Chapter 3

But I never expected his promise to be nothing more than a way to keep me under control.

Three days later, I was happily picking out wedding supplies at home.

I even sent pictures to Timothy to show him what I had chosen.

Then I suddenly heard Layla talking to my dad, Kasper Bardot, and Grace. "Timothy is amazing. It only took a few words for him to calm Esther down. Otherwise, she would never agree to marry Noah. If we offend the Bakers, both our family and the Rowes will be finished."

Kasper and Grace happily agreed, "Esther has always been very careful and hard to fool. Without Timothy, we never could have kept this from her. She still thinks she's going to marry Timothy soon, so she's been looking forward to her wedding every day. When the time comes, we'll have you two get married on the same day. Then we'll send her straight to Noah's wedding. Even if she refuses to marry him, the Bakers won't let her go."

I leaned against the doorway and listened to every word in despair.

They were so cruel.

I couldn't understand why they treated Layla and me so differently.

But what hurt the most was knowing that Timothy was not only helping them. He was the one leading this whole plan.

I froze where I stood. I couldn't process what I had just heard.

For a moment, I even wanted to call Timothy and confront him.

Then I heard his voice from outside. "Kasper, Grace, don't worry. I'll treat Layla well from now on. But Esther and I have been together for so many years. Even though I haven't loved her for a long time, I still don't want her to suffer. Once Noah dies, please treat her a little better. After all, she will have helped make it possible for Layla and me to be together."

Kasper and Grace promised him that they would take good care of me.

I smiled silently. Then I started crying.

Timothy and I had grown up together. We started dating after high school.

We had loved each other deeply and dreamed about our future together.

I had trusted him completely.

I trusted our love.

But while I was still dreaming about our beautiful future, he had already betrayed me.

He had just said he wanted me to be treated well. Should I have thanked him for that?

His words only made me feel more foolish.

I was deeply disappointed in both my family and Timothy.

As I wiped away my tears, it felt like I was wiping away every bit of love I had for them.

If they all wanted me to marry Noah so badly, then I would give them exactly what they wanted.

I continued preparing for the wedding as if nothing had happened.

Timothy was also preparing for a wedding. But he was preparing for his wedding to Layla.

To keep me from becoming suspicious, he would ask me to go shopping with him. Then, at the last minute, he would come up with another excuse and cancel.

The first time, he said he had to take his parents to the hospital for a medical checkup.

The second time, he said he was waiting for the insurance company to tow his damaged car to the repair shop.

This time, I looked down at the message he had sent me only a few seconds earlier. "Esther, I have to attend an emergency meeting at work. You know my parents said I'd take over the company after I got married, so I can't go with you today."

I didn't care anymore. I simply replied. "Okay."

Besides, I wasn't going to meet him anyway. There was no reason to waste my time on someone like him.

Whatever he did had nothing to do with me anymore.

Timothy thought no one would ever find out.

But Layla was determined to shove the truth right in my face.

The day before, I had told them I was going to the mall to buy a new bedding set.

Yet the moment I arrived at the store, I saw Layla walking in with Timothy, her arm linked through his. We had come to the exact same store.

I stood there expressionless as Timothy panicked and quickly pulled his arm away from hers. Layla, however, looked straight at me with a provocative smile.