Chapter 3

Seth's hand froze in midair, his face darkening.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked in a low voice. "I already told you I'd clear my schedule and get our marriage certificate tomorrow.

"And about the necklace, Emma was already upset today. I was just trying to make it up to her. Do you really have to be so petty?"

He had broken his promise and given away the thing that was supposed to be mine, yet he was blaming me for being petty.

"I'm not petty," I said, looking straight into the eyes of the man I'd loved for seven years. My eyes were dry and aching, but I didn't even feel like crying. "Give her the necklace. Give her the rug, too. Give her whatever she wants. I don't want any of it anymore."

Seth stared at me in disbelief.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, clearly assuming this was just another passive-aggressive game of mine.

"Audrey, there's a limit to these tantrums," he scoffed, slamming the glass onto the kitchen island so hard that water splashed out. "Do you even hear yourself? You never used to talk like this."

Never used to?

He was right. The old me would stay up all night fixing him something to eat whenever his stomach hurt.

When his family had beaten him badly as punishment, I'd knelt outside his house, crying and begging them to stop.

Every time he apologized, I'd wipe my tears and tell him it was okay.

Back then, I was certain that I was the person he truly loved.

But over the past three years, every time he chose Emma over me, he chipped away at the trust I had in him until there was almost nothing left.

I ignored him, picked up the glass, and headed upstairs.

Then I heard Emma's hesitant voice behind me. "Seth... If Audrey is so upset, I don't want the necklace anymore. Please don't fight because of me. I'll move out tomorrow."

"Where would you go? With your heart condition, you can't put yourself through that kind of stress." Seth immediately comforted her, his voice soft. "She's just throwing a tantrum. Ignore her for a few days, and she'll get over it."

So, he thought he could cross my boundaries, pretend nothing happened, and I'd just let it go.

Back in my room, I locked the door.

I picked up my phone and pulled up a chat with a completely black profile picture. There was no contact name, just a period.

The chat contained a copy of the marriage agreement. I'd been thinking about it for the past month, unable to make up my mind.

A month ago, Ronan Farrelly had approached me with two choices. He was Seth's uncle, a powerful man whom Seth feared and respected.

"Seth's letting that girl completely derail him. He can't give you the marriage you want. If you stay with him, he'll only drag you down with him," Ronan had said.

"Leave him, Audrey. I'll put you in charge of one of the Farrellys' major overseas ventures. In exchange, you'll have to marry me. Of course, it's only a marriage in name. Three years, and that's all."

Back then, I had foolishly thought that once Seth and I were married, Emma would finally back off and Seth would come around.

So, I never replied to Ronan's offer.

But now, looking at the thermometer reading 102°F and thinking about the scene I'd just witnessed downstairs, the past seven years felt like a cruel joke.

With my head pounding, I typed, "Can I sign that marriage agreement now? Is it too late?"

The reply came almost instantly. "It's never too late. Whenever you're ready."

A second message followed right after. "Are you sick? Did you take any medicine?"

I stared at those words, then closed my eyes. A single tear rolled down my face and landed on the screen.

"Tomorrow at 10:00 am, I'll come to see you with the signed agreement and everything I need to finalize it."

After sending the message, I turned off my phone.

Seven years.

It was time to put an end to this rotten excuse of a relationship with Seth.