Chapter 4

A doting smile curved on Jeremy’s face. “Whitney, pick whatever you like. They’re all on me.”

A shy blush spread across Whitney’s cheeks. “Jeremy, I trust your taste. Why don’t you pick something for me?”

“Alright.”

Jeremy’s gaze swept across the display cabinets before quickly settling on a limited-edition handbag.

“Excuse me, can we take a look at this bag? Whitney, this bag is this year’s new release. It’s small and elegant. It’ll suit you perfectly.”

Next came the clothes.

“Whitney, this ink-blue dress looks stunning. It’ll complement your skin tone beautifully.”

Then came the shoes.

“Whitney, these shoes have a detailed design. The heel isn’t too high, so they’re comfortable but still look classy.”

Several sales associates standing nearby could not help whispering among themselves.

“No way. This is my first time seeing a man who understands women and fashion so well.”

“Exactly. Mr. Fisher really is the perfect man. He’s successful, rich, and has such good taste. Everything he picked is one of our bestsellers.”

“When will I ever meet a man like that? I’m so jealous.”

…

Hailey shrank into the corner, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. As it turned out, he understood fashion perfectly well; he just never bothered showing her that he did.

After Jeremy became successful, Hailey had bought countless outfits and accessories to match his status. Every time she showed them to him, all excited, he would not even glance up.

He, with his head always buried in work, would say calmly, “I know nothing about women’s fashion. All that matters is that you like it.”

Now, seeing how knowledgeable he was about fashion felt like a knife stabbing straight into her heart.

Whitney soon came out of the fitting room. As expected, the outfit Jeremy had chosen suited her perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made for her, making her look even more alluring.

Jeremy looked at Whitney tenderly, his eyes filled with a softness that could melt hearts. “Whitney, when the company goes public, you’ll stun everyone wearing this. I have a surprise waiting for you that day.”

Taken aback by what she heard, Hailey lost her balance. With a loud crash, she stumbled and knocked over a display rack.

The bodyguards reacted instantly, rushing in and yanking Hailey up. One of them slapped her hard across the face.

“How dare you have the nerve to hide and spy on Mr. Fisher?”

“What’s going on? Didn’t I tell you to clear the place beforehand? How could someone be hiding in here?” Jeremy’s voice was icy.

The lead bodyguard quickly replied, “Sorry, Mr. Fisher. We’ll handle this right away.”

Before Hailey could even call out his name, a hand covered her mouth, and she was dragged away. They pulled her to a deserted corner.

The lead bodyguard cursed viciously. “What bad luck, running into trash like you. Are you trying to ruin my job? Teach her a proper lesson.”

The others immediately surrounded her.

Hailey trembled, fear filling her eyes. “If you touch me, Jeremy will never let you off.”

The men burst into laughter. “Who do you think you are? Dreaming of being Mr. Fisher’s woman?”

Then fists rained down on her body, her head, and her legs. The pain was so overwhelming that she could not even scream for help.

Before losing consciousness, the last thing she saw was Jeremy wrapping an arm around Whitney, who was holding bags upon bags of purchases, as they got into a luxurious Maybach. Her heart felt hollowed out, and strangely, it no longer hurt.

Her thoughts drifted far back in time, when Jeremy never left her side. Every day, he would take her to work in the morning and pick her up in the evening.

She used to joke, “You sure keep a close eye on me. Are you afraid I’ll run away?”

The man would smile shyly and reply, “Of course. You, my wife, are so beautiful. I have to keep a close eye on you. I can’t allow anything to happen to you.”

A young man cycling the girl he loved eventually disappeared around the corner of the street…

When she woke up again, she was lying in a hospital bed. Jeremy sat beside her, his face dark. Seeing her awake, his expression shifted slightly.

“Hailey, who did you offend? How did you get beaten like this? Tell me. I’ll make them pay.”

She struggled to open her mouth, about to speak, when his phone rang.

“Alright, I got it. I’ll be right there.”

With that, Jeremy stood up and walked out, saying to her, “I’ll be back!”

However, he never did; he never came back again.

On the day she was discharged, Hailey felt unusually light. She no longer hoped for Jeremy’s love, and when there was no expectation, there would be no disappointment.

After returning home, Hailey began packing her things. All the memories she shared with Jeremy were carefully scattered throughout the house.

On the living room wall were dried bouquets made from flowers he had given her over the years. On the table sat a pair of matching mugs that they had crafted together. The throw pillows on the sofa were souvenirs from their travels. Even the teddy bear on the bed was the very first birthday gift he had bought her after receiving his paycheck.

Thinking about how all those things had become symbols of shame in Jeremy’s life made her chest feel painfully heavy. The massive mansion resembled a gorgeous cage, yet all these years it had only imprisoned her, consumed by unrequited longing.