Chapter 2

"Clary, thanks for helping smooth things over with the whole marriage situation. You know I've always planned to marry you. The timing just isn't right yet. I want to give you the best wedding you deserve…"

As he spoke, Robert reached out, trying to pull me into his arms and fasten the necklace around my neck, just as he always did.

Since the beginning of our relationship, whenever he did something that hurt me, he would try to make it up with gifts.

Back then, no matter how expensive the gift was, he would always be genuinely remorseful. He would apologize with utmost sincerity and try to make me smile again.

Now, there was none of that.

His expression was calm, his eyes steady, like everything was already under his control. There wasn't a hint of tenderness in his demeanor.

This version of him felt like a stranger to me.

I turned my head away and stepped back, avoiding his hand and his embrace at the same time.

"Robert, you don't have to do this. It's over between us."

Robert's expression instantly darkened.

"Clarissa, you've never been the type to let your emotions get the better of you. Is this because I didn't want to marry you right now? Did you and your parents cook this up together to back me into a corner?"

I looked at him, meeting the fire in his eyes with nothing but calm.

"I'm not forcing you to do anything. I just don't want to be with you anymore."

His expression contorted with fury. "We've been together for seven years. No one knows better than I do how you feel about me. Don't try to play games with me. I'm not falling for that."

He was convinced that I was just throwing a tantrum, using Grandma's health to manipulate him and squeeze a proposal out of him.

Looking at him, I suddenly found it ridiculous that I had held on for so long, and that it took me this long to see him for the cold and selfish man he truly was.

"I'm not playing games, Robert. You're just too self-centered. You only think about yourself, your company, and your reputation. You've never thought about me or what my family wants."

That struck a nerve.

Robert's expression darkened, his voice rising.

"I've been working nonstop to take the company public. Don't you think I'm doing that to give you a better life? I'm postponing the wedding because I want it to be perfect for you! Clarissa, why can't you just be reasonable? Stop trying to force me into doing things I'm not ready for!"

Reasonable?

My nose stung.

Hadn't I been reasonable enough?

Not long after we got together, he said I was too sharp, so I learned to dull my edges and withdrew into myself.

For years, despite how much I wanted to get married, I allowed his endless excuses to convince my family and me to wait a little longer.

Even now, because of my love for him, I had turned a blind eye to his intimacy with Mikayla, convincing myself that he still loved me.

This version of myself was someone even I despised.

"Robert, whether you believe me or not, I'm done. I don't want to keep waiting for you. I don't want to keep revolving around you, and I'm definitely done watching you and Mikayla constantly push the boundaries."

At the mention of Mikayla, Robert's eyes flickered before settling back into anger.

"I've told you before. She's just my subordinate. Stop making a scene over nothing. As for the wedding, there's nothing to discuss. We wait until the company goes public and is stable. You can throw all the tantrums you want, but it's not going to change a single thing!"

With that, he tossed the necklace onto the couch and stormed off.