Chapter 2

Zach and I simply were not suitable for each other.

Zach recalled his earlier message and sent a new one.

[I shouldn’t have said that last part. I don't want Ruby to see it. She’s pregnant and tends to overthink things. Just treat what I said as something that needs to be handled. I’ll make it up to you in three years with the rest of my life.]

I could not help but let out a laugh.

Two minutes later, he recalled that message too.

Was he lying to me or to himself? If he was only helping Ruby, why would he care if she was upset over the promise he made to me? The child in her belly was not even his, yet he was willing to go this far for her.

If the child were his, what would he be capable of?

I shook my head, forcing the irritating thought out of my mind.

I casually typed: [Okay.]

However, I found he blocked me.

So be it, then.

I did not care. I posted an update on social media announcing the cancellation of the wedding. Almost immediately, many people messaged asking why.

Not wanting to stir up more drama, I repeated Zach’s explanation—that I simply did not want to get married so early.

Still, my friends kept trying to talk me out of it:

[Coco, Zach is no longer that poor nobody from before. Now that he’s successful, all kinds of women are trying to throw themselves at him. If you don’t marry him now, aren’t you just handing your husband over to someone else?]

I did not reply. Zach was already someone else’s husband.

Not long after I posted, Ruby sent me a photo of their marriage certificate. With a smug tone, she thanked me for making it happen.

[Coco, thank you for your perfect assist. Zach and I were originally supposed to register tomorrow, but to calm me down, he immediately had someone process the certificate for us!]

I did not respond. I deleted her message and blocked her number in one go.

My phone rang. It was my mother, and she was quick to start scolding me, “You silly girl, what’s gotten into you? There’s a ripe fruit right in front of you and you won’t pick it. What are you even doing? By the time you want to get married, he may not even be willing to marry you anymore!”

I let out a faint laugh. “What if he’s the one who doesn’t want it anymore?”

She paused for a moment, then grew even more furious. “Then it means you didn’t do enough! Lower your attitude and talk nicely to him! You’ve been with him for so many years. Don’t end up getting nothing out of it!”

Zach and I had been together for eight years, but he always said he needed to build his career first. When he finally succeeded, when he had a house and a car, he did not want to give me a home anymore.

It was not that I had not fought for it. Whether I did or not, it did not matter.

Over the past eight years, I stayed by his side while he started his business, lived with him in a basement, and lived off instant noodles with him. I shamelessly told him countless times that I dreamed of marrying him, no matter whether we were rich or poor.

I even terminated three pregnancies because of him. He said the timing was not right and he did not want a child to suffer. I loved him, so no matter how much it hurt, I always gave in to what he wanted.

It was just like tonight, when he said he wanted to register his marriage with his childhood sweetheart.

At that moment, even though my heart felt like it was being torn apart, I felt strangely relieved. Not getting married was fine. I no longer had to humbly wait for him to marry me.

My mother was still rambling on, telling me that soft, coquettish women had the best fate in life. I no longer felt the urge to pour out my grievances.

“Mom, the wedding is canceled anyway. I’m not going to marry him!”

I hung up and contacted the wedding planner to cancel everything for tomorrow.

The planner fell silent for a moment before answering, “Mr. Quinn already called about this. He just asked us to keep the decorations and backdrop for three years, but that might be difficult. Those items are basically one-time use…”

In that instant, I understood. He did not lack the time to notify both families. He simply did not want to deal with their questions. He believed I would be just like those cheap decorations, quietly waiting for him for three years.