Chapter 1

After saying that, I turned and headed straight for the bedroom.

Julian Mercer watched me walk away, a helpless smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Don’t be like this.

“I understand that you’re upset, but Vivian really does need my help.”

I ignored him.

Julian leaned against the doorframe, still holding the agreement.

“Why are you making such a big deal out of this? Transferring the house to Vivian is only temporary.

“Once she gets back on her feet, the house will still be ours.

“Do you really have to call off the wedding over this?”

His tone was so certain. He assumed I couldn’t let go of five years together.

He was convinced that if I cooled off for a few days, I would come crawling back and apologize.

Then I would obediently go to the county recorder’s office, sign the paperwork, and hand over the house my parents had paid for in full.

But this time, I wouldn’t turn back.

The next morning, I had barely woken up when I heard Julian talking on the phone in the living room.

“Yes, the banquet schedule stays the same.

“The rest of the arrangements don’t need to change either. Just follow the original plan.”

I walked out of the bedroom and saw him checking off items on the wedding itinerary with a pen.

When he saw me, he casually put the paperwork away.

“You’re up? Perfect. The wedding planner said we need to go try on the wedding dress this afternoon.

“Remember to bring the deposit receipt. Don’t lose it before then.”

I stood by the dining table and looked at him coldly.

“Julian, we agreed yesterday. We’re not getting legally married, and we’re not having a wedding.”

Julian poured me a glass of milk and pushed it toward me.

“Don’t be childish.

“I can talk to you about the house again. I’ll speak to Vivian about it.

“But both our parents have already been notified, and the invitations have gone out to our relatives and friends.

“If you cancel the wedding now, where does that leave me?”

He hadn’t even asked what I wanted. He had simply decided for me.

In his mind, I would eventually give in.

He thought I was kind enough that I couldn’t bear to watch his benefactor’s daughter end up on the streets.

So he had never intended to cancel the wedding.

He was still moving forward with everything as planned, certain that I would put on the wedding dress and walk toward him with a smile.

That afternoon, my phone kept buzzing.

It was a series of messages from Vivian Ross.

“I’m sorry, Cora.

“I really had no idea Julian would ask you for this.

“I feel terrible. If it weren’t for me, you two wouldn’t have fought.

“I can just stay at a budget hotel. You really don’t have to fall out with him over me.”

She never said that she didn’t want to stay at a hotel. She only said that she had nowhere to go.

She was making it sound as though if I refused, I would be forcing her to sleep on the streets.

Before I could reply, Julian called me on video.

When I answered, his face appeared on the screen, dark with anger.

“What did you say to Vivian?

“She called me crying, saying she feels like she’s become a burden.

“Can’t you be a little more understanding? Her dad just died. I’m the only person she has left to rely on.

“If you really love me, why can’t you make an exception for my benefactor?

“Do you really have to leave her with nowhere to go?”

Hearing the accusatory tone in his voice extinguished the last bit of hope I had.

He didn’t care about my feelings at all.

All he cared about was whether he could play the hero in Vivian’s eyes.

I looked at the familiar yet suddenly strange man on my screen.

“Julian, if you care about her that much, then go live with her.

“This house was bought by my parents. It has nothing to do with the Ross family.

“I’m not transferring it. Not now, not ever.

“Get that through your head!”

With that, I ended the call.

Then I blocked Julian.

I blocked Vivian too.

At last, the world was quiet.