Chapter 2

I knew Victoria wasn't coming back, even though she'd said she'd be home at noon. This had happened far too many times in the six months since we'd gotten engaged.

After dinner, I didn't leave a plate out for her like I used to.

Instead, I opened my email. More than a dozen job offers from law firms in different countries filled my inbox.

My cursor went straight to the offer from Monteclair. Without hesitation, I clicked Accept. Then I booked a flight to Monteclair for two days later.

…

The next morning, I started packing.

In the master bedroom wardrobe, my clothes occupied the left side, while Victoria's filled the right.

The brightly colored dresses and skirts were things she never would have worn before. But after Dylan came along, he told her that dressing this way made her seem more approachable and would help clients warm up to her.

Since then, the designer suits I'd once carefully picked out for her had been left to gather dust at the bottom of the wardrobe.

I smiled faintly and packed my clothes into the suitcase one piece at a time.

I was only halfway done when Victoria came home. The pink dress she wore still carried the scent of Dylan's favorite cologne.

When she saw me, she froze and immediately began to explain. "Dylan insisted on going out for drinks last night. We got back too late, so I got a hotel room."

I nodded without saying anything.

In the six months we'd been engaged, this was the first time she'd ever offered me an explanation without being asked.

She took two steps closer and noticed the suitcase. "Are you going on a business trip?"

"Yeah."

For some reason, she seemed relieved. "I have something to take care of today. I just came back to grab something, then I'm leaving."

"Okay." I didn't look up as I continued folding my clothes.

I'd originally planned to tell her about my resignation over lunch. Now there was no need.

She hummed in acknowledgment, pulled out a red gift bag, grabbed her coat by the door, and hurried out again.

The moment the door closed, the framed photograph that had hung on the wall for six months suddenly fell to the floor. Glass shattered everywhere.

It was a photo of us from our engagement day. In the picture, she wore the dress I'd chosen for her, while I stood beside her in a suit.

She'd told me she'd love me, cherish me, and stay by my side forever. My eyes had been red with emotion, and I'd worn the most foolishly happy smile.

But ever since Dylan appeared, she'd pushed all those promises to the back of her mind.

I stared at the photograph for a long time before finally cleaning up the broken glass. Then I threw the picture of us, overflowing with happiness, into the trash along with the last trace of reluctance in my heart.

…

That evening, I'd barely laid down when my best friend called.

"Did you see the post? What's going on with Victoria and Dylan?"

I checked my socials.

Dylan had just posted an update. It was a nine-photo collage with his new watch prominently displayed in the center.

The caption read: [Happy 22nd birthday to me. Thanks for the gift, Mentor.]

In the bottom-right photo, half of a red gift bag was visible.

So Victoria had come home at noon just to pick up Dylan's birthday present.

My friend was still cursing on the other end of the line. "You've only been engaged for six months, and Dylan already has the nerve to show off like this? Is Victoria out of her mind?"

"We haven't even gotten our marriage license," I said.

The other end of the line suddenly went silent.

After a long moment, he finally spoke in disbelief. "What?"

"We had the engagement party, but we never got the marriage license or moved forward with the wedding preparations," I repeated, my voice completely flat.

Another long silence followed.

Finally, my friend's voice dropped. "Then what are you going to do?"

I glanced at my packed suitcase and smiled. "I'm flying to Monteclair tomorrow. A law firm there sent me an offer a long time ago."

"She's not stopping you?"

"She doesn't know."

And she wouldn't care anyway.

After hanging up, I looked at Dylan's post again.

I thought about it for a moment, then gave it a like. Consider it my blessing to the two of them before I left.

…

Victoria came home at 10:00 p.m. that night.

After walking through the door, she instinctively reached for the coat rack. Her hand stopped halfway. "Where's the picture behind the door?"

She didn't even put down her coat before hurrying into the bedroom, a hint of panic in her voice. "Honey, where's our picture?"

I leaned against the headboard and answered calmly, "It fell and broke."

At that, she glanced at the broken glass in the trash can, and her expression relaxed. Then she pulled an LV paper bag from her purse and held it out to me.