Chapter 3

I couldn't bear to watch anymore, so I quietly left.

I couldn't hide the tears in my eyes anymore. They streamed down my face and dripped onto the floor.

I sat in the living room for a long time, staring at the clock and starting a countdown in my head.

Luckily, I was about to leave in less than a day, and I would never have to return.

A long while later, Gladys carefully made her way downstairs, sporting lips that were a lot redder and more swollen than before.

I averted my eyes and pretended not to have noticed a thing.

However, Gladys came straight up to me and gave me in-depth instructions.

"I've finally managed to coax Clays to sleep. Be careful not to wake him up. Also, I won't be able to come very often, so you'd better take good care of him. Don't let him get hurt again.

"He may have a terrible temper, but he's a good person. If he ever yells at you, you can come looking for me. I'll help you tell him off."

She held my hand while looking at me with a gloating expression that she wasn't able to hide.

I withdrew my hands from her hold and couldn't stop myself from firing back, "I am his fiancee. You don't have to tell me what to do."

The delight in her eyes just exemplified. She chuckled aloud and said, "If it weren't for me, did you really think that you would even have a chance to be with him in the first place?

"You think too highly of yourself. I am his first love. You're nothing but my replacement. So, you'd better behave as one."

It was strange, but her words didn't stir up any emotion within me. Perhaps it was because I'd already sunk to the bottom of my sorrows, and nothing could bother me anymore.

"You're not the one to tell me whether I'm a replacement or not. At the very least, I am his fiancee. Even if we can't get married now, we can still marry next time."

"You—"

Gladys was upset, and she raised her voice at me all of a sudden. Then, she took a deep breath and paused to collect herself.

"You may be able to win this argument against me, but that's about it. And since I'm feeling mighty happy today, I'll let you win.

"But next time, I'm going to kick you out of this very house you live in. Guess who Clays is going to listen to then? Me, or you?"

With that, she stomped over to the door and slammed it shut behind her.

I immediately lost all my remaining energy and slumped back onto the couch, breathing heavily.

Clayton walked down from the top of the stairs and started chiding me.

"What's the point of arguing with her? She's nothing but an older sister figure to me."

I glanced at the red lipstick mark by his lips and couldn't stop myself from chuckling.

"Ah. I see that you have a very good relationship with her."

He immediately started explaining himself as he lifted his hand to wipe away the lipstick mark I'd just seen.

"I just brushed against something by accident. Can you please stop overthinking and coming up with ridiculous scenarios in your head?"

He walked toward me, his eyes deep and dark. However, his explanation was preposterous. I just couldn't think of how he'd manage to brush his lips against red lipstick "by accident".

I never really got to know anyone else besides him after transmigrating into this world. I only followed him around, and he had become my whole world.

Everyone thought that I was out of my mind, trying to "seduce" Gladys' lapdog without fearing retribution from her.

And yet, Clayton would never take my side or bother explaining himself.

He said, "Don't even think about it. I will never abandon Gladys just to be with you."

My eyes turned red. I then locked myself up in my room and refused to eat, drink, or even look at Clayton anymore.

Eventually, he broke into my room and dragged me out.

His eyes were as cold as ice as he demanded, "Did you really think that I would give you more of my attention if you starved yourself to death? Why don't you think of some other way instead?"

I read between the lines and pretended that he was actually trying to comfort me. And so, I found myself forgiving him and feeling a whole lot better afterward.

No matter what other people said about me, I refused to acknowledge them.

When people called me Clayton's lapdog, he wouldn't say a word to them. His expression would barely even change. However, he now got angry on Gladys' behalf and wouldn't let me call her names because he didn't want me to "overthink" and blame her for anything. He even went as far as calling them "ridiculous scenarios".

I hung my head low and wiped my tears away.

"You're the one overthinking things. I never did such a thing," I said.

I could feel Clayton's suspicious gaze on me.

I continued, "I'll apologize to her the next time I see her."