Chapter 3

That was until the exception standing before him with tears shimmering in her eyes.

It was the woman who Graham held closest to his heart. And now, she had to stand there and watch him marry someone else.

How could he not feel sorry for her?

For her sake, Graham had broken a promise to me for the first time. And once he had tasted the thrill of betrayal, he couldn't stop himself from seeking more.

Now it had gone on for six years.

In public, Graham had been the handsome, wealthy fiancé. Behind my back, he had kept a mistress.

He had bought her a house, a car, and everything else money could provide. He had even arranged a job for her and secured her future.

That way, even if he eventually walked away from her, she would still be able to live comfortably. He had certainly put a great deal of thought into taking care of her.

If our families hadn't been so perfectly matched in social standing, wealth, education, and upbringing, would he ever have chosen to marry me?

The answer was obvious.

My stomach churned. I suddenly felt so sick I thought I might throw up.

Finally, Graham seemed unable to bear the sight of Jennifer's wounded expression any longer. He pulled out his phone, swiped at the screen a few times, and then turned to me with a worried expression.

"I'm sorry, babe. Something just came up at the office. I need to get back right away." He glanced toward the counter. "I can't get the license with you today."

I stared at him, not saying a word. Yet he was in such a hurry that he didn't notice anything strange about my reaction.

"I'm sorry. Take care of yourself," he said quickly.

Then he grabbed his coat and hurried after the beautiful figure disappearing from the lobby. Pain tore through my chest. It felt as though someone had plunged a knife straight into my heart, then ripped it out along with flesh and blood.

I pressed a hand against my chest and struggled to catch my breath. And with every ragged inhale, the last tiny piece of hope I had been holding on to died.

Graham had always been generous when it came to spoiling someone. Jennifer had been brought into that office through connections.

With only an associate degree, she normally wouldn't even have qualified for an interview. But with Graham backing her, she had climbed the ladder quickly.

Within two years, she had become one of the office's key employees. Thanks to her pretty face, she had eventually been chosen as the face of the county clerk's office, appearing in promotional materials and becoming one of its biggest draws.

Discovering Graham's betrayal hadn't been so difficult.

His family didn't have much of a network in this city. If he wanted to open doors for Jennifer, he couldn't avoid my family's connections forever.

One day, an old friend sent me intimate photos of them.

At the time, I had been attending a business dinner with Graham's mother, Margaret Whitmore. She had been introducing me around, and I had spent the evening accepting toast after toast until my head was spinning.

The moment I opened the photos, I sobered up, and every drop of blood in my body turned to ice. Jennifer was curled up against Graham's chest, delicate and helpless.

She sat in the passenger seat of his car, smiling up at him as she asked for a kiss. There was something playful in her eyes.

Graham looked at her as though he could barely resist her. The affection in his eyes was something I had never received. Not once in eight years.

Margaret noticed that something was wrong and was about to ask me what had happened. Then she saw the photos and froze.

She grabbed my arm nervously and rushed to defend her son. "This has to be some kind of rumor. Graham has been with you for eight years. He would never do something like this."

I locked my phone and let out a quiet, mocking laugh.

Back then, they still needed my family's financial backing. Of course, Margaret didn't dare offend me. All she could do was desperately make excuses for her son.

Around us, people were discreetly watching the scene unfold. A few of them seemed almost eager to see the marriage alliance fall apart.

"I want Graham to explain this to me himself," I said coldly.

I walked out, not caring how embarrassed Margaret looked.

That night, Graham stood outside the gates of the Calhoun estate with an umbrella in his hand and waited there until dawn.

The shame and regret on his face were impossible to miss. But as he stared at the sprawling grounds beyond the gates, there was something else hidden beneath those emotions.

It was resentment.

I didn't sleep that night either. I stood behind the window and watched him in silence, studying the man I had loved for eight years.