Chapter 2

2.

The day before the wedding, according to the Sterling family tradition, the new bride had to visit the family estate to pay respects.

I had already decided to call off the wedding. However, Brooks' parents had always been kind to me.

His mother was my own mother's best friend. I owed it to them to tell them the news in person.

Mrs. Sterling held my hand, her joy practically overflowing. "Sweetheart, I've dreamed of having you as a daughter since you were little. Tomorrow, it finally comes true."

"Don't worry about Brooks. His father and I have already lectured him about his nonsense."

"He's just been temporarily blinded by that little vixen. Once you're married, his heart will come back to you."

Even the usually stern Mr. Sterling had a rare smile on his face.

"Avery, I've made a whole table of your favorite dishes. When Brooks gets back, we'll make him apologize to you properly, okay?"

Looking at their kind faces, I found it hard to say the words.

This scene of family harmony seemed to trigger something in Brooks. When he arrived, the way he looked at me was unusually soft.

He sat down beside me and pushed a jewelry box toward me.

Inside was a brilliant diamond necklace.

"I'm sorry for my attitude lately. I went out and picked this necklace specifically for you to make it up to you."

I let out a long sigh and didn't touch the box.

"Brooks, are you sure you spent time picking this out?"

I already had three identical necklaces sitting in my jewelry box at home.

They were all peace offerings Brooks had given me over the years whenever he made me angry.

At first, I thought they were symbols of his love.

The next two times, I lied to myself, thinking he was just too busy to remember what he'd bought before.

But I couldn't lie to myself anymore.

Brooks frowned impatiently, but a sharp look from his father silenced him.

His tone softened. "I know I've been distant. But I was just busy with the wedding prep. We're getting married tomorrow. I'll make it up to you then, okay?"

Since I was eighteen, I had dreamed of marrying Brooks Sterling.

Even though I had decided to leave, twenty years of feelings couldn't be severed in an instant.

I was about to speak when the front door burst open. Lyra Vance ran in, sobbing.

"Mr. Sterling! Avery! There was an accident during transport... the wedding dress is ruined!"

"The wedding is tomorrow! What are we going to do?"

Brooks couldn't stand seeing Lyra cry. He immediately pulled her into a protective hug.

"If it's dirty, we'll just get another one. It's not a big deal, honey."

"I actually picked out a simple, elegant one for Avery just in case. I wonder if she'll like it."

I looked at the dress in her hands. The fabric was cheap and the cut was sagging.

I couldn't help but mock them. "Is that a wedding dress or a funeral shroud?"

Lyra leaned into Brooks, the color draining from her face.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have taken it upon myself to find a backup."

"Don't worry. Even if I have to scrub my fingers raw tonight, I'll get the original dress clean for you."

"Enough!" Brooks barked.

He turned to me, his eyes freezing over.

"I promised you the title of Mrs. Sterling, and I've kept my word."

"Are you really going to bully Lyra over a dress now?!"

He looked so self-righteous, as if I were the one who had ruined the dress on purpose.

The last flicker of hope in my heart was finally extinguished.

I gave Brooks' parents an apologetic smile. "I don't think I can stay for dinner."

Mr. Sterling was furious. He stepped forward and delivered a hard slap to Brooks' face.

"If you keep messing around with this woman, you won't get a dime from the Sterling estate!"

Brooks looked at him coldly. "If it weren't for the Sterling estate, do you think I'd even want this marriage?"

My heart twisted with pain.

So, the person Brooks wanted to marry hadn't been me for a very long time.

Lyra sobbed and threw herself forward. "It's all my fault! I'll just leave! Please don't fight because of me!"

Her words only fueled Brooks' urge to protect her.

I stood up to leave, but my eyes caught the emerald bracelet on Lyra's wrist.

I stepped forward and demanded, "Where did you get that bracelet?!"

Before I could get close, Brooks shoved me away. My lower back slammed into the altar table, and hot incense ash spilled all over me.

He hesitated for a second, then his face darkened.

"It's just a bracelet. Is it really worth making a scene?"

The realization hit me like a physical blow. "You stole it from my jewelry box and gave it to her?"

Hesitation flickered in Brooks' eyes, but he quickly stood firm in front of Lyra.

"It belongs to the Sterlings anyway. Who I give it to is none of your business."

I stared at Brooks for a long time, my disappointment complete.

Mrs. Sterling was so angry she could barely breathe. She pointed a shaking finger at her son.

"You ungrateful boy! That's an heirloom meant for the Sterling daughter-in-law! How could you give it to an outsider?!"

He knew exactly what that bracelet meant.

I met Brooks' silent gaze and suddenly started laughing.

"Since Miss Vance likes it so much, she can keep it. Consider it a gift."

Brooks suddenly looked panicked. He reached out to grab my arm. "What do you mean?"

Lyra started crying again, frantically trying to pull the bracelet off. "I'll give it back! Please don't be angry!"

She moved so fast that the heavy emerald left red marks on her skin.

Brooks immediately rushed to stop her, holding her hand tightly.

When he looked at me, his gaze was filled with pure loathing. "See? Lyra is a thousand times more sensible than you."

"If your family hadn't used that investment to blackmail me into this, I never would have married a woman like you."

I looked at the bracelet still sitting firmly on Lyra's wrist and felt an overwhelming weariness.

Brooks, you were the one who knelt before my father and swore to love me forever. That was the only reason he agreed to invest.

I sighed and turned to walk out. "Since you think it's blackmail, let's just cancel the wedding."

The moment the door closed, a violent argument erupted behind me.

New York's traffic was as congested as ever. I looked at the giant billboard showing our wedding photo and felt the irony.

Three messages popped up on my phone:

"Avery, stop acting out. I've had the dress cleaned and sent to the house. Tomorrow, look beautiful in the dress I made for you."

"I've invited all the major media outlets for tomorrow. It's a huge moment for our families."

"Avery Thorne, I'm keeping my promise from when we were eighteen. I'm not breaking it."

I calmly pulled the SIM card out of my phone and tossed it out the window.

I threw away my memories of being eighteen right along with it.

I would definitely be attending a wedding tomorrow. It just wouldn't be his.