Chapter 2

Lewis seemed satisfied with my answer. His expression relaxed as he stood up and casually ruffled my hair.

“Eve, you’ve become much more sensible now. After we get married, we’ll live a wonderful life together.”

I nodded without arguing, because I knew there would be no “after we get married.”

As Lewis prepared to leave, his gaze swept across my room.

“Why does it feel like there’s less stuff here?”

The photo frame that used to sit on the cabinet was gone. The pictures on the wall had been taken down. Even the music box he once gave me at the bedside had disappeared. The entire room looked emptier.

I looked down and told a small lie. “I packed them away. There was too much clutter in the room, and it looked messy.”

I thought the excuse sounded half-hearted, but Lewis nodded.

“It does look cleaner like this.”

Over the past month, I had quietly packed away everything I could—clothes, jewelry, documents, and all the memories I had shared with Lewis over the years. Bit by bit, I placed them into boxes, as if I were personally sorting through a relationship that had ended long ago.

Then, Lewis spoke again. “Since you’ve cleaned up most of the room, can you move to the east suite for now and allow Quinn to stay here for a while?”

He paused and then added as if he was negotiating, “Quinnie has had sleep issues since she was young. She has always had trouble sleeping and finds it hard to adjust to unfamiliar rooms. Your room has the best lighting, and it’s the quietest.”

As if something had stabbed me in my chest, my breathing hitched, and a dense, suffocating pain spread outward. It was so sharp that I could barely breathe.

This was my room, the future master bedroom of our marital home. I had chosen every piece of furniture and decoration, and now, he wanted to give it to someone else?

Seeing that I hadn’t responded, Lewis softened his tone again. “It’s only temporary. Once the wedding is over, she’ll move out.”

However, I wouldn’t be here anymore after the wedding. Three days from now, I would be on a flight to Switz to meet my grandfather, whom I hadn’t seen in years, and to reclaim the life that was originally mine. So, I would never come back to this room anyway.

At that thought, the pain in my chest eased. I lifted my head and gave a faint smile.

“Alright.”

It didn’t matter anymore. Since I was leaving, whoever took the room had nothing to do with me.

A satisfied expression appeared on Lewis’s face. “Eve, you’ve really changed. The old you would never have been so generous.”

Back then, I would’ve grabbed his hand and asked him why. I might have even argued with him, but not anymore.

Lewis leaned down and pressed a light kiss on my forehead.

“Thank you for understanding. I’ll make it up to you on the wedding day.”

After Lewis left, I continued packing the remaining things, but soon, loud footsteps came from downstairs. Quinn couldn’t wait to move in. Suitcases were being carried in one after another, of jewelry boxes, wardrobe trunks, and makeup cases, which filled half the living room.

She led the servants upstairs to my room. After scanning the space, a hint of satisfaction flashed in her eyes. Then, she looked at me with a deliberately apologetic expression.

“Eve, sorry about this. Lewis insisted I take this room. I actually didn’t want to.” Her words sounded apologetic, but the smile on her face was impossible to hide. “This room is indeed much better than the guest rooms. No wonder Lewis always kept it for you.”

She turned and instructed the servants to move her things in before glancing at me again.

“Eve, you don’t mind, do you?” she asked.

I shook my head and dragged my suitcase out of the room when Quinn suddenly stopped me.

“You’d better move those boxes out today. I don’t like other people’s things left in my room.”

At that moment, Lewis walked in, his brows slightly furrowed.

“Quinn, don’t say that.”

Then, he turned to me and explained apologetically, “Eve, she’s always been like that. She’s a little OCD, and she speaks bluntly. Don’t take it to heart. She doesn’t mean anything by it.”

I nodded and continued packing the last of my things. “It’s fine.”

I didn’t care anymore how they arranged things because I didn’t plan to keep what was left anyway.