Chapter 2

Ray Gilbert told me to wait one day.

But I waited a full week on that gambling ship.

He never came.

Those men tore my clothes off, made me the prize on their gaming table, forced me to kneel and pour drinks for gamblers reeking of liquor.

Whoever won a round got to yank me by the hair and humiliate me however he pleased, filthy hands falling on me again and again.

The man in charge pressed his foot down on my hand and sneered.

"Still waiting for Ray Gilbert to come save you?"

"He never sold his company. He never planned to scrape together the money to buy you back."

"These past few days he's been at auctions with Miss Fox. One jewel bracelet cost him tens of millions, and now he's throwing a lavish wedding for her, sparing no expense."

The pain nearly tore my soul apart, but the Wishing Willow held my body in its grip.

My face was streaked with tears, yet my mouth kept its meek little smile as I said, over and over,

"It's all right."

"Whatever Valerie wants, Ray should give her."

"As long as she's happy, it's fine if I wait a few more days, suffer a little more."

The men froze for a beat, then laughed even harder.

"What a devoted wife Mrs. Gilbert is."

"Then we'll take you to see it with your own eyes, how Mr. Gilbert dotes on Miss Fox."

They dragged me into a car and brought me to a wedding.

When I saw everything laid out before me, I went rigid where I stood.

Ray Gilbert stood in a white morning suit, gold roses spread out behind him.

Those were the new variety he'd once had specially cultivated to propose to me.

He'd said gold never fades, and ninety-nine of them stood for love that lasts forever.

Now the roses that had once belonged only to me covered Valerie's wedding.

"Lena?"

Ray saw me and his face changed in an instant.

He left his guests standing there, rushed down the steps, and pulled me tight against him.

"How did you end up here?"

Before I could say a word, he was already scrambling to explain.

"Don't get the wrong idea, I can explain!"

"I promised to let Valerie go. I should at least grant her one last wish before we part."

"She only wanted to marry me. This wedding is just to keep her happy, it doesn't count for anything."

"The moment it's over, I'll sell the company and buy you back."

As if afraid I wouldn't believe him, he swore it again and again.

"I gave orders long ago. They wouldn't actually touch you."

"You're safe there. A little scare at most."

"Just hold on a few more days. I'll bring you home, I promise."

He kept swearing to my safety without a shred of shame.

Never once bending his head to look at the skin under my sleeves, already covered in bruised fingermarks and wounds.

I only smiled, meek as ever.

"Okay."

But Ray's whole body went stiff.

He let go of me, staring hard at my face, the guilt in his eyes slowly giving way to unease.

"Lena, why aren't you angry…"

"Before, if she so much as touched me, you'd fight with me for days."

"Now I'm about to marry her, and you won't even curse at me?"

The man beside us suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"Mr. Gilbert, why put on this devoted act?"

"It's not your first time pulling something like this."

"Three years ago, when you had us grab Mrs. Gilbert and haul her onto the ship to cover a debt, wasn't that to keep Miss Fox happy too?"