Chapter 4

When she returned home, Simone's phone chimed with a new message.

She unlocked it to find a photo.

In the image, Tom stood shirtless, his back to the camera, while Belinda wore a strapless mermaid-style wedding gown. The train of the dress was hiked up to her waist, revealing her pale legs wrapped around Tom's muscular waist. The intimacy of their pose was undeniable.

Moments later, another message came through—a video this time.

In the video, Belinda's flushed face was nestled against Tom's neck as her voice broke into fragmented sentences.

"Mr. Francis… my wedding dress… the one I just got today… you ruined it!"

Tom chuckled softly, leaning in to whisper into her ear, his voice low and husky.

"Didn’t you want the dress just to show it off to me?"

His tone grew darker but teasing.

"I made sure the designer who created Simone’s wedding dress made one for you too. Now, shouldn’t you fulfill my request tonight?"

Belinda let out a soft gasp, and the video abruptly ended.

As if the damage wasn’t enough, another message followed.

"Oh dear, I forgot Miss Watson can’t hear. What a shame. Next time, I’ll be sure to add subtitles. ?"

Simone’s fingers clenched the phone tightly, her knuckles turning white. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face, falling to the floor in heavy drops.

She had never imagined that a man’s heart could be split so completely in two.

He had a wedding dress designed for two women.

Tom, is this what you call love?

This kind of love was unbearable. She didn’t want it.

Suppressing the searing pain in her chest, Simone raised her hand to wipe her tears. Her engagement ring caught her eye, the diamond glinting coldly in the light.

She stared at the ring for a moment before slipping it off and tossing it into the trash.

This wasn’t just any ring. Tom had personally visited a jeweler to learn how to design it. After sketching the concept, he went to the manufacturer to hammer it into shape himself. The entire process was his labor of love.

When he proposed, he had told her that only a ring he made himself could carry meaning. Every time she touched it, she would feel his love.

But now, that love had soured.

The ring held no meaning anymore.

It was late into the night when Tom finally returned home.

Simone felt the mattress sink as he sat down beside her. The scent of perfume mixed with the faint aroma of white heather wafted over her. The image of the entangled figures from the video flashed through her mind, making her stomach churn. She leapt from the bed and dashed to the bathroom, retching.

Tom panicked when he saw her distress, reaching for his phone to call the family doctor.

"Simone, did you eat something bad? I’ll get the doctor here right away!"

Simone, her eyes red from crying, grabbed his hand to stop him.

"I’m fine… I just… remembered some photos and videos that made me nauseous."

Tom knelt beside her, gently patting her back, his face filled with concern.

"Don’t look at those things anymore. Seeing you like this hurts me too."

As if words weren’t enough, he took her hand and pressed it against his chest, letting her feel the steady thump of his heart.

Simone instinctively looked down, but her gaze fell on the open collar of his shirt. A few unmistakable red marks dotted his skin.

Her stomach lurched again.

What kind of iron-clad nerve did Tom possess to bear the marks of another woman and still act so tenderly?

Tom, oblivious to her thoughts, grew more anxious.

"What kind of photos and videos could do this to my Simone? If I find the person responsible, I’ll make sure they pay!"

A bitter smile tugged at Simone’s lips.

Tom, the person who’s done this to me is you.

She couldn’t bear to look at his face any longer. Pushing him out of the room, she locked the door behind him.

"I want to sleep alone tonight."

Tom’s worried voice called from the other side of the door, but Simone ignored him. She climbed into bed, lying in the silence.

Tom’s playful words from the video echoed in her mind.

Since she had been with him, he had vowed to give her a love like no other. At the time, she believed he was her salvation.

But now, it was clear he was the devil pulling her deeper into hell.

After the unforgettable love he once gave her, he had delivered a blow that was utterly devastating.

Simone closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek.

If only she could go back in time. She would rather have never met Tom.

---

The next morning, Simone opened the door to find Tom standing outside, looking slightly aggrieved.

"Simone, why did you lock me out of the bedroom? Are you upset because I left you at the bridal shop yesterday? I had an urgent matter to attend to. Please forgive me, alright?"

Urgent matter?

Rushing to sleep with Belinda could certainly count as urgent for him.

Simone didn’t expose his lie. In eight days, she would leave. By then, he would know that she had already seen everything.

She shook her head.

"I’m not upset. Work is important—I understand."

Her calm tone made Tom’s heart clench. He immediately protested.

"No! You’re the most important thing to me. I’ll never leave you alone again."

He signed the words emphatically before pulling her into a tight embrace, as if he wanted to fuse her into his very being.

Simone didn’t respond.

The future he spoke of?

There would be no future for them.