Chapter 3

At that moment, I could almost hear my heart breaking.

I had been wearing the wedding dress that came at the price of my parents’ lives while standing on the cusp of the happiness they hoped so much that I would have.

Yet, what I heard was the scheming of my fiance, who wanted to use me for all I was worth.

I felt the blood turn to ice in my body, and it was as if my heart had even stopped beating.

I wanted to rush inside to ask him how he could do this to me. But, in the end, I turned around and walked away.

I was a coward. I did not even have the courage to question Noah.

I had gone from walking on the clouds to the depths of despair. It had only taken the blink of an eye.

Like a ghost, I drifted back to my own lounge and looked at myself in the mirror, still in that wedding dress.

What a joke.

The dress felt like an ironic insult.

A thought born of weakness popped up in my head. Maybe I had misheard it. Maybe they had some kind of reason for doing this.

Maybe I should give Noah another chance.

After all, I had nothing and no one else other than him.

At that point, I still felt some hope for him.

When I walked out in the wedding dress, Noah had already left.

Yvonne leaned against the wall and slowly straightened her clothes.

On her neck was a hickey that seared my eyes.

“I’m the one he loves. He’s only with you for the Wiley Group’s shares.”

I clenched my fists so hard that my nails cut into my palm.

“I’ve treated you like a sister. How could you do this to me?”

Yvonne laughed as though she had heard the world’s greatest joke. “Oh, Ms. Wiley, everything you’ve done for me is a reminder that you have everything! That you got it the moment you were born!”

She suddenly grabbed my hand in a grip as strong as steel.

“Why is it that I saved him, but you get to end up with him? You sponsored me, but that’s all just a fake show of generosity!”

I tried to explain, but she suddenly used the hand she was still holding to shove herself.

She fell backward and let out a pitiful scream.

The cry attracted all the guests.

Noah rushed out from the crowd and held Yvonne in his arms.

Noah looked at me with fury in his eyes. “What are you doing, Virginia?”

Yvonne huddled into his embrace, and tears fell from her eyes.

“Noah, don’t blame Ginny. Maybe she thinks we’re too close.”

I looked at Noah and spoke in a voice so soft it was nearly inaudible, “Do you really think I’m that kind of person?”

Noah opened his mouth, but before he could say something, the acrid smell of smoke assaulted us.

“Fire!”

Tongues of flame sprang up.

“Follow me!” Noah grabbed my wrist, but he suddenly let go again.

He looked past me at Yvonne, who was curled up on the floor.

In that instant, it was as if time stopped.

I saw the struggle in Noah’s eyes. His fists were clenched. In the end, he bent down to lift Yvonne in a bridal carry.

“I’m taking her outside first, Virginia. I’ll be back for you.”

That was the last thing I heard him say.

The smoke was so thick that I could not even open my eyes. I tried to escape, but the fire had spread too quickly. Flames blocked my path.

I kept inhaling smoke, and I could feel my consciousness slowly ebb.

In the end, my vision blacked out, and I lost consciousness.

I did not even know who had saved me from the fire. When I woke up, I was lying in a bed in the hospital.

I waited for a day and a night, but Noah never showed up.

On the day I was discharged, I packed up all my things.

When I passed by another ward with a half-open door, I paused. Noah was sitting by the bedside and carefully helping Yvonne take her medication.

His choice was clear.

I picked up my bags and left the hospital without looking back.

My phone rang and pulled me from my memories.

“Darling, have you finished dealing with everything back there? When will you be coming home?”

My voice took on a subconscious hint of joy. “It’s all done. I’ll be home next week.”

“Come home quickly, darling. I miss you.”

I chuckled softly. “I miss you, too, hubby.”

After hanging up, I turned to leave, but then I walked into someone.

Noah stood before me with bloodshot eyes, his body trembling.

“You’re married?”