Chapter 3

Lauren carefully slid the ring onto Gregory's finger, then kissed him passionately in front of everyone. At that moment, feathers began drifting down through the hall, landing lightly on everyone's shoulders.

I picked up one of them. This was the wedding ceremony I had dreamed of countless times. I had bought these very feathers myself. Now, she was giving them to someone else.

The crowd saw the romantic scene and showered them with congratulations. At the same time, the laughter and ridicule aimed at me came crashing like a wave.

"I told you so. Ms. Sink is way better with Gregory! I don't understand how an elite like her even began to fall for Cameron in the first place."

"I bet Cameron won't leave her alone. Look, he's even crashing her engagement ceremony."

"What's Cameron doing here at Lauren and Gregory's engagement ceremony? He's not here to crash it, is he? How shameless!"

"Look at him. He's really like a clown."

They pointed and murmured at me. Even the media turned their cameras on me, painting me as an arrogant, delusional man trying to steal someone else's woman.

I ducked to avoid the lens, and the hatred in my chest brewed heavily. Why did Lauren do this to me? Why did she lure me here? Why give me hope, only to crush it later?

It was then that Lauren finally noticed my sadness. She assumed it was me being jealous and felt a surge of pride. Little did she know, my feelings for her vanished the moment she took Gregory's hand and allowed everyone to ridicule me.

I fled in shame to the restroom and locked myself in. I clutched one of the feathers and finally couldn't hold back my tears. Even then, Lauren wouldn't leave me alone.

I could hear her voice with Gregory nearby. They engaged in a sloppy kiss, broken now and then by her soft gasps and moans. "Oh, Greg…"

Gregory was seemingly aware of my presence in the next cubicle, seeing that he also deliberately let out a few groans. Not only did she not reject him, but she reciprocated with more passion, tearing off his clothes.

During that, Gregory said some things to provoke me. "You know, Lauren… I know all these decorations came from Cameron's ideas. Won't he be upset, considering you're giving them all to me?"

Lauren didn't seem to care. "And? Not just these, but I'll even give you his wedding suit and our house. Of course, if you want, I'll even make some adjustments for you."

Gregory spoke through gasps, "You're so good to me, Lauren…"

I couldn't hold it in anymore. My body reacted by coughing up a mouthful of blood. When they heard me retching, they didn't stop but only got louder.

I stumbled out of the place, running until I could run no more, collapsing onto the ground. I knew what Lauren had been doing all along. She wanted to make me jealous, to push me into begging her like I always had.

But all that pushing and threatening had left me with nothing but regret and resentment. I hated myself for always giving her the chance to hurt me. If I went back to her now, I would deserve all the humiliation.

I cried until I had no strength left, and finally, I made up my mind to leave. Just then, Gregory appeared. He stood there with a smug grin, as if daring me to react.

"Why are you hiding here all alone and crying, Cameron? You look so ridiculous. No wonder they're calling you a clown."

He leaned closer, smirking, and purposely revealed the hickey on his body. Softly, he taunted, "You have no idea how eager Lauren is whenever she's with me. She almost broke her back bending for me…"

I glared at him in fury, unable to understand why he had to come here just to taunt me. I was about to turn and leave when he grabbed my wrist. "Say, what would Lauren do to you if something happened to me?"

Then, without warning, he stumbled backward, rolling down the stairs.