It was the seventh time in a year that Lucas Kane’s childhood sweetheart, Daphne, had been hospitalized. And he was finally asking me for the one thing I couldn’t give. "I want to give Daphne a wedding first. It's just a formality, Claire. I hope you can understand." This was the seventh time he had postponed our own wedding. A bitter smile touched my lips. I nodded calmly. As I was leaving, I heard his precious Daphne ask him in a small, careful voice, "Lucas, we're already legally married now. She's not going to make a scene when she finds out, is she?" Lucas stroked her hair, his voice a low chuckle. "She's easy. A few sweet words and she'll be fine." He was so sure. So certain that even after he was a married man, I would still cling to him like a loyal puppy. Waiting for him to get a divorce so I could eagerly take his hand in marriage. I looked down at the photo that had just appeared on my phone screen. I smiled and typed back a reply. 【He’s handsome. Are you free to get married? Like, right now?】 1 The person on the other end was silent for a long time. Finally, a message came through. 【Don't you want to get to know me a little better first?】 My mother already did. She wouldn't set me up for failure, would she? I, on the other hand, had spent seven years getting to know Lucas Kane. And all it took was one childhood sweetheart returning from abroad to turn it all to ash. I replied with three words. 【No, I'm good.】 I glanced up at the private hospital suite. Daphne was gazing up at Lucas, her face a picture of innocent, girlish charm. "Thank you, Lucas, for making my wish come true. One month is enough." "After a month, we'll get a divorce." A wave of pain washed over Lucas's eyes. "Don't rush it. We'll talk after you're better." "How can this body of mine ever get better? But I don't want to get in the way of you and Claire." She didn't want to get in our way, yet she’d wasted no time getting a marriage certificate with him. But that’s not how Lucas saw it. He shut down her suggestion with a tone that bordered on harsh. "You don't need to worry about her." His voice was laced with a casual, almost contemptuous certainty. "I could forget about her for twenty years, and the second I called, she’d come running." "Oh, good," Daphne said, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. The warm afternoon sun illuminated their faces, making them glow. Standing outside the door, I clenched my fists, a bitter sting in my nose. I don't know how I managed to escape the hospital. All I knew was that the moment I breathed in the fresh air, a tearing, shattering pain ripped through my chest. The entrance was bustling with people coming and going. Only I stood frozen, completely lost. A year ago, Lucas’s childhood sweetheart had returned. Not with a roar, but with a whimper. She was sick—an illness they couldn't cure, but that wouldn't kill her either. She was kept alive by medication. Lucas was heartbroken. He moved Daphne into a new villa he’d bought, hiring a team of four or five people to care for her around the clock. Daphne had loved tennis before she got sick, so Lucas bought out the villas on either side, tore down the walls, and built her a private tennis court. At first, she wouldn't accept it, disappearing from time to time. "Lucas, I don't want to be a burden," she would say, her brow furrowed with sorrow. "Just let me go." He would get furious, but he always found her and brought her back. Then came the hospitalizations. Seven of them. And seven times, Lucas stayed by her side, day and night. I used to think he was just a naturally reserved person, that his patience with me was a sign of affection. His profile picture had always been a generic landscape photo, something an old man would use. It took me a month of coaxing just to get him to change it to a matching one with me. The first time Daphne was hospitalized, she mentioned she liked a popular cartoon puppy. Lucas immediately changed his profile picture and his entire social media background to it. The CEO of the Kane Corporation, with a cartoon dog as his avatar. It was so jarringly out of character that our mutual friends all messaged me, asking if I'd forced him to do it again. I couldn't bring myself to reply. This time, it wasn’t me. It was for her. Each time Daphne was hospitalized, our wedding was postponed. The fifth time, he announced he was going to do a wedding photoshoot with her. It was every girl's dream, he'd said. And he might be the only one who could ever grant her that wish. He hoped I would understand. I understood. The sixth time, he gave her the engagement ring meant for me. Daphne happened to like that design, he explained. He promised he’d get me a better one later, and hoped I could be generous. I didn't stop him. The seventh time, he told me he was going to have a wedding ceremony with her. And somewhere along the line, without my knowledge, they had already gotten legally married. He came to inform me, lying that it was all just for show. If that was the case, then all I could do was wish them a lifetime of happiness. I would never, ever be the other woman. Tears blurred my vision. A black sedan pulled up silently in front of me. The rear window rolled down, revealing a face so handsome it made my heart skip a beat. "Ms. Cheng. Get in." I froze, wiping away my tears. "What are you doing here?" The man's voice was deep and magnetic. "Weren't you the one who wanted to get married immediately?" He glanced at the luxurious watch on his wrist. "If we hurry, we can still make it today." 