Chapter 2

When William and Rachel arrived at the bridal shop, an assistant greeted them warmly and led them to the dressing rooms. William went in to change first. When he stepped out, even the store staff froze for a moment.

He was tall and lean, with not an ounce of extra weight on him, thanks to regular workouts. He looked like he'd stepped straight out of a magazine, the kind of man who made anything he wore look better.

Then, Rachel walked out in the dress William had designed. She saw him sitting on a bench, looking down at his phone. His tie was neatly knotted, his black suit sharp and clean.

As she stood silently behind him, she accidentally caught a glimpse of the text message on his screen.

[William, my stomach hurts. Can you come pick me up?]

Before he could reply, a second message came through.

[Oh, you're doing wedding photos with Rachel today, right? Never mind. I'll just go home on my own.]

Then, it disappeared.

The sender had deleted it.

Rachel sneered inwardly.

Who waited a full minute to delete a sent message? That was no accident.

William hesitated, his thumbs pausing over the screen before he finally typed: [I'll see how things go. Send me your location.]

Rachel's hands tightened around the edge of her dress, her knuckles turning white. It felt like something was being ripped out of her chest, making it hard to breathe. She pressed a hand to her heart.

So, William still couldn't say no to that woman.

As Rachel slowly crouched down, William finally sensed that something was wrong. When he turned around and saw her pale face, he hurriedly stood.

"Rachel? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick? I'll take you to the hospital right now."

She looked at his face, and couldn't help but inwardly sneer at how it was so full of worry, just like always. But was he really worried about her, or was he just waiting for an excuse to run back to that woman?

Rachel forced herself to stay calm.

"I'm okay. Just haven't been sleeping well the past few days. Can you take me home?" she said quietly.

William nodded quickly. "Of course. Let's go."

He turned to speak with the store staff, then gently helped her outside.

Just as they stepped out, his phone buzzed again. He checked it quickly, frowning. Sliding his phone back into his pocket, he turned to Rachel and signed with quick, slightly urgent movements as he spoke.

"Rachel, an emergency came up at work. I might not be able to stay with you tonight. Is it okay if I just drop you off?"

Rachel looked at his face—still warm, still pretending to care—and her stomach turned.

She forced a smile. "It's fine. I feel much better now. I'll take a cab home."

But William reached for her hand, holding it gently, like she was the only person in his world. "Work can wait for a bit. Your health matters more."

She smiled faintly, lips pale. "Really, it's fine. Go ahead. I'm okay now."

William studied her for a moment. Her face wasn't as pale as before, and she seemed steadier.

"Alright. Get some rest. I'll try to come home early."

Rachel nodded and watched him drive away. As soon as his car disappeared around the corner, she raised her hand and hailed a cab.

"Follow that black car," she told the driver.

By now, the sky had darkened.

After a while, Rachel saw William's car pull over. When he stepped out, a beautiful woman rushed into his arms. Rachel leaned forward in her seat, eyes locked on the scene. When she saw the woman's face, her breath caught.

It really was Samantha Judd, William's first love.

Back in school, everyone talked about them. They were the kind of couple who turned heads in the hallways, completely wrapped up in each other. But then one day, she left, going abroad for some reason. After that, they lost touch entirely.

And now, she was back? Of course she was.

Samantha's face was glowing, her big, dark eyes shining like she was on the verge of tears, but in the prettiest way possible. It was the kind of look that made men want to protect her.

"I knew you'd come, William. I've been waiting for you," she said.

William stepped back just enough to look her over from head to toe, his usually cold eyes full of concern.

"Didn't you say your stomach hurt?"

Samantha gave him a playful smile and tilted her head. "It stopped hurting the second I saw you."

William's tense expression softened instantly. His deep-set eyes and naturally sharp gaze gave him an intense look. But when he smiled, it was strangely captivating.

"You little liar. Don't do that again. You scared me," he chided.

Samantha pouted, grabbing his hand and swinging it lightly. Her voice turned soft, like she was about to cry again, but in a prettier way.

"Okay. I just missed you too much. I didn't mean to mess up your day with Rachel," she said.

William reached out and gently brushed her lips with his thumb. "It better not happen again."

Samantha giggled. She tugged at his collar, eyes sparkling with mischief and something more.

"Come here... I have a surprise for you."

Their fingers laced together as they strolled down the beach toward a small wooden cabin near the water.

Rachel stood frozen behind the trees, her body pressed against the bark. She didn't even notice the way her nails were digging into her palms as hot tears slid down her cheeks. She thought she could face this calmly, but the moment she saw them together, the pain cut so deep that it felt like her heart was being torn apart.

From the beginning of their relationship, William had loved Rachel with everything he had. He cared about how she felt, always making sure she felt safe and valued. Even when things got intimate between them, he would hold himself back with visible effort. She could feel how hard it was for him to restrain himself, and sometimes, her heart softened.

But he would just hold her gently and whisper, "I want our first time to be on our wedding night. For you, I can wait."

Even on their wedding night, he had been patient. He took his time and never rushed her.

He had buried his face in her neck and murmured, "Rachel, promise me you'll never leave. I love you."

At that moment, she had truly believed that even losing her hearing for him had been worth it. He was worth it.

But now…

He had broken the promise he made.

He had fallen in love with someone else, and everything they swore to each other had shattered.