Chapter 3

3

I looked away so he wouldn't see the disgust in my eyes.

Vows are just pretty lies for people like him.

When we got home, he insisted I take a leave of absence from work.

"The wedding is so close. Let me just take care of you for once, okay?"

The next morning, the smell of breakfast filled the house.

He greeted me with a huge smile, acting like the perfect fiancé.

But then, the doorbell rang.

The moment he saw Celia at the door, his smile died.

"I told you never to come here. I'll handle work at the office."

Celia flinched, her eyes instantly welling up with tears.

She held out a garment bag, her voice trembling.

"I just wanted to bring the wedding dress to Summer. I thought if it needed alterations, we should do them now."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you angry, Mr. Sterling."

She stood there, wiping her eyes like a victim.

Jude instinctively reached out to wipe a tear but stopped himself when he saw me watching.

He took the bag and walked over to me, forcing a smile.

"I can't wait to see you in this. Can you go try it on?"

"If it doesn't fit, the assistant can take it back immediately."

I looked at Celia, who was still sobbing at the door, but I didn't say a word.

"Fresh graduates are always like this," Jude whispered to me. "So sensitive. She'll learn."

"If she can't handle the pressure, I'll find someone else."

It was the same old story. Everyone thought Jude saved all his kindness for me.

I took the dress and went upstairs, leaving my phone on the table with the camera app open.

In the bedroom, I opened my laptop to watch the feed.

Jude was standing in front of Celia, his brow furrowed.

"I warned you. Stay away from Summer. Do you not listen?"

Celia shook her head frantically. "I just wanted to see you. I know I'm nothing to you, but I just need to be near you."

Jude's expression softened. He reached out and stroked her cheek.

"I'm sorry I was harsh. But you have to understand. If Summer finds out, I will destroy you."

Celia nodded obediently, looking up at him like a lost puppy.

"I want to wear a wedding dress for you, too."

Jude smirkled, a wicked glint in his eye.

"I'll order one for you. You can wear it for me tonight. I hope you put on a good show."

Celia grabbed his hand and placed it on her waist, standing on her tiptoes.

"If you want to see it, come over tonight. Don't be late."

Jude pulled her into a hard embrace. "Late? You should be careful what you wish for."

They moved with a familiarity that suggested they had done this a thousand times.

I typed on my keyboard with shaking hands, tears blurring my vision.

In just forty-eight hours, my entire life had turned into a sick joke.

I heard his footsteps on the stairs and shut the laptop.

But through the last frame, I saw Celia tuck something into the crevice of our sofa.