Chapter 2

Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down my spine.

Looking at Marcus now, every ounce of love I had felt for him evaporated.

All the way back, Chloe and Marcus chatted and laughed, sharing inside jokes.

I sat there like an invisible third wheel who couldn’t squeeze a word in.

This man, who had been completely silent and cold to me, was now looking at another woman with eyes full of tenderness.

I suddenly realized this marriage didn't even need to begin.

The moment we stepped into our hotel suite, Marcus threw his coat down and glared at me. "What was with that miserable face back there?"

"You were the one who begged for this honeymoon. Now that we’re here, you’re throwing a tantrum and ruining the mood."

"Do you have any idea how valuable my time is?"

I stared at him in utter disbelief, a bitter tightness squeezing my chest.

When I was eighteen, the Franklin family empire went bankrupt.

My parents essentially pawned me off to the Christians under the guise of an arranged alliance.

The graduation trip my parents had promised me was canceled.

Seeing how devastated I was back then, Marcus had wiped away my tears, promising he would take me on a trip every single year.

The first year, Chloe got sick and was hospitalized, so we had to wait.

The second year, Chloe took a bad fall after a breakup, and the plans fell through again.

This year, Marcus finally agreed to take me. But as it turned out, he and Chloe had already been here, playing house as a happy couple.

The suffocating silence in the room was crushing me.

I just wanted a straight answer. "When did you and Chloe come here?"

He shrugged casually, acting as if I was making a big deal out of nothing.

"Chloe failed her job interview last month and cried all night. I brought her here to clear her head."

"To clear her head? Does clearing her head require mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?"

A long, heavy silence stretched between us.

Then, Marcus snapped, his face flushing with anger. "Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself."

"Chloe is like a sister to me. If there was actually anything going on between us, do you really think you’d be sitting here as my wife?"

I let out a dry laugh. So, that was his truth.

Chloe’s parents died saving Marcus's life when they were kids.

To make it up to her, his parents had initially set them up to be married.

But then, Marcus claimed he fell in love with me at first sight.

He used childish stunts like hunger strikes and running away from home to force his parents to agree to our match.

When the Franklins went under, he finally got exactly what he wanted.

"Let's get a divorce."

His hands froze over the suitcase he was unpacking. He let out a scoff.

"Just because I took Chloe on a trip to cheer her up, you’re throwing a fit and demanding a divorce?"

"Catherine, when did you become so childish?"

I said nothing, my heart aching in dull, heavy thuds.

"Chloe has really sensitive skin and allergies. Go sleep in her room tonight so she can have this suite."

Seeing me stand still, he reached out and patted my head condescendingly. "You need to learn to be more generous."

My eyes welled up with uncontrollable tears.

It was always like this.

The jewelry she wanted, I had to give up.

The designer dresses she wanted, I had to let her have.

I had been yielding to her for seven long years.

I sniffled, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I’ll give her the room. And you? I’m giving you to her too."

Hearing this, he pinched the bridge of his nose in sheer annoyance. "It’s just a room! Stop turning everything into a federal case!"

Before I could reply, there was a knock at the door.

The moment Chloe walked in, Marcus smoothly took her suitcase, opened it, and began unpacking her things one by one.

That was when I noticed their toiletries were matching couple sets.

She slid her room card into my palm, offering a sweet, innocent, yet apologetic smile.

"I’m so sorry, Catherine. I booked my room so late, and the view isn't great."

"I hate to make you suffer in that room... you don’t mind, right?"

I suddenly felt a surge of petty amusement. "What if I said I do mind? Would you give me my suite back?"

It was the first time in seven years I had ever said no to her. Chloe froze, her eyes instantly filling with tears.

She began frantically stuffing her things back into her suitcase, acting as if she was being bullied.

Marcus’s face darkened instantly. He grabbed my suitcase and hurled it out into the hallway. "If anyone’s leaving, it’s you."

The zipper on my suitcase burst, scattering my clothes all over the hallway floor. I sat slumped in the middle of the mess, looking absolutely pathetic and ridiculous.

The heavy suite door slammed shut, cutting off my view of Marcus.

The plastic room card in my hand felt like a burning coal.

I laughed at myself, realizing for the very first time what a massive joke my life had become.