Chapter 3

I looked at him, and suddenly, this man in front of me felt so unfamiliar that it actually scared me.

It turned out that even until now, he still thought that everything I had, he had given me.

I suddenly wasn't sad anymore.

Not at all.

Because someone who never truly saw you for who you are isn't worth even a single tear.

I pulled my suitcase and, as I walked past him, paused for a moment.

"Julian," I said.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

Softly, I said, "You'll see soon enough. My life will be so much better without you."

He stayed silent, but a faint hint of mockery flashed in his eyes, as if he thought I was just being petty.

I couldn't be bothered to explain myself.

The living room downstairs was still lit up, and Rachel was sitting there, like she was waiting just to watch me leave.

When she saw me dragging my suitcase down, she frowned. "What are you making such a fuss about in the middle of the night? Even if you're upset, there's a limit to how much drama you can make."

I kept walking.

As I reached the door, Rachel suddenly seemed to remember something and added in a cold tone.

"Oh, by the way, Violet will be moving in with Julian for a few days starting tomorrow. Since you've already signed the papers, don't come back and cause any misunderstandings," she added.

My grip on the suitcase handle tightened.

So that was it.

So it turned out that even the timing of when I was supposed to leave, they had already arranged that too.

I turned back to look at her and suddenly gave a cold smile.

"Don't worry about it. This place — even if you invited me in the future, I wouldn't come back again," I said.

As the night wind hit my face, I realized it was raining outside.

The spring rain wasn't heavy—just a fine, steady drizzle—but it was enough to leave me soaked and miserable.

The streetlights in front of the Dyer family's villa made the rain look almost white. Standing at the bottom of the steps with my suitcase, I suddenly felt like a joke.

Three years ago, I walked through these doors in a wedding dress, welcomed into this family.

Three years later, I was being politely shown the door, dragging a suitcase behind me.

My phone buzzed again.

It was still Xander.

[My car's outside.]

I looked up and spotted a sleek black car parked by the curb. The headlights were off, but I could just make out the driver's sharp profile inside.

I paused for a second, but still dragged my suitcase over.

The car door swung open from the inside, and Xander stepped out, holding an umbrella. His black coat only made him look taller and more striking.

He glanced at me, his gaze lingering on my rain-damp hair, and he frowned slightly.

"What took you so long?" Xander asked.

I gave a wry smile. "Just grabbed a few worthless things."

He didn't say anything, just took the suitcase from me and put it in the trunk, then angled the umbrella toward me.

The rain slanted down, a few drops landing on his shoulder, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Get in the car," he said.

I murmured a soft "Mm," and opened the back door, slipping inside.

The warmth inside the car wrapped around me, chasing away the chill that had settled deep in my bones.

I curled my rain-soaked fingers, eyes lowered. Maybe I was just so exhausted that I couldn't even cry anymore.

Xander closed the door, circled to the driver's seat, and started the engine.

As the car slowly pulled away from the estate, I couldn't help but glance back.

The Dyer family's villa, glowing brightly, receded into the distance, like a surreal, drawn-out dream that finally vanished in the rainy night.

"What are you looking at?" Xander asked, his voice cool as he gripped the wheel. "Still attached?"

I shook my head softly.

"It's not that," I murmured, watching the rain blur past the window. "I just realized now how naive I used to be."

Xander gave a short, mocking laugh.

"About time you figured it out," he said.

I was momentarily stunned by his harsh words. Turning my head, I studied his sharp profile.

He looked detached as ever, but there was an unmistakable chill in his eyes.

I knew exactly why he was upset.

Three years ago, when I was about to marry Julian, Xander was the most vocal opponent.

He stood in Grandfather's study, right in front of everyone, and asked, "Are you really going to go through all this mess for a guy?"

Back then, I had been so young that I was almost naive. I had believed that loving someone meant not counting gains and losses, and I had even declared with conviction that Julian was worth it.

Looking back now, it really was like I was under some kind of spell.

The car was quiet for a few seconds before Xander spoke again. "I had your old apartment cleaned up ahead of time.

"All the essentials have been replaced with new ones. Someone will bring over some clothes for you tomorrow. The board meeting is scheduled for next Monday, and I'll have Vivian deliver the documents to you tomorrow."

I murmured, "Okay."

After he finished, he paused for a moment, then added in a low voice, "Sylvia, you know. It's still not too late to change your mind."