Chapter 2

2.

"Mom, I want to cancel the wedding. I'm coming to stay with you guys abroad."

I sent the text, and my mother replied almost instantly.

"Finally. I told you Silas wasn't the right fit for you. I'll take five days to handle the Sterling family. Just get yourself ready."

I turned off my phone and sat on the sofa, counting the minutes. Forty-two minutes later, Silas finally came back down.

His shirt was tucked in perfectly, but the lingering look in his eyes gave him away. He started with an apology.

"Sorry, babe. That meeting went longer than I thought. Tell me what you want, and I'll buy it for you as an apology."

He sounded so natural. You would never guess he just came from another woman's bed.

I had been blinded by this perfect mask for so long. I only saw the shallow version of his devotion.

I looked away. "It's fine."

He opened his arms to hug me. "Why did you take the dress off? I didn't get enough of a look."

I smelled a faint, musky scent on him. I stepped back, avoiding his touch.

"I got a bit cold, so I changed back."

His hands froze in mid-air. He looked at me, confused.

"What's wrong, Elara? Are you mad about the meeting? I'm sorry. I'll turn my phone off next time we're together, okay?"

I stayed silent. Before I could answer, a staff member came down with a small bag.

"Mr. Sterling, the lady upstairs asked me to give this to you. She said the fabric is too delicate for her to wash, so you should take it home and clean it for next time."

I glanced at the bag. It was the silk lingerie, clearly stained with things that shouldn't be mentioned.

Silas panicked and shoved the bag behind his back. He looked at the girl with wide eyes.

"I don't know any lady! You have the wrong person!"

He turned to me, his voice trembling. "Elara, this isn't mine. I don't even know who she's talking about. You know you're the only woman in my life."

The more he lied, the more obvious it became. I looked up and saw Tessa standing on the balcony, looking down at me with a smug grin.

One wedding dress, one set of lingerie. One for the fiancée, one for the mistress.

He really knew how to keep things balanced. It was pathetic.

I smiled calmly at him. "I didn't say a word, Silas."

He watched me for a few seconds. When he realized I wasn't throwing a tantrum, he relaxed.

"Babe, I knew our trust was unbreakable. I'm glad you believe me."

"Yeah," I whispered. "I believe you. I always have."

But my trust had finally run out. It wasn't about belief anymore; it was about indifference.