Chapter 4

The door slammed into the wall before bouncing back.

The heavy impact echoed through the room.

I curled up on the bed, my fingers tightly gripping the sheets.

At that moment, my phone screen lit up again.

It was a message from my father. Attached was a photo of an unfamiliar man.

"The marriage alliance with the Colombo family has been finalized. I will send someone to bring you in three days."

For the next two days, Lance never came home.

From his social media updates, I knew exactly where he was.

He had been with Aurora the entire time.

Until the morning of the third day.

After I finished trying on my wedding dress and walked out of the bridal shop, I finally received a message from him.

"Blair, I haven't contacted you for two days, and you didn't even bother to contact me?"

"Alright. Stop being angry. I'll apologize, okay?"

"It's not that I never thought about marrying you. In fact, Aurora and I talked about it before, and that's why we played that little prank on you. We just wanted to test how much you truly loved me."

"By the way, Aurora is coming with me to an important charity dinner tonight. I remember you have a new dress. Let her borrow it. You don't mind, right?"

I let out a cold laugh.

For a moment, I almost thought he had changed.

But no.

Borrowing a dress for Aurora was his real reason for reaching out.

If it wasn't for Aurora, he would never have lowered himself to apologize.

I turned off my phone.

I didn't reply with a single word.

I hadn't walked far when a familiar black Maybach slowly pulled up beside me.

The window lowered.

And the first thing I saw was Aurora sitting in the passenger seat.

Lance's eyes lingered on my face for a moment.

Then he spoke naturally, as if nothing had happened.

"Blair, what are you doing here?"

"Good timing, I just took Aurora shopping for some clothes."

"Blair, get in. We'll go home together."

I glanced at the passenger seat.

Then I looked at Lance.

"You know I get carsick."

"Being in the front seat would be better for me."

Lance fell silent for a moment.

Then he got out of the car and opened the back door for me.

"Blair..."

His voice carried a hint of pleading.

But suddenly, I felt tired.

Completely tired.

I was getting married anyway, what was the point of testing him anymore?

I didn't insist, and got into the back seat.

The car slowly moved forward.

A few minutes later, Lance's phone rang.

Aurora casually reached over and answered it for him.

The call was connected to the car's Bluetooth.

The volume was so loud that everyone inside the car could hear it clearly.

A man's voice came from the other end.

"Mr. Lance, the purchase procedures for the seaside villa you selected in New York two weeks ago have been completed."

"Let me confirm one more time."

"Should the name on the property deed be registered under Miss Aurora?"

Two weeks ago.

My fingers trembled slightly.

The money Lance had always been vague about.

The funds he refused to explain.

The truth was finally revealed.

From beginning to end, it had all been for Aurora.

Two weeks ago, Lance told me that one of his business partners had disappeared.

That he had been left with millions of dollars in debt.

To help him, I swallowed my pride and knelt before my father.

I begged him to save Lance.

But after I handed the money over to Lance, it vanished.

There was no explanation, no result, not even a ripple.

I had questioned him before.

But he only said:

"Blair, stop asking."

"Since you gave me the money, it's mine."

"There's no need for you to keep holding onto this."

After that, whenever I brought it up again, he simply remained silent.

As if how I would fill that financial hole didn't matter to him at all.

And now, I finally know.

The money I had sacrificed my dignity to obtain had all become the capital Aurora used to spend freely.

I still remembered the disappointment in my father's eyes.

He had looked at me and said:

"Blair, I hope this is the last time."

"If he still hasn't given you a proper status by the time you're thirty."

"Then come home, listen to the family's arrangements and accept the marriage alliance."

But I could never forget the seventeen-year-old Lance.

The boy who had been beaten until he was covered in injuries, yet he still stood in front of me and protected me.

In the end, it had only ever been my wishful thinking.

All the years I spent loving him.

All the sacrifices I made.

All the obsession I couldn't let go of.

Even my entire youth.

It was never worth as much as Aurora.

"Wait..."

Aurora covered her mouth in surprise.

"You really bought that villa for me?"

She playfully hit Lance's shoulder.

"You spoil me too much."

"I only mentioned it casually back then."

Lance glanced at the rearview mirror.

Seeing that I showed no reaction, he relaxed.

Then he smiled at Aurora.

"You're my best friend."

"Of course I have to fulfill your wishes."

They continued joking for a while.

Then Aurora turned her head and looked at me.

"Blair, You wouldn't be jealous, would you?"

Maybe it was because my disappointment had been building for too long.

Maybe after thirteen years of watching him choose her again and again.

I had already known the answer deep inside.

Today was simply the moment when everything was finally confirmed.

I calmly shook my head.

"That's his money, I have no right to interfere."

My unusual calmness made Lance uneasy.

He glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

Several times, he seemed like he wanted to say something, but Aurora always interrupted him.

The car continued forward.

Then we passed a luxurious church.

I didn't participate in a single conversation between them, but now, I finally spoke.

"Stop here."

Lance froze.

He looked at the hotel outside the window.

Confusion filled his face.

"Isn't this a church?"

"Why are you suddenly coming here?"

My voice was calm.

There was no anger, no sadness, no hesitation.

"To get married."