Chapter 2

The next morning, an ear-piercing ring jolted me awake. Groggy and disoriented, I fumbled for my phone.

Before I could even form a coherent thought, Bruce's voice exploded through the receiver, raw with fury.

"Hailey! What kind of game are you playing? The wedding is about to start, and you want me to lose face in front of our elders?"

Even now, all he cared about was his pride. For this hollow marriage, his company, Blue Ocean Group had invited a slew of prominent media outlets. But what did any of that have to do with me?

"I thought I made myself clear last night," I replied calmly. "I want a divorce."

"You think this tantrum of yours is amusing?" he shot back, his voice sharp and unrelenting. "Kathy already apologized yesterday! What more do you want? Don't be ungrateful!"

"Women lining up to marry me could fill a city block. Don't think for a second that I need you!" His tone turned cutting. "I'm giving you half an hour. Get over here now, apologize to the elders, and tell them you were stuck in traffic!"

Before I could respond, he hung up in a fit of rage.

I sat there clutching the phone, momentarily dazed. Memories of a different Bruce resurfaced—the boy who had once pulled me from the depths of despair. Back then, he had been warm and protective, standing between me and those who bullied me.

I could still see his bruised face, his smile unwavering as he said, "Hailey, don't worry. I'll always protect you."

But those days were long gone. Somewhere along the way, Bruce had grown distant, cold, and oblivious to my feelings.

After much deliberation, I decided to go to the wedding. If nothing else, I owed the elders an explanation and needed to close this chapter of my life.

Dressing quickly, I reached for my wallet only to find three dollars inside. With no other choice, I began walking to the hotel.

Despite hurrying, I arrived five minutes later than the time Bruce had dictated. Panting, I stepped into the grand hotel lobby, only to freeze in my tracks.

There he stood on the red carpet, arm in arm with Kathy, who was resplendent in an extravagant wedding gown.

I could only watch in stunned silence as they exchanged vows, slipped rings onto each other's fingers, and shared a kiss. It was as if a block of ice had encased my entire body, leaving me paralyzed.

The bride had changed. Kathy had taken my place.

After the ceremony, reporters swarmed forward.

"Mr. Cameron, we all thought today's bride would be your fiancée, Hailey. Why the sudden switch?" one asked boldly.

Bruce's face darkened. "That woman is insatiable. This is her punishment—to make her understand her place."

When his gaze finally landed on me, it was devoid of warmth. He looked at me like a stranger, as if the years we'd shared had been nothing but a fleeting dream.

"You're late," he said coldly. "But I'll give you one more chance. If you can make Kathy happy, I'll consider forgiving you and arranging a makeup wedding."

I stared at him, speechless, my chest tightening. The man before me was unrecognizable. How had I ever thought I knew him?

Taking a step back, I turned, ready to leave. My retreat was clumsy; I bumped into someone behind me.

"I'm so sorry," I mumbled, spinning around, only to find myself face-to-face with Kathy.

She was clutching an assortment of items, her expression feigning difficulty, though I caught a glimmer of triumph in her eyes.

My stomach churned painfully—perhaps from the morning's emptiness, perhaps from something deeper. Whatever the reason, it no longer mattered. I didn't belong here, not anymore.

As I pivoted to go, my heel caught on the carpet. Instinctively, I reached out for support, but my fingers found Kathy's gown instead.

In an instant, we both went crashing to the ground.