nurse. What's the point?"

When I was hospitalized, he didn't visit once.

Sophie covered her mouth in surprise. "Natalie, you smoke? I always thought women who smoked were kind of improper. Guess I'm just old-fashioned and judgmental."

Before I could respond, she hopped in the car and glanced at me in the passenger seat.

She said, "Ryan, you never let me sit up front—always made me sit behind the driver. It wasn't until I went abroad that I realized that's the safest spot.

"Guess I finally get how much you cared. Sorry, I missed it back then."

Ryan started the engine and scoffed, "Don't flatter yourself."

She went quiet, then suddenly leaned forward from the back. "Wow, Ryan, your lips are so red! Bet you're a great kisser. Want to teach me?

"I'm 28, and I've never even had my first kiss."

She suddenly turned to me with innocent eyes. "Natalie, you're so pretty—you must be super experienced, right?"

Ryan chuckled, pressing his lips together. "Her? She's terrible. Can't even get her mouth right."

"Want me to show you? Maybe when she's not around, so she won't throw another fit." He shot me a deliberate look. "Right?"

"Guys!" I snapped. "Can you not talk like this in the car?"

Sophie immediately pouted, looking ready to cry. "I'm just trying to lighten the mood. Are you upset again, Natalie?"

Before I could respond, Ryan smacked the steering wheel, making the horn blare.

He snapped, "Natalie! I've had enough!

"If you can't handle it, put on headphones and tune us out. This is how Sophie and I have always been—why should we change just because you're here?"

His tone was commanding. "Besides, Sophie just got back and her place is a mess. She'll be staying at our new house for a few days. I'm taking her there now."

I hadn't even stayed at the marital house yet—it was supposed to be our home after the wedding.

I stared at him in disbelief. "Can't she stay at a hotel?"

Ryan frowned. "Hotels aren't safe. I'd worry."

Sophie nodded quickly. "Yeah, I get scared so easily. Even at your place, you have to stay with me tonight."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? Like I'd ditch you. We'll just share the bed. Happy now?"

Sophie clutched her chest, pretending to be scandalized. "Wow, so thoughtful! Admit it—you've been wanting me all along, haven't you?"

Ryan grinned wickedly. "Why, you don't like that?"

I took a deep breath, my head pounding. "Pull over. I'm exhausted. I want to go home."

Ryan's face stiffened, and his tone softened slightly. "Why don't you recline your seat and sleep?"

"Stop the car," I said coldly.

"Just 30 minutes, okay? I'll drop Sophie off, then take you home," Ryan said.

"Stop the car."

"Natalie! You think I'd just let you out alone in the middle of the night?"

"I said stop the car! Stop! The! Car!" I finally exploded. "Don't you understand?"

He gritted his teeth and slammed the brakes. "Fine, get out. But if you do, we're done—and you can forget the wedding in three days!"

"No, wait!" Sophie frantically tugged her hair. "I didn't do anything! Please don't fight with Ryan over me again!"

Without saying a word, I opened the door and got out.

"Go ahead—won't be long before you come crawling back to me in tears!" Ryan yelled.

With a low curse, he floored it and sped off.

Half an hour later, I was back at my parents' place.

Mom handed me the newly printed invitations.

On the gold-embossed white card, I stared at the groom's name and read it softly. "Alexander Reed?"

Mom grinned. "He's Riverside City's rising star, CEO of Reed Enterprises. Young, successful, and honestly, he's got looks and charm to spare. Compared to Ryan, he's in a whole different league."

I nodded. "That's good."

If I couldn't have real love, at least this marriage could give my family a better future.

Chapter 3

Through the smoke, I saw Ryan and Sophie walking over side by side, sharing an ice cream and laughing.

Ryan spotted the cigarette in my hand, yanked it away, and crushed it. "You've still got pneumonia and you're smoking? You have a death wish?"

I only got pneumonia because of him.

He had a burning fever, and I stayed by his side day and night, taking care of him. I caught it from him.

He'd said coldly, "Why are you at the hospital all day? You're not a doctor or nurse. What's the point?"

When I was hospitalized, he didn't visit once.

Sophie covered her mouth in surprise. "Natalie, you smoke? I always thought women who smoked were kind of improper. Guess I'm just old-fashioned and judgmental."

Before I could respond, she hopped in the car and glanced at me in the passenger seat.

She said, "Ryan, you never let me sit up front—always made me sit behind the driver. It wasn't until I went abroad that I realized that's the safest spot.

"Guess I finally get how much you cared. Sorry, I missed it back then."

Ryan started the engine and scoffed, "Don't flatter yourself."

She went quiet, then suddenly leaned forward from the back. "Wow, Ryan, your lips are so red! Bet you're a great kisser. Want to teach me?

"I'm 28, and I've never even had my first kiss."

She suddenly turned to me with innocent eyes. "Natalie, you're so pretty—you must be super experienced, right?"

Ryan chuckled, pressing his lips together. "Her? She's terrible. Can't even get her mouth right."

"Want me to show you? Maybe when she's not around, so she won't throw another fit." He shot me a deliberate look. "Right?"

"Guys!" I snapped. "Can you not talk like this in the car?"

Sophie immediately pouted, looking ready to cry. "I'm just trying to lighten the mood. Are you upset again, Natalie?"

Before I could respond, Ryan smacked the steering wheel, making the horn blare.

He snapped, "Natalie! I've had enough!

"If you can't handle it, put on headphones and tune us out. This is how Sophie and I have always been—why should we change just because you're here?"

His tone was commanding. "Besides, Sophie just got back and her place is a mess. She'll be staying at our new house for a few days. I'm taking her there now."

I hadn't even stayed at the marital house yet—it was supposed to be our home after the wedding.

I stared at him in disbelief. "Can't she stay at a hotel?"

Ryan frowned. "Hotels aren't safe. I'd worry."

Sophie nodded quickly. "Yeah, I get scared so easily. Even at your place, you have to stay with me tonight."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? Like I'd ditch you. We'll just share the bed. Happy now?"

Sophie clutched her chest, pretending to be scandalized. "Wow, so thoughtful! Admit it—you've been wanting me all along, haven't you?"

Ryan grinned wickedly. "Why, you don't like that?"

I took a deep breath, my head pounding. "Pull over. I'm exhausted. I want to go home."

Ryan's face stiffened, and his tone softened slightly. "Why don't you recline your seat and sleep?"

"Stop the car," I said coldly.

"Just 30 minutes, okay? I'll drop Sophie off, then take you home," Ryan said.

"Stop the car."

"Natalie! You think I'd just let you out alone in the middle of the night?"

"I said stop the car! Stop! The! Car!" I finally exploded. "Don't you understand?"

He gritted his teeth and slammed the brakes. "Fine, get out. But if you do, we're done—and you can forget the wedding in three days!"

"No, wait!" Sophie frantically tugged her hair. "I didn't do anything! Please don't fight with Ryan over me again!"

Without saying a word, I opened the door and got out.

"Go ahead—won't be long before you come crawling back to me in tears!" Ryan yelled.

With a low curse, he floored it and sped off.

Half an hour later, I was back at my parents' place.

Mom handed me the newly printed invitations.

On the gold-embossed white card, I stared at the groom's name and read it softly. "Alexander Reed?"

Mom grinned. "He's Riverside City's rising star, CEO of Reed Enterprises. Young, successful, and honestly, he's got looks and charm to spare. Compared to Ryan, he's in a whole different league."

I nodded. "That's good."

If I couldn't have real love, at least this marriage could give my family a better future.