Chapter 2

When Ronaldo returned, I was in the middle of packing my few belongings. He glanced at the suitcase by the bed, and a flicker of impatience crossed his face.

"What kind of game are you playing now, Liliana? Trying to play hard to get?"

I stopped what I was doing and looked straight at him. "Let's call off the wedding, Ronaldo."

Ronaldo's face went pale for a split second. He yanked off his tie and said, "When are you going to outgrow these temper tantrums? Our marriage is like an alliance between our two families. It's inevitable.

"You know perfectly well that you were the one who upset Helena so much she fainted. That's why I left you there. You really should apologize to her."

A lump formed in my throat.

It turned out that every time I'd been accommodating and compromising with the person I loved, or patient and forgiving with my friends, they took it as permission to trample all over me. In the end, all anyone ever expected from me was an apology, no matter the situation.

Seeing that I wasn't firing back as I usually would, Ronaldo's tone softened.

"Alright, no need for an apology today. I even went out of my way to pick up your favorite marzipan cake."

My phone screen lit up with a message.

"Liliana, I've discovered a super exclusive, members-only restaurant, but I don't mind taking you with me next time!"

I stared at the cake in the takeout box, which was now a mangled, unrecognizable mess, and my knuckles turned white as I gripped the edge of the table.

Ronaldo had originally established that private, non-public restaurant specifically to look after my health and ensure my safety, but now, he had brought in an outsider without my knowing.

"Why did you take her to that place?"

Ronaldo replied nonchalantly, "You were the one who upset her enough to make her faint today. Isn't it only fair that I treat her to a good meal?

"You haven't even asked a single word about how she's doing since the moment I walked in. All you care about is that she ate at your restaurant."

His tone grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, his shirt coming untucked from his trousers from his large gestures. "You're being completely unreasonable right now, Liliana."

I never imagined that this calm, composed man could ever lose his self-control like this, all for another woman.

But then again, it made complete sense.

When Helena complained of feeling dizzy, he abandoned me, swept her up into his arms, and walked away. He took Helena out for exquisite, fine dining, while bringing me nothing but scraps.

Worse yet, he acted on her suggestion and turned a deaf ear to me when I was being stalked by an enemy and trapped in a mudslide. Even when Anda was dying, he dismissed it, convinced I was merely feigning a crisis to trick him into coddling me.

I stood up, my eyes red-rimmed, and walked right up to him.

"Am I really the one who's being unreasonable, or is it that you and Helena both have something to hide?"

Ronaldo's throat tightened at my sudden, pointed question.

Just then, his phone rang with the ringtone he'd set exclusively for Helena. He pulled it out and answered immediately. The rigid expression on his face instantly melted into a smile.

As he headed for the door, he shot me a final, frowning glance.

"I think you need to spend the night reflecting on your behavior."

Though my mind was already made up, the sound of the door slamming shut still sent a sharp, aching jolt through my chest.

I took a deep breath, reached for the phone on my nightstand, and placed a call to arrange a staged death.

"Set up a car accident for me in seven days."