Chapter 2

"Mom and Dad always taught us never to settle for anything less than what we deserve," Tracy said coldly.

Then, she gave Lionel and me a look full of disgust. "You're going out to eat with him? Why don't you skip that and just book a hotel already?"

Before she could lecture me any further, I shoved her aside and linked my arm through Lionel's.

"Well, he invited me for a meal. It'd be rude to turn down an invitation."

What was wrong with having dinner with my own husband, anyway?

Seeing me act close with Lionel made Tracy furious. She pointed a shaking finger at me. "How did I end up with a sister like you? Are you really that eager to jump into bed with him?"

Her angry face only made me feel sick.

With Lionel looking at me, clearly confused, I got into the car and said, "Only people with dirty minds see everything as dirty. If you think dinner means something else, maybe you shouldn't go for dinner ever again. What if a guy looks at you while you're eating and you think he's trying to sleep with you?"

Tracy banged on the car window in frustration. "Are you just gonna leave like this?"

I rolled the window down halfway. "You like honest guys like Jamie, right? I'm just giving you two some alone time."

Once Lionel got in, I quickly hit the lock before Tracy could try to open the door. "I'm taking my husband out, and we're gonna get a hotel room after. You sure you want to come with us?"

Using her own words against her left her speechless.

Ignoring her yelling behind us, Lionel and I ended up having a nice evening together.

But when I got home and tried to unlock the door, I realized the marriage certificate that had been in my purse was gone.

I tore the place apart, checking every pocket and corner, but it was nowhere to be found.

Then I remembered—Tracy had tried to grab my bag right after we got the certificate.

I stormed into her room and kicked the door open, but she wasn't home yet.

I called her over and over, but she didn't pick up.

With no other choice, I sat in the living room and waited.

When Tracy finally came back, looking all frazzled, she spotted me on the couch and immediately switched to her smug, fake smile.

"Well, if it isn't Mrs. Andrus. What, couldn't satisfy your incubus husband? He kicked you out already? You can't seriously think that marrying Lionel will make him fight his incubus nature. Do you really believe you can handle a man like that when he's in heat? Come on, we're sisters. I'd never hurt you. You've always been too gullible—if I don't keep an eye on you, you might end up in a ditch someday."

I stood up and grabbed her arm, sick of her fake concern. "Did you take my marriage certificate?"

For a second, she looked shocked, but quickly recovered. "Isn't it in your purse pocket? Why would it be with me?"

She was clearly lying. I had put it in my purse, but I never told her it was in the pocket.

"It's not there," I said coolly. "Maybe I should call Lionel and have him send a few people over to help me look."

Just as I was about to dial, Tracy snatched the phone from my hand. "You two shouldn't have gotten married! Now that you lost the certificate, it could be a sign."

I stared at her coldly, remembering my miserable past life. Then, I grabbed the phone back. "Give me my marriage certificate, or I'll have Lionel come get it himself."

Tracy showed no guilt at all. Instead, she lifted her chin as if she were proud of herself. "That certificate is useless to me. I did it for your own good."

"Oh, really?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

She smirked, as if she thought she had outsmarted me.

"You're enjoying yourself now because you're still new to this, but once he's done with you, he'll toss you aside. I'm your sister; I can't let you make a fool of yourself. Let me teach you a few—hey, what are you doing?"

Ignoring her, I tore open her bag—and there it was, my marriage certificate.

Tracy lunged at me, grabbing the other end. "I'm doing this for you! When he's finished with you, no one will want you again!"

We pulled hard from both sides until the certificate ripped clean in half.

Tracy's face lit up with twisted satisfaction. She stood tall, as if she had just won a fight.

This girl must've slept through over a decade of school if she thought tearing a certificate would cancel a legal marriage.

After that day, Tracy made it her mission to brainwash me every chance she got. She wouldn't stop preaching about her idea of "true love".

She even started messaging Lionel every day.

[Only two people who truly love each other deserve to be together.

[It's okay to meet the right person later in life.

[Until I meet the right one, I'll never settle for less and just marry whoever.]