Chapter 3

Not far away, my mother waved at Lily.

"Sweetheart, come here! Let your uncle get a good look at the beautiful bride."

Lily hesitated, clutching Ethan's sleeve.

"Maybe we should leave first."

He didn't move. He smiled warmly at her.

"Go ahead. I'll join you in a second."

Lily walked away, but I still hadn't backed down.

Ethan thought about my breakup threat.

He folded his arms, looking me up and down.

"Can you actually live without me?" he asked casually.

"Even if something did happen between Lily and me, you're just throwing a tantrum. You'll crawl back to me in a couple of days anyway."

Looking at his smug, confident face, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.

Then I turned and walked out of the banquet hall.

Inside, the lights were dazzling, and everyone was happily playing along with Lily's "accidental" wedding.

Standing in the cold wind, my hands shook as I typed a reply.

"No need for photos. Let's go straight to City Hall and register this Monday."

I went back to my apartment and started packing.

We had just bought a new house for our future marriage. Thinking of it now, a wave of desolation washed over me.

The light purple wallpaper, the crystal chandelier, even the cream-white nightstand...

The entire house was decorated exactly to Lily's taste.

When the house was being renovated, Ethan had warned me,

"Honey, don't go to the new house yet. I'm worried about the paint fumes and formaldehyde. It's bad for your health."

For a whole year, he had spent his time decorating a house tailored entirely to Lily's preferences.

On the bed lay a worn silk pajama set—Lily's style and size.

I took a photo and sent it to Ethan.

He replied casually: "Lily used our shower on a rainy day last week and must have left it there."

The house I worked tirelessly to save up for was first occupied by Lily.

I didn't reply. My phone exploded with a flurry of messages from him.

I threw the phone onto the bed and looked around the room.

On the windowsill were the wind chimes and knickknacks that Lily loved.

And then, there was a photo wall.

I walked closer. Every single photo was of Ethan and Lily on trips together.

There were dates written underneath.

December 25, 2025. Last Christmas—which was also my birthday.

Ethan had told me he had an urgent business trip, but he had actually taken Lily to Iceland to see the Northern Lights.

Valentine's Day, 2026. He said he had to go back to his hometown for a family emergency.

But he was actually at the beach with Lily.

A drawer was slightly open.

I knelt down and pulled it open.

Inside were four plane tickets for an international flight.

The names on them read: Ethan Carter, Lily Miller, and my parents.

In their future plans, I was never even considered.

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

"Chloe!"

I spun around.

Ethan rushed in, with Lily trailing behind him.

His face was livid, and he was out of breath.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming to the house?"

I choked back my tears. "Did you plan on moving in here with her?"

"Lily spent days helping us prepare for the wedding! She's just staying here for a bit. Can you stop making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"For me?!" The emotions I had bottled up for years finally erupted. "But you ended up having a wedding with her!"

Ethan scowled and groaned. "Chloe, why do you have to be so relentless?"

I looked at him, the love in my eyes completely gone. I let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"The name 'Lily' on the wedding welcome board? I was the one who wrote it."