Chapter 2

I lowered my eyes to the piano and announced, "Apologies, but I don't do secret affairs, and I won't marry a divorced man. Please leave, Mr. Lane."

After my repeated humiliating dismissals, Holden finally lost his temper. "Serena, all the elites know we've been together for years. Our parents have met, and I've lived in your house. If you don't marry me, who else could you possibly marry?"

With that, he stormed off in anger.

A bitter smile curled my pale lips. I knew then that the Holden who would spend a fortune for me, who would fight bare-handed against thugs to keep me safe… was gone. From now on, he was just Eve's husband.

Maybe I should've cut ties the first time he chose Eve over me, but I was too naive, believing that the years we shared were stronger than a woman who had left him at his lowest.

I was proven terribly wrong. They were childhood sweethearts with a strong bond, while I was just a distraction to help him pass the time when she was away.

Almost as if afraid I might change my mind, Ryland showed up with his parents the next day to propose.

Their sincerity was almost impossible to ignore. The gifts alone filled the living room, and the multimillion-dollar contract they brought spoke volumes about how much they valued me.

My parents were tempted, though their main concern was my happiness. Ryland was notorious for his reckless ways, and they feared I'd suffer if I married him.

It took some effort, but I managed to persuade them that money was more practical than love—anytime, anywhere.

Ryland might be spoiled, but he was the Crofts' only heir. As long as he didn't commit crimes, my life with him would be nothing less than luxurious.

I was instructing the butler, Adam, to put the gifts away when I turned and saw Eve walking in, clinging to Holden's arm. Her eyes flickered with envy at the dazzling jewelry spread across the room. Holden, on the other hand, frowned in displeasure.

"I told you we're not marrying for another six months, so why are you telling people the wedding is happening as planned and preparing all these wedding gifts? Do you have any idea how annoying that is?"

I froze, realizing that he must have mistaken the Crofts' wedding gifts as the ones I was preparing to marry him.

Eve stepped closer and said pitifully, "Please, Serena. Just let me borrow Holden for a little while. I really hate the idea of marrying Ryland."

She reached out to take my hand, and my gaze caught the diamond ring glinting on her finger. I froze.

That was Holden's parents' pledge of love, meant to be passed down to their daughter-in-law. I had begged Holden for years to slip it onto my finger when we officially got engaged, but he had brushed me off with a pair of plain rings.

And now, it had glaringly shown up on Eve's finger, even without a proper wedding.

Eve shot me a triumphant look. She slid the hand with the ring into Holden's pocket and pulled out a small box, shoving it into his hand.

"You got a gift for Serena, so don't be stubborn now. Go and make things right with her!"

Holden's expression was cold as he reluctantly shoved the box into my hands. When I didn't take it, it fell to the floor with a sharp clatter, and a crudely-made silver bangle rolled out.

He immediately flew into a fit of rage. "Serena, what is wrong with you?"

What was wrong with me? That cheap trinket was barely fit to be my dog's collar. How could he make it seem as if I were the difficult one?

The contempt and mockery on my face must have been too obvious because his anger spiked, and he kicked the bangle across the floor. "Fine! If you don't want it, forget it!"

"Why would you do this, Serena? Both of us picked it out just for you!" Eve sounded hurt.

Holden glared at me with resentment as if I were being ungrateful. Eve bent down to pick up the bangle and looked up at me with timid, pleading eyes. "I know you're upset, but you shouldn't dismiss Holden's gesture just like that."

She put on a show of pity, brushing off the nonexistent dust on the bangle as if to soothe me.