Chapter 2

What a joke.

Seeing how tense things got, Tracy let out a soft sob. "Jasmine, do you really want to marry me off that badly?"

"However, I can't bear to leave Edward. And I don't want to marry some man I've never even met."

She bit down hard on her lip, then looked up at Edward with tear-filled eyes.

Edward reached out to pull her closer. "Don't be afraid. I won't let you get married."

However, she stepped back, shaking her head, tears clinging to her lashes.

"Edward, Jasmine thinks I've been clinging to you this whole time, maybe I should just die.

"If I'm dead, I won't be forced into marriage. And I won't have to watch you marry someone else."

By the time she finished speaking, she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Then she turned and ran back into the Lewis house.

Edward panicked. He took a step to chase after her, then suddenly remembered I was still there.

"Jasmine, she's your own sister. Do you really have to push her to death?

"You think if she gets married, I'll marry you?

"Have you ever thought that maybe the reason I've missed for three years straight is that heaven sees how heartless you are and refuses to let you marry into my family?"

I listened quietly as he finished scolding me, then looked straight into his eyes.

Word by word, I asked, "Edward, three days from now will be the fourth year of the shooting. Will you hit my handkerchief?"

…

Edward frowned deeply. When he spoke, it sounded like he was grinding his teeth.

"Jasmine, your sister is about to kill herself, and you're still thinking about a handkerchief?

"Is romance really that important to you? Important enough to make you this cruel?"

The moon hung high in the sky. It was already late at night.

Edward turned and stormed off, his sleeve snapping in the wind.

I stood alone in the middle of the street, the cold wind making my head spin.

However, the colder my heart felt, the tighter I held onto the engagement document.

All those years of quiet love were shattered in a single moment. When the dream broke, I finally saw him for what he really was. Nothing special at all.

The next morning, I got up early and changed into my engagement dress.

I figured if it did not fit right, there was still time to have it altered.

I turned in front of the mirror and noticed the waist was a little loose. Just as I was about to head out and find a tailor, I ran straight into Edward.

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He stared at me for a second, like he forgot how to speak.

His lips moved slightly. Then, in the next instant, he clenched his fist.

"Jasmine, don't tell me you're planning to wear that to the family banquet."

Before I could even respond, he shook his head, clearly dissatisfied.

"The engagement isn't confirmed unless I hit your handkerchief the day after tomorrow. If you wear something like that and I miss, people will just laugh at how desperate you are to get married.

"Go change. When the time comes, just wear something plain."

He spoke like it was the most natural thing in the world, like I would definitely obey him.

After all, in past years, he said it was to protect my reputation. Before he hit my handkerchief, I could only dress simply and blend into the crowd.

However, Tracy was different.

She was younger. Pure. Innocent.

She could stand right at the front in a bright red dress and call out his name without hesitation.

Thinking of that, I let out a quiet, mocking smile.

"Mr. Shaw, you've misunderstood. I'm trying on this dress for my engagement. If it's an engagement, how could I just wear anything?"

Edward's brows tightened, irritation flashing in his eyes.

"I haven't even submitted an engagement document. What engagement are you talking about?

"And right now, Tracy is on a hunger strike. How can you still be thinking about trying on pretty clothes? Go change, then come with me to apologize to your sister."

A hunger strike?

Before dawn this morning, I clearly heard her cook making meatballs. There was no way she was starving.

"Is Edward here?"

A voice suddenly echoed down the corridor. Tracy came running over in a hurry.

The moment she saw us, she froze. Her pale face trembled, and then tears started falling again.

"Did I interrupt you?"

"Jasmine's wearing such a pretty dress. Are you getting engaged to Edward?"

Edward quickly shook his head. "Tracy, don't overthink it. Jasmine is just trying it on."

"Trying it on? Then it must be real." Tracy was always good at crying.

With her soft, fragile looks, all it took was a few tears for Edward to completely take her side.

"No, there's no engagement. Really."

He rushed over, grabbed my wrist, and lowered his voice.