Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Kaden, however, assumed I was merely throwing a small tantrum.

He paused for a second before his expression melted into pure tenderness.

"I know you've been waiting to build a real home with me."

"It's my fault for being so busy lately. Just bear with me a little longer, okay? Very soon, we'll get married."

A heavy silence fell over me.

Did he truly take me for a fool after all these years?

I had dropped hints as clearly as I could, yet he chose to continue lying straight to my face.

Was it really that hard to be honest, accept our incompatibility, and part ways cleanly?

"All right," Kaden smiled gently. "Now that this trip is over, I have a few easy days ahead. I'll stay home and keep you company, okay?"

"There's something I need to―"

I was about to lay all my cards on the table, but before I could finish, his phone rang.

He stood up, leaning down to kiss my cheek once more.

I turned away in disgust, dodging his lips.

"Still mad?" Kaden gave an indulgent, helpless laugh, not taking it to heart. "I was planning on taking you out for a fancy dinner to make it up to you."

"But my assistant just called saying there's an issue with a signed contract. I have to head to the office."

"Wait for me at home, and don't overthink things."

With that, Kaden turned and walked out the door without looking back.

I let out a bitter, hollow laugh.

He truly treated me like an idiot.

Kaden had told me his new assistant was a guy.

Yet the moment he answered the phone, I clearly heard a soft, feminine voice on the other end.

I tracked down Tyler, the club promoter from last night.

I asked him for more details about Kaden and the girl.

He was hesitant at first, but once I sent a generous transfer to his account, he immediately forwarded two social media profiles.

They belonged to Kaden and that girl.

"I didn't realize you were this hooked on Mr. Ward, though you two honestly look great together."

"Mr. Ward spends crazy money on Fiona Evans, that college girl."

"She studies fine arts at the university nearby. She used to come with her classmates, and that's how she met Mr. Ward at our club."

My stomach twisted into knots.

Fiona Evans?

I instantly recalled a name Kaden had been mentioning constantly over the past few months.

He claimed he had hired a new young assistant named Flynn, frequently sharing funny stories about their business trips together.

Every time he talked about Flynn, his face lit up with an unmistakable warmth.

Now it all made sickening sense.

There was no male assistant named Flynn.

It was his side piece, Fiona!

I arranged to meet Tyler in person right away.

Using his phone, I scrolled through Fiona's public posts one by one.

Looking at Kaden's own feed in isolation revealed nothing suspicious.

He was meticulous; his travel photos only showed scenic landscapes or close-up shots of food, hiding any trace of how many place settings were on the table.

At a glance, it looked like harmless updates about daily life.

Yet when lined up alongside Fiona's feed, the ugly truth was laid bare.

Fiona's latest post was uploaded just an hour ago.

"Came down with a slight cold, so Kaden came over to look after me with my favorite clam chowder from that gourmet spot. Best boss ever!"

The attached picture showed a man holding a bowl of soup, offering a spoonful toward the camera.

The shot only showed him from the neck down, dressed in casual silk loungewear.

Right on the left side of his neck was a distinct, dark beauty mark.

It was undeniably Kaden.

We had shared the same bed for years; there was no way I could mistake his body.

As I kept scrolling, the pain in my chest became unbearable.