Chapter 2

2.

Simon stepped out from beneath the stage, wearing an immaculate white tuxedo.

His eyes were bloodshot and brimming with emotional tears, looking deeply moved.

I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles turned white. Just as I took a step forward, Alana grabbed my arm tightly.

“Today is the most important day of my life,” she hissed.

“If you dare ruin it, I will destroy your father’s company without hesitation.”

Her voice was laced with chilling venom.

We had been together for seven years, and she knew me inside out. She knew that other than her, my family was everything to me.

My dad had spent his entire life building his business from scratch. If it collapsed, he wouldn't survive the blow.

A wave of bitter clarity hit me like a slap to the face.

No wonder Alana dared to humiliate me so openly.

No wonder she didn't fear my rage.

She had planned all along to use my father as leverage to keep me quiet.

All the strength drained from my limbs, leaving a searing pain in my chest as if a thousand arrows were piercing through it.

I watched powerlessly as the woman I loved stepped down the stairs.

She looked up at Simon with pure adoration pooling in her eyes.

“I love you, Simon.”

“I want to spend the rest of my life as your wife.”

“Will you marry me?”

Those three simple sentences almost brought me to my knees.

Alana seemed to have wiped every single memory of us from her mind.

Back when she pursued me, she organized a massive confession under the city skyline.

She had told me: “I love you, Declan. I want to spend forever with you.”

Now, she tossed those promises aside like trash.

“Of course I will,” Simon replied eagerly.

His trembling voice dragged me back to the cruel reality.

Alana beamed brightly, throwing her arms around Simon’s neck and pressing her lips against his.

The hall erupted into thunderous cheers and applause.

“Oh God, she’s technically a homewrecker, but why does this feel so romantic?”

“Same here! I feel crazy, but I just want Declan and Simon’s wife to step aside so these two can be together forever!”

My chest felt as though it had been struck by a battering ram.

Unable to contain the agonizing storm inside me, I lunged forward and shoved them apart.

“I’m your boyfriend! Did you even care for a second about how I would feel?”