2 That evening, Christopher Ensler’s car dropped me off at my apartment building. We hadn't spoken a word the entire ride. I stole a few glances at him. He sat with his hands clasped in his lap, his gaze fixed on the scenery outside the window. His expression was as placid as still water, impossible to read. I figured he was probably being pressured by his family to get married, too. My family background was clean, our parents were old acquaintances, and I wasn't hard on the eyes. So he didn't overthink it. He just took me straight to City Hall. I didn't care if he liked me or not. My mother had vetted him; he had to be reliable. And honestly, I was tired. I didn't have the energy to go through the whole process of falling in love again. All I wanted was a decent, suitable person to settle down with, to finally give my parents some peace. Lucas's constant delays had already pushed my parents to their breaking point. They said I was chasing after him and disgracing the family. My father declared that even if Lucas became the richest man in the world, he would never approve. He even threatened that if I insisted on being with Lucas, the family business would go entirely to my younger brother, and I wouldn't see a dime. My mother, frantic, started setting me up on blind dates, desperate for me to see reason. At the time, I was dead set on marrying Lucas. I ignored every single one of her suggestions. Christopher was the last one she introduced. She told me that if I didn't take this one seriously, she was done. She would consider herself daughterless. That was right around the time Lucas told me he was doing a wedding photoshoot with Daphne. I had already lost the war in love. I couldn't afford to lose my family and my career, too. 3 Just as I was about to get out of the car, Christopher, who had been silent the whole way, suddenly spoke. "Take your time packing. I'll come get you when you're ready." My breath hitched. Did he mean he wanted me to move in with him? His chiseled profile was like something carved from marble. My heart skipped a beat. Seeing me stare blankly, he turned to look at me, his tone matter-of-fact. "You should move in with me." I nodded. I had no reason to refuse. As I opened the door, he called out to me again. "Open up your social media profile." It took me a second to understand. I had never let him see my posts since we connected. I fumbled with my phone, my fingers clumsy under his gaze, and finally showed him my profile page. "There." He pressed his lips together, nodded, and let me go. After Christopher drove away, I stared at the red marriage certificate in my hand, feeling a sense of surreal displacement. This little red book, the one I had dreamed of having with Lucas, was now so easily in my possession. The groom wasn't Lucas. But somehow, it didn't feel all that different. I opened the door to my apartment and was surprised to see Lucas there. He hadn't stayed here in a long time, choosing to spend his nights at the new villa with Daphne. This penthouse he'd bought had become my solitary home. He seemed to be in a good mood, a smile playing on his lips. When he saw me, he walked over and handed me an elegant card. I knew it instantly. It was the wedding invitation I had designed for us. When I had excitedly shown it to him before, he had tossed it aside dismissively. "It's just an invitation. Whatever." But now, his handwriting was on it. 【Groom: Lucas Kane & Bride: Daphne Ji】 "It actually turned out quite nice," he murmured, his fingers gently caressing the two names on the cover. "The date is set for next week. It's short notice, so we'll just use this design." He paused, then added, "When we get married, I'll have a new one designed." I stared at the invitation. Even though my heart was already dead to him, a familiar sting pricked my eyes. Seeing my silence, Lucas's good mood began to fade. "What, you're not happy? If you're not happy, then just don't come to the ceremony." He actually expected me to attend his wedding to another woman. I clutched the invitation, biting my lip hard. A profound sense of helplessness washed over me. "Look, I promise, it's a fake marriage," he said impatiently, seeing my stubborn silence. "As soon as Daphne's wish is fulfilled, we'll go and register our marriage." His tone was like he was bestowing a great favor upon me. I kept my head down, not responding to his monologue. Lucas reached for my arm, pulling me toward the living room. "Come on, help me decide on the decor for the venue." As I jerked my arm away, the paper bag I was holding tore. A stack of documents and a bright red booklet slid out. Lucas's eyes flickered to the red certificate. The calm mask on his face cracked for a fleeting second. He immediately bent down, snatched up the marriage certificate, and clutched it tightly in his hand. "You found out," he said. It was a statement, not a question. If he had bothered to open it, he would have known. This wasn't his marriage certificate with Daphne. But he was too busy watching my reaction to even look. I gave a small, bitter laugh and nodded. "I know. You two are legally married." Lucas's lips thinned. There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but his voice remained calm. "Well, since