Chapter 2 Fake

"Mr. Shaw, I know you hate me, but my parents have nothing to do with this! My dad almost died of a heart attack because you asked your bodyguard to kick them out! Please, just let us go. Even if I have to let Rachel marry you, I'll do it…"

His voice was cracking at the end. I had no idea what he was saying at first, but Rachel was already holding his arm. She was giving me a look that said she hated my guts. "Zacharias has nothing to do with this! Why are you doing this to him?"

Well, this was odd. I had no idea why she was accusing me. "I didn't—"

"You've been the same since you were a kid. You think you can do anything and get away with it," Rachel snapped.

Then, someone gave her a gift box, trying to be unctuous. "Ms. Osborne, here's a gift for your engagem—"

Rachel snatched the gift box and hurled it at me right in front of the public. "Apologize to Zacharias right now, or else I'm not going to marry you. I know your family's stronger than mine, but I still won't marry a snake!"

The box had a beautiful cover, but the sharp edges cut my chin open. The people around us gasped, but none came forward. I touched my chin, and a sliver of red stained my palm.

This woman was not the one I knew. Now, she looked more like the one I saw in my past life. The one who yelled at me because of Zacharias. My heart was growing colder for her. "I'm not apologizing for something I didn't do."

"You're going to regret this." Rachel held Zacharias and left.

My parents were worried sick about my wound. They took me back home and called the family physician to check on me. Though they were concerned, I was glad. I was glad God gave me a second chance. He gave me a chance to correct my mistakes.

My parents were still alive, and the family's riches had not fallen into the wrong hands. This time around, I would stay away from Rachel and Zacharias like they were the plague.

The Olivieras sent the engagement gifts to us a few days later, and they filled up the villa. I saw a pocket watch among them. They were the Oliviera family's heirloom. It was proof that they took this marriage seriously.

My heart went out for myself. In my previous life, when the Osbornes found out I loved Rachel deeply, they told everyone they hated me. They only agreed to marry Rachel to me because I would not give up.

Thanks to that, we had no engagement party, the Osbornes gave us no wedding gifts, and the wedding was little more than a family dinner.

Her parents mocked me the whole dinner, and Rachel had nothing but contempt for me. Yet the Olivieras gave this event so much importance. Once again, I thanked God for giving me another chance at life.

In the end, I decided to pick the engagement present for Seraphina myself.

It was an old shop. One that had been open for a century. I was talking about the necklace's design with the maker when Rachel and Zacharias came in hand in hand.

The sight of me filled her face with disdain. "What are you doing here?"

The old maker explained, "Mr. Shaw is designing the fiancée's engagement gown himself."

She scoffed at the designs on the table and raised her head higher. "I told you, I never wanted to marry you. That won't change, no matter how much you do. And I hate acronym engravings on necklaces. It's so tacky."

I looked at the letter 'O' drawn on the draft. Ah, she must've mistaken the 'O' for Osborne. "The necklace is for…"

"Oh, this suit is nice, Rachel." Zacharias' eyes lit up and passed me by. He then picked up the suit I hung.

The look in Rachel's eyes turned softer. "We can get the maker to make the same one for you."

"But I want to wear it tonight to the concert. With you."

Zacharias was so gentle with her, and Rachel smiled. She imperiously told the maker, "I'll need you to change up this suit to fit Zacharias better. We have a concert to attend, so make it snappy."