Chapter 4

My best friend grabbed her purse to come with me.:

“Let me take you home. I can't leave you like this.”

I shook my head.:

“It's fine. I just want to be alone for a while.”

She looked at how pale my face was and didn't push it, only reminding me over and over,:

“Then take it slow on the way, and text me the second you get home, you hear me? Call me anytime if anything comes up.”

I nodded and parted from her outside the bar.

The night wind carried a chill, brushing against my face, and my head spun worse than before.

I walked slowly along the edge of the street.

By the time I got home and opened the door, it was already the small hours of the morning.

The living room glowed with warm yellow light.

Christian sat on the couch, Crystal leaning against his shoulder.

The two of them, heads tipped close together, were scrolling through the wedding photos on his phone.

At the sound of the door, Christian looked up, his brow knitting at once.:

“Where'd you go? You stormed off from your own wedding, and you still had the nerve to come back?”

Crystal sat up straight, her face wearing just the right measure of apology.:

“Miss Swanson, it's my fault you and Christian fell out. I'm so sorry.”

“I was going to stay at a hotel, but Christian said the wedding home Ezra prepared before he passed still isn't finished, that it wasn't safe for me to stay out there alone. He insisted I come stay here for a few days.”

“If it bothers you, I'll leave right now……”

As she spoke, she reached for the purse on the couch.

“No need.”

Christian pressed her back down and looked at me, his tone leaving no room for argument.:

“The master bedroom is spacious, and the light is good. Crystal is practically a member of the older generation, so give her the best room. Pack your things. We'll move to the guest room.”

The old me would have argued with him, eyes red.

But now I only nodded, my voice calm.:

“Fine.”

He froze for a moment, as if he hadn't expected me to agree so readily.

Taking it only as a sign I'd come to my senses, his expression eased a little.:

“Good, you know your place. Crystal is delicate, so pay more attention from now on and try to accommodate her.”

I said nothing, turned, and went into the master bedroom.

When I opened the door, my skincare, my clothes, my jewelry, all of it had been arranged neatly by the doorway.

Clearly he'd had the housekeeper pack it up ahead of time.

Just like swapping out the bride at the wedding.

He made it sound so considerate, but in truth he'd never given me any choice at all.

I gathered my things, walked into the guest room, and didn't come out again.

The next day I'd planned to go to the office to resign.

I'd barely reached the living room when I heard Crystal crying from the bathroom.

Christian was frantic.:

“How did this happen? I'll call a doctor.”

I walked over.

I saw a dense spread of red rash covering the skin left bare on Crystal's arms.

The moment she saw me appear, she quickly tugged her sleeves down, her voice choked.:

“It's all right, Christian, it isn't Miss Swanson's fault. I must have just been too worn out yesterday, my immune system dropped and I broke out. It has nothing to do with the bedding……”

With those words, she had pinned the blame squarely on me.

Christian's head snapped toward me, his eyes ice cold.

“Tilda, did you do this? Did you deliberately swap in unwashed bedding to get back at Crystal?”

I looked at his enraged face, and not a ripple stirred inside me.:

“I went to sleep the moment I finished moving my things last night. I never touched the bedding in the master bedroom.”

“If not you, then who?”

He pressed closer with every word, his voice rising.:

“Who else in this house would target her? At the wedding you humiliated her at every turn, and now you're pulling this cheap little stunt. How did I never see how vicious you are?”

Crystal tugged at his arm from the side.:

“Christian, don't be angry, it really has nothing to do with Miss Swanson. It's my own fault……”