Chapter 3

The day before the wedding, I ate breakfast in the living room.

Linda glared at me with open resentment across the table. Then, she suddenly said, "Selena, do you really think Oliver married you because he loved you?"

I had a calm expression on my face and softly asked, "What do you mean?"

"To Oliver, I'm more than the woman who saved his life. If I hadn't turned down his proposal back then, you never would've married him!

"I should've been his bride! He chose you because you do what you're told, Selena, but I'm the love of his life! Everything about you is so laughable!

"Oliver said once I came back, we'd have our whole lives to start over!"

I let out a small chuckle and put down my fork, then I looked her in the eye with curiosity. "I see… And then?"

Linda kept glaring furiously at me. "Don't get so smug! I wasn't really hurt at all. I just told Oliver my hand hurt, and he got so worried he took me to a doctor."

She stood up and then placed both hands on the table, fuming.

I simply nodded. "Aren't you afraid I'll expose you?"

Linda scoffed; she didn't even take me seriously. "You think Oliver didn't see you were hurt? He just didn't care. Even if you died right in front of him, the only person he cares about is still me. You'll only humiliate yourself if you stay with him!"

I shrugged. "You're right. I hope you get what you want, then."

Five years ago, the smallest scrape on me would send Oliver into a panic. He would blame himself over and over.

Five years later, he had ignored his far more seriously injured fiancee because of Linda.

Maybe we still loved each other, but I doubted I would ever forget the sight of him instinctively shielding her at the party.

That was why I had already made up my mind. I was done with this version of Oliver!

I got up to go to my room and packed up, waiting for the car my mom had sent to pick me up.

I had barely started going up the stairs when Linda chased after me. She stopped beside me and gave me a spiteful smile.

"Selena, just you wait!"

Then she screamed in apparent terror.

"Selena! I really won't steal Oliver from you! Please leave me alone! Help..."

She let go of the railing and pitched forward, tumbling down the stairs.

I jumped in surprise. Before I could move, Oliver's tall figure appeared by the stairway. "Linda! What happened?"

He quickly crouched down and pulled her close. Then, he glared at me furiously. "Get a doctor here! Now!"

Oliver carried Linda to the sofa after he finished yelling that.

"Oliver, I... I'm alright," Linda said. "I'm sure Selena didn't mean to push me. She just loves you too much."

Linda gripped his clothes with a trembling hand, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Don't be angry with her... You should send me back to the nursing home. I'm causing you two so much trouble by staying here. And with my condition, I can't take much more of this..."

"No, Linda. You're not the one who should leave." Oliver gently pressed a finger to her lips. "Stay here and get better. I won't let anyone hurt you again!"

After comforting Linda, Oliver turned to me with almost no emotions in his eyes. "Selena, your jealousy is terrifying. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

I opened my mouth and ran through the things I could say in my defense. But seeing the two of them clinging to each other, I no longer felt like explaining.

"Oliver, if you've already decided what happened, what's the point of me saying anything?"

Veins popped out on Oliver's face. He snatched a vase from the nearby table and smashed it on the floor. Bright rose petals drifted to the floor, just like how our marriage was already falling apart before it started.

"Someone!" Oliver clenched his teeth, struggling to contain his anger as he ordered, "Lock Selena in the basement! Let her reflect about what she has done. Don't let her out until just before the wedding tomorrow. No one sees her without my permission!"