Chapter 5

Travis seemed surprised by my lack of enthusiasm. He took my hand and led me toward the jewelry sets, helping me try them on, one after the other.

His eyes lit up when I tried on the fourth set of jewelry. "This set looks good on you! It totally matches your style."

Brandon chuckled and said, "You sure are a big fan of ruby necklaces. You had the same awed look on your face when Victoria tried on a ruby necklace too."

The air turned awkward the moment the words left his lips.

I took the necklace off and carefully placed it back in the display case.

"I need to talk to you in private, Travis," I said before turning around and heading back to my room.

Travis trailed after me as he rushed to explain himself. "Let me explain, Harper. Victoria mentioned wanting to buy some jewelry for herself and asked me to recommend a store to her. That's why I told her about Brandon's store.

"Coincidentally, I was also there when she decided to drop by. We just happened to run into each other because we were there at the same time."

I nodded, gesturing that he didn't need to explain himself to me.

However, the more I expressed my lack of desire to listen to his explanations, the more insistent he became on explaining himself.

I suddenly recalled how I visited a high-end shopping mall about a month ago to buy a birthday present for Travis.

Coincidentally, Travis and Victoria were also shopping in that mall.

Victoria personally selected a tie for Travis and helped him put it on.

My untimely appearance caused their joyous expressions to freeze on their faces.

I stormed toward them and yanked the tie away from Travis' neck before hurling it in Victoria's face. I told her that she was just his assistant—that the role of buying a tie for Travis was reserved for his girlfriend.

I could still recall the look on Travis' face with crystal-clear clarity. A cold, dangerous glint had flickered in his eyes.

"I'm the president of a company, Harper. Do I have to ask for your permission for every little thing I do?" he demanded.

Travis' foul mood persisted for a long time after that incident.

I wanted to explain myself, but he gave me the cold shoulder for many days.

Mom's illness flared up around the same time.

The hospital in my hometown wasn't equipped to treat her, so I had no choice but to transfer her to a bigger hospital in the city.

It was impossible for me to secure an appointment with the top doctor in the bigger hospital, so I resorted to asking Travis for help.

He refused to answer my calls and ignored all my messages.

In the end, I could only accompany Mom to the bigger hospital to wait for our turn.

Noticing the critical condition that Mom was in, the security guard was kind enough to secretly arrange a meeting between me and the specialist, giving me a chance to beg her to treat Mom.

Unfortunately, the continuous delays resulted in Mom missing the best window for treatment, and she ultimately passed away at the end of the year.

Right before she took her last breath, she told me not to blame Travis for what happened.

I was pulled out of my memories at that moment, returning to the present.

I hadn't said a word, but Travis' patience seemed to have reached its limit.

"I'm already doing everything I can to coax you. What more do you want from me? Why must you behave this way when there are still guests at home? Have you ever considered my feelings?"

Travis kicked the door in a fit of anger before shouting at me again. "You're impossible to please! Just say the word if you don't want to get married anymore!"

In the past, he would threaten to break up with me at the smallest inconvenience. After we got engaged, he would threaten to call off the engagement. He always used the same methods to force me to concede to him even when I wasn't in the wrong.

However, I truly didn't want to marry him anymore.

I glared at him coldly and said, "Let's call off the wedding then."