we're already having the wedding, the certificate doesn't really change anything. You have to go all in, right? You don't mind, do you?" I said nothing. "We'll get divorced in a month," he rushed to explain. "It won't delay our wedding." I doubt even he believed that. After the wedding would come the once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon. Then pregnancy, childbirth, raising a child… whatever Daphne wanted, he would give her. I was too tired to argue. I just held out my hand. "Give it to me." He hesitated, rubbing the cover of the certificate before reluctantly handing it over. "Put it back where you found it. I'll need it for the divorce." I ignored him, took the certificate, and walked toward the study. Just before I closed the door, I saw him beaming as he sent a voice message. "See? I told you. She found out and it's fine. A little sweet talk is all it takes." I looked down at the invitation in my hand. A mocking smile crossed my face. I tore it to shreds and threw it in the trash. My phone vibrated. A message from Christopher. 【Can you move tomorrow morning?】 【I have a lot of stuff. Why the rush?】 Just a little while ago, he'd told me to take my time. The "typing" bubble appeared for a long time before his message came through. 【Move in the morning. Maldives in the afternoon.】 【For what?】 I asked. He replied: 【Honeymoon.】 4 Around midnight, Lucas left again, summoned by a call from Daphne. I knew he wouldn't be back until long after their wedding, if ever. I began to pack, sorting through my belongings one by one. I had known Lucas for seven years, been with him for five, and lived with him for four. Every object in this apartment was etched with our memories. The sapphire necklace in my hand was the first gift he ever bought me. My favorite piece of jewelry. I stared at it for a long time before slowly closing the box and placing it on his bedside table. When I first met Lucas, he was a gentleman, but with a sharp, predatory edge. I had just returned from studying abroad and started working at my family's company. He was my first major business partner. He was three years my senior and already at the helm of the Kane Corporation, while I was still shaking off my student awkwardness. Having seen my share of flashy, arrogant rich kids abroad, I was utterly defenseless against his mature charm. "Ms. Cheng, I've reviewed your proposal, but I'd much rather you discuss it with me in person." "Ms. Cheng, that sapphire is lovely on you. But your eyes are more beautiful." "Ms. Cheng, relax your wrist when you swing. You're so tense. Are you nervous?" "Are you nervous because of me?" He was attentive and incredibly perceptive. He knew I loved spicy food and would always book a Sichuan restaurant for our team dinners, except for the times I had canker sores. Then, he'd switch to a Cantonese place so I could eat comfortably. When a disgruntled business partner cornered me in a parking garage, threatening to ruin my reputation, it was Lucas who appeared out of nowhere, saving me and getting me out of there safely. I never found out what he did, but I never saw that man in the industry again. For a long time after, I was terrified to go out alone. He drove me everywhere, dropping everything to accompany me, even waiting patiently for hours while I got my hair cut. He pursued me relentlessly, and I fell fast. He guided me in my career, helping me become a capable executive in my own right. He consumed my thoughts, keeping me up at night. There were so many nights he’d look at me, his eyes dark with desire, and no one could have resisted the man he was then. He told me he didn't fall easily, but once he loved someone, he would never let go. I didn't understand what that really meant back then. I later learned that the person he would never let go of was never me. Our story after that was a cliché. The deeper I fell in love, the colder he became. Eventually, everyone was saying that I was the one who couldn't live without him. I didn't sleep a wink that night, packing away my life. I sat on the soft carpet, leaning against the bed, scrolling through my phone. I came across a post from Daphne from a few hours earlier. She was wearing a face mask, flashing a peace sign at the camera. 【Trying on wedding dresses tomorrow, but I'm missing a sapphire necklace. What to do?】 Another post meant for me to see. Just as I was about to scroll past, a call from Lucas came in. I stared at the screen for a long moment before answering. "Claire, Daphne is trying on dresses today and she wants to wear a sapphire necklace. Bring yours over now." A silent, cold laugh escaped me. The memories that had been replaying in my mind all night suddenly felt like a cruel joke. The things you treasure are meaningless to others. I glanced at the green velvet jewelry box on the nightstand. "It's on the bedside table," I said coolly. "Come and get it yourself." I hung up before he could reply. I don't know why I felt such a sudden urgency, a surge of defiant energy. Without hesitating, I dialed Christopher’s number. He sounded like he was still half-asleep, his voice a low, lazy drawl. "What's wrong, babe?" I froze. Babe? Did he call the wrong person? "This is Claire Cheng," I reminded him. His voice was clearer this time. "I know it's you." I didn't press the issue. "Can you come pick me up now?"
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