第2章

The question made Liam go rigid.

"Babe, what are you talking about? You can't even tell me apart from my brother?"

I lifted my eyes to his face and asked again.

"Who are you?"

Liam was quiet for a moment, then raked his fingers through his hair in frustration and sat down beside me.

"Did you look at my phone?"

I stared at him without blinking.

"I did. If I hadn't, would I have just kept being your fool forever?"

He frowned at me like I was the one being unreasonable, then sighed.

"Two years ago, my brother was in a car accident on a business trip abroad. He died."

"Dad was worried the news would destabilize the company, so he had me step in as Noah."

I didn't need a mirror to know my face looked awful.

"So now you're both Liam and Noah?"

He nodded.

"Yes."

I forced a smile, but my voice cracked.

"Then what about me? I'm Liam's wife, but you're not just Liam anymore. Do you actually expect me to accept you being with Chloe as Noah?"

Liam stiffened for a second, then took my hand, his voice going soft.

"That's not what I meant. You're the only one I love. We've been married for years. Don't you trust me?"

"You know how it was. When the family cast me out, I could never let it go. This is my chance to prove myself. I can't pass it up."

I knew. Of course I knew.

After losing the competition for the inheritance, he'd been stripped of everything.

I was the one who'd stayed by his side, comforted him, and helped him get back on his feet.

He'd held me and said I was all he had.

But now that he had everything he'd ever dreamed of, he didn't want me anymore.

"If I hadn't found out, were you going to keep lying to me forever? And marry Chloe?"

He gently put an arm around my shoulders. His eyes still looked tender, but I could see the coldness and impatience underneath.

"You have to understand. Noah is the Brooks family heir. He needs a wife with the right background."

"Chloe is just the best candidate for that. I don't have feelings for her. You'll always be the only one I love."

I lowered my eyes, and the tears finally fell.

The warmth we'd once shared when we held each other close was probably gone forever.

"You say you don't love her. Then why did you buy her all those gifts? Why did you go shoe shopping with her instead of picking me up? Why did you spend so much money on her?"

Liam frowned, his tone turning cold.

"Iris, since when did you get so materialistic? You just found out I have money and now you want some?"

I looked up at him in disbelief.

"What did you just say?"

I'd lived with him in that tiny apartment for three years, hadn't bought new clothes in three years, counted every single penny, all because of something he'd once said.

He'd said, "Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a home of our own? A house with a cat and all the succulents you love."

I'd wanted that home with him too.

Now he had plenty of houses, but none of them were our home.

When he saw my bloodshot eyes and the tears that wouldn't stop, panic crossed his face.

"I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean it."

"That came out wrong. I just got worked up and said the wrong thing."

"You're the best, babe. Forgive me this once, okay?"

He took my hand and pressed it against his cheek, begging me the way he always did whenever he'd made me angry.

The soft light fell across his face, making him look just as young and handsome as he had three years ago. But the fierce love he'd once had for me was gone from his eyes.

"Are you really going to marry Chloe?"

His voice stayed gentle.

"It's only Noah marrying her. But I'm Liam. And Liam only loves you."

Noah. Liam. Could he even tell the difference anymore?

Maybe the moment he'd decided to take everything as Noah, my Liam was already gone for good.

In the home we'd built together, sitting across from my own husband, loneliness nearly swallowed me whole.

"Fine. I understand. I get it."