Chapter 4

Even before that night, Harold had caused more fights between Cecelia and me than I could count.

When he was still an ocean away, he would call her in the middle of the night, and the two of them would talk until dawn.

Despite the thousands of miles between them, they followed each other on every social media platform. They even had matching couple profile pictures on Instagram.

Whenever he couldn't sleep, he needed Cecelia to comfort him. Whenever he was in a bad mood, he needed her by his side.

I had confronted Cecelia about it more times than I could count.

"Cecelia, I love you. That's exactly why I can't stand beside you when your heart belongs to another man. Love is selfish. It doesn't share. I can't be generous about this, Cecelia."

At the time, my words had moved her. She had held me close and promised to keep her distance from Harold.

But just a few days later, I learned that Harold was returning and Cecelia planned to meet him at the airport.

Harold had even sent me a message to taunt me.

Harold: [Wesley, haven't you figured out where you stand yet? As long as I'm around, you'll always be the one she doesn't choose.]

He had also sent me an invitation to his welcome-home party.

I couldn't even remember how I had felt when I went that night. All I remembered was that by the time I came to my senses, Harold and I were standing together in the stairwell.

He showed me the homecoming gift Cecelia had given him. It was a ruby pendant that symbolized the heir to the Marquand family.

The last time I'd seen it, it had been in the Marquand family hall.

I could hardly believe it. Cecelia had given something so important to Harold.

Without thinking, I reached out to touch it.

But the moment I moved my hand, Harold staggered backward as though I had shoved him and tumbled down the stairs.

"Wesley, tell me something. If I send Cecelia the security footage from here, do you think she'll believe you didn't push me? Or will she take my side and punish you?"

I hadn't answered him then.

And today, I didn't need to. I already knew the answer.

Cecelia stood before me, her face contorted with fury. "Wesley, I thought you were just jealous. I thought you simply couldn't accept that I had a close friend who happened to be a man.

"But I never imagined you could be this cruel. A formal apology is nowhere near enough to make up for what you did."

She raised her hand and signaled to the butler. "Bring out the family disciplinary whip."

I stared up at her in disbelief.

The Marquand family's disciplinary whip was long and lined with vicious barbs. It was so brutal that the family almost never used it. Yet simply because Cecelia had decided I was responsible for Harold's fall, she was prepared to use it on me.

"Cecelia, is that really the kind of person you think I am?" I asked, still in a daze.

She didn't even look at me. "Are you saying you're not?"

"I won't accept punishment for something I didn't do."

"If you refuse, then this apology isn't over." Her voice turned razor-sharp. "Wesley, you're free to walk away right now. But if you do, I'll never forgive you."

My chest ached as though numerous tiny needles had pierced my heart.

Before our souls switched back, I had wanted to be the understanding husband Cecelia had always wanted. I had planned to let her have everything her way until the day I left.

But now that things had come to this, I finally understood just how much it could hurt. For the first time, I truly realized how much more Harold mattered to her than I did.

I closed my eyes and forced the words past my trembling lips. "Fine. I'll accept the punishment."

At that moment, I also accepted that Cecelia would soon no longer be my wife.

The butler promptly brought out the whip. Its black barbs gleamed with a dull, cold sheen beneath the lights.

The guests around us gasped at the sight.

Even Grace couldn't remain silent. "Cece, isn't this going a little too far?"