Chapter 3

He carried me in his arms, water dripping from his eyebrows, and the depth in his eyes as he looked at me made my heart flutter in that moment.

I learned about his prestigious family background and the rumors of his flirtatious ways, which made me restrain myself.

But Jaxon quit all his bad habits and pursued me earnestly for a year.

His pursuit was polite, respectful, and heartfelt.

On New Year's Eve that year, I went back to my hometown to visit the graves, and midway, my phone died.

After three hours of no contact, Jaxon, worried that I might faint from low blood sugar in the wilderness, drove hundreds of miles to find me.

He stood on the ridge of the field in thin clothes, neck stretched out, helplessly wiping tears and calling out my name with all his might.

At that moment, I thought to myself, "Mom, Dad, in this life, I choose him."

Three years into our relationship, I never felt Jaxon's love fading.

In a crowded mall, he would kneel on one knee to help me try on shoes.

He would take care of me when I had menstrual cramps.

Before introducing me to his parents, he talked to them to ensure I faced no doubts or grievances.

He would also proudly introduce me at high society gatherings as his fiancée.

"This is my fiancée, Evelyn Dewhurst, the chief designer at ArtGrn."

"She is incredibly talented, having won many design awards. She designed the royal wedding of Princess Josephine. People are booking her for wedding plans two years in advance."

"No, wait, bookings start from the year after next because next year we’re getting married. A grand ceremony it will be, and you’ll all be invited!"

His love was too fervent, too perfect.

That was why his infidelity seemed so grotesque and fatal.

I cried my heart out in a hotel room.

I kept comforting myself—it was just betrayal. So what if he cheated on me?

We hadn’t had our wedding yet. We hadn’t registered our marriage. It wasn’t too late.

I could still escape far from this place!

Far from these demons.

But why should I be the one to leave quietly when I wasn’t the one who did wrong?

I wanted revenge!

Moreover, it was my judgment and insight that needed reflection, not my sincerity and kindness.

I wasn’t wrong.

I was fine.

The next day, during the rehearsal, I returned to the villa early.

When Jaxon came to pick me up, I had already pulled myself together.

But he still noticed my swollen eyes.

"Did you cry last night?"

He bent down and gently kissed my eyelids.

I felt nauseous. "I missed my parents last night."

Jaxon smiled softly and knelt down to change my shoes.

"Your parents will bless us from heaven."

I suddenly wanted to ask him.

If he couldn’t remain faithful, why did he want to marry me?

Didn’t he know I couldn’t stand deceit?

When he was fooling around with Lena, did he ever think about how devastated I would be if I found out?

I clenched my teeth and swallowed those words.

Jaxon continued to happily declare to everyone that he would give me an unprecedented grand wedding.

I planned to turn this grand wedding into a farcical comedy myself.

Jaxon would be the clown, standing at the center of the stage.

The wedding rehearsal ended in the afternoon.

Before we left, I asked Jaxon and Lena to wait for me in the car while I spoke with my assistant.

This multimillion-dollar wedding was designed by me and coordinated by my assistant.

After our conversation, she looked troubled and hesitant.

I ignored it.

I knew my request was unreasonable.

Such last-minute changes affected everything.

But I had dealt with hundreds of weddings. There were brides far more capricious than I was.

Why couldn’t I have my whims just this once?

When I got to the car, the chauffeur was nowhere to be seen.

Jaxon sat in the passenger seat. Lena was in the back.

The atmosphere was as awkward as ever.

I looked at Lena’s slightly swollen lips and smiled mockingly.

So that was why they used to blush and get flustered—it wasn't from arguing but from kissing behind my back...

And back then, I thought they were fighting.

I sat in the back seat and closed my eyes wearily.

"Where’s the chauffeur?"

Jaxon replied, "He went to use the restroom. I’ll call him right now."

I hummed softly.

Jaxon turned around and handed me my thermos.

The scent of honey water wafted into my nostrils.

"Are you tired?"

He asked gently.

Then, staring at Lena, he commanded, "Lena, come sit in front."

"No."

I opened my eyes, quickly grabbed Lena’s hand, and turned to look at her with a smile.

"I have lots of whispers for Lena."

Jaxon frowned unhappily. "What whispers can’t I hear?"

My smile deepened.

"Of course, it's about your misdeeds. If you heard them, you’d definitely throw Lena out of the car."

Jaxon snorted.

"Lana, I don’t care how much you oppose this marriage. Evelyn and I are going to get married. From now on, you can’t speak ill of me."

Lena seemed to guess something. She didn't retort like before.

Her expression stiffened slightly, guiltily looking at me.