Chapter 3

2、

Soren's eyes turned red as he whispered pathetically.

"Evelina, did I cause trouble again? I shouldn't have come here today!"

"Go back and finish the wedding with Mr. Vance. I'll be fine on my own!"

Despite his terrible acting, Evelina was moved to tears.

She turned to glare at me, her eyes filled with disgust.

"Caleb, is this another one of your pathetic tricks to get my attention?"

"Fine! If you think I'm not fit to be your wife, go ahead and marry that Husky!"

She didn't look back as she led Soren out of the venue.

The guests' gazes fell on me, some mocking, some pitying.

I clenched my fists, swallowing the humiliation.

"I'm sorry. Today's wedding is canceled. Please show yourselves out!"

As soon as I closed the door to the lounge, my strength gave out and I blacked out.

When I woke up, the sharp scent of disinfectant filled my nose.

The hospital room was warm, but it couldn't thaw my frozen heart.

I had loved Evelina for ten long years.

During those years, I treated her like a queen.

Until yesterday, I really thought my dreams had finally come true.

But this wedding was a wake-up call that hit me like a physical blow.

It finally allowed me to let go of her completely.

I pressed the call button, but it wasn't a nurse who walked in. It was Evelina.

She was still wearing her reception dress, but her hair was a mess and her lips were swollen. Fresh red marks dotted her neck.

Seeing that I was awake, her brow relaxed slightly.

However, she immediately snapped at me.

"You don't look that badly hurt. Soren was right―this was just a move to get sympathy."

"Honestly, how can a grown man be so petty? You ruined a perfectly good wedding."

"Have you come to your senses yet? Are you ready to apologize to Soren?"

I only looked at her coldly without saying a word.

In the past, I would have apologized to Soren just to make her happy, regardless of my own dignity.

After all, this wasn't the first time.

When Soren ruined my birthday cake in front of everyone, I had to apologize to him.

When he purposely deleted a project I'd spent weeks on, I had to apologize to him.

Even when I was hospitalized and he tripped on the hospital stairs, I was the one who had to say sorry.

Every compromise I made only resulted in her calling me "petty."

Six months ago, Soren left a lit cigarette that started a fire in the conference room.

To let him escape first, Evelina used my body to block the flames.

I ended up with severe burns on my back.

While I was groaning in pain on a hospital bed, Evelina took a perfectly fine Soren on a vacation.

She called it a "stress-relief trip" for him.

She didn't show up until the day I was discharged a month later.

Her first words were:

"You scolded Soren in public that day, which put him in a bad mood and made him smoke. He's had nightmares for a month because of that fire."

"Go apologize to him later. If you do, I'll marry you, okay?"

I had compromised for love back then.

But from that moment on, my feelings for her began to fade.

When she chose to leave with Soren at our wedding, those feelings vanished entirely.

Since I wouldn't speak, Evelina left some harsh words and stormed out.

After the doctor finished his rounds, I took out my phone to hire a caregiver.

That's when I saw Soren's latest post on social media.

He had taken that Husky to the new house I bought.

He even let the dog relieve itself on my brand-new bed.

In the video, he looked into the camera with a smirk.

"Mr. Vance, I heard this is the best way to cure your dog allergy. No need to thank me!"

Blood rushed to my head. I called Evelina repeatedly.

The call finally connected just before my battery died.

Evelina's impatient voice came through.

"What? Regretting it? Ready to apologize to Soren?"

"Go to hell!"

The curse flew out of my mouth.

"Did you take Soren to my house? That's trespassing and destruction of property. I can sue you both!"

Evelina paused, then screamed back.

"Caleb Vance, who the hell do you think you're talking to! I gave you a chance!"

"You said that house was a gift for me, so it's mine!"

"Besides, you bullied Soren. He was just blowing off steam. He's been more than kind to you! Stop acting like a brat!"

"I was actually thinking about letting us get our marriage license. But since you're so stubborn, I'll just marry Soren instead."

As soon as she finished, Soren's excited voice could be heard.

"Really? Evelina, don't say that if you don't mean it!"

"I mean it. We're going right now."

"Wow, does that mean tonight is our wedding night? Let's handle the most important business first, then go get the license. Come here, wife…"

Then came a series of disgusting, wet sounds.

My hand trembled as I held the phone.

Those two disgusting people were doing that in my house!

I promised myself I would sell that house the moment I got out of the hospital.

Just then, my phone rang again. It was the honeymoon hotel.

"Mr. Vance, you have a honeymoon suite reserved. I'm calling to confirm your check-in time."

I took a deep breath and answered without hesitation.

"Cancel it! I don't need it anymore!"

But then, I changed my mind.

"Wait. Postpone it for a week. And fill the suite with red roses. Thank you!"

Three days later, I was finally discharged.

I arranged for a real estate agent to meet me, but I went to the house early to pack.

When I opened the door, I saw Soren walking out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist.

His bare chest was covered in red marks and scratches.