“Hannah, what makes you think you deserve to marry him?” Evelyn screamed at me, her voice sharp and shrill.
“What gives you the right?”
I could see the anger and desperation in her eyes. She looked like a furious, cornered cat, her once–beautiful face now twisted with rage–almost frighteningly grotesque.
I was starting to lose my patience.
Why was I the one who didn’t “deserve” Christopher?
14:29 Wed, Feb 5
68%.
Sure, I didn’t love him. But that didn’t mean I’d stand there and let someone else question my place.
This woman had ordered someone to run me down, instigated an online mob to harass me, and now she had the audacity to come to me for comfort, protection, and even sympathy for her so–called “love.”
Who did she think she was?
Did she really believe she was the star of some cosmic drama, the center of the universe, destined to have the world revolve around her?
If Christopher wanted to coddle her, that was his choice. It had nothing to do with me.
“Miss Reed,” I said coldly, “marriage is about compatibility. And if anyone here is unworthy, it’s you.”
“Other than your pretty face, what do you have to offer?”
“An education? A skill? A profession to stand on your own?”
“You have none of those things.”
“Your entire life is built on Christopher’s love for you. Without it, you’re nothing.”
Evelyn shot to her feet, pointing a trembling finger at me.
“He betrayed our love!” she shouted, her voice breaking. “I’ll make you both regret this. I’ll make him regret it for the rest of his life!”
“No matter how much he has, he’ll never have me. And you know what, Hannah? The things we can’t have… they’re the ones we desire most!”
She laughed a wild, hysterical laugh that sent a chill down my spine. Then, without another word, she stormed out of my house and into the freezing snowstorm outside.
For a moment, I thought about stopping her. But I held back. Sometimes, you can’t reason with someone hell–bent on their own destruction.
14:29 Wed, Feb 5
<
Sulli, i sent someone to keep
ual eye
ner.
2 68%
I expected Evelyn to go to Christopher with demands–money, shares in his company, something tangible. After all, most women understand that when you can’t rely on a man, money is the next best thing.
But Evelyn? No. She had something entirely different in mind.
She began planning her grand act–a fake death.
Evelyn wanted to use her “death” to make Christopher regret losing her.
She believed that men like Christopher, who could have anything they wanted, didn’t value the things they got too easily.
And she thought she’d made it too easy for him to have her.
But now, she’d make him pay. She’d make him suffer, drowning in guilt and regret.
She wanted her love story to end with Christopher groveling at her feet, mourning her loss in what she imagined would be the ultimate “chase–the–wife” drama.
I couldn’t help but wonder: if Evelyn truly went through with it, would Christopher even regret it?
When Christopher showed up at my place later that evening to cook sweet and sour ribs for me, I decided to ask him directly.
“Make sure to eat extra vinegar tonight,” he joked, clearly in a good mood.
“Did you smooth things over with your ‘true love‘?” I asked, watching him stir the sauce. “You must have a lot of free time if you’re here cooking for me.
Christopher smirked.
“Hannah, you don’t get it,” he said. “In my eyes, you’re my wife. No matter what happens, we’re bound together for life.”
“Even if I die someday, to the world, I’ll still be your husband–the well–connected son–in–law of the Howards”
14:30 Wed, Feb 5
*
D
“One day, our names will be engraved on the same headstone.”
“And while I’m alive, I’ll make sure you’re always respected in public.”
I smiled faintly. He said it all like he truly meant it.
But where was this commitment when he was proposing to Evelyn on a global livestream surrounded by a citywide fireworks display?
The world knew him as the man who loved Evelyn deeply, hopelessly.
Now, after things had gone sideways, he was feeding me pretty words.
Maybe it was because my older brother back home had been furious about the scandal
applied pressure on Christopher.
and
When I didn’t respond, Christopher continued, “As for Evelyn? She’s like a kitten or a puppy–fun to play with for a while.”
“Pets need a little spoiling. Otherwise, how can they stay pets?”
I sighed and said quietly, “Christopher, she’s a person. She has emotions, thoughts, and the same rights as anyone else in this world.”
“She’s not a pet.”
“What you’re doing to her isn’t fair.”
Christopher shook his head, clearly uninterested in continuing this discussion, and changed the subject.
But I couldn’t let it go.
“If she dies, would you be sad?” I asked, cutting straight to the heart of it.
For Evelyn’s little “chase–the–wife” story to play out, two conditions needed to be met.
First, her absence would have to cause Christopher significant financial loss, forcing him
to pursue her to protect bic interacte
C
14:30 Wed, Feb 5 )
<
to pursue her to protect his interests.
H
468
Second, Christopher would need to truly love her–so much so that he couldn’t live
without her.
Evelyn’s death wouldn’t cause any financial damage to Christopher.
So the only question left was whether he truly loved her.
I thought about it carefully.
Maybe, in his own way, Christopher did love her.
10
Christopher didn’t answer my question right away.
He turned the stove to low heat, letting the sweet and sour ribs simmer as the sauce thickened. After wiping his hands on his apron, he asked, “Hannah, how long has it been since your father last visited Lumina?”
I stayed silent.
Christopher smiled faintly and continued, “I always thought your father, being born and raised abroad, had no connection to Lumina, no business ties here.”
“But recently, I found out that he wasn’t always the man he is now.”
“Years ago, he was just another young man from Lumina.”
“For the sake of love, he was forced to leave his homeland, wandering from place to place.”
“Do you think he still remembers his original name?”
“Or should I say, even though he’s built an empire, do you think he ever truly feels ot home?”
I clenched my hand over my chest as a dull ache spread.
14:30 Wed, Feb 5 U YU
ゆん 68%
Both my brother and I knew the pain my father carried.
When I was little, I once asked him why his estate was named Summer Manor and why he insisted on living in the southern region, even during times of turmoil and unrest.
He said, “It’s close to Lumina. When I look to the north, I can still feel like I’m home.”
But in all these years, he’s never gone back.
Even when my brother in Lumina tried to arrange a meeting with him, my father refused every time.
“Love is too bitter, Hannah,” Christopher sighed. “I do like Evelyn, of course.”
“But it’s really just for her beauty and charm.”
It wasn’t until then that I snapped out of my thoughts.
“You investigated my father?” I asked, my voice sharp.
My father’s past was a sore subject–something no one dared mention.
“Evelyn’s been stirring up trouble, trending on every platform,” Christopher said casually.
“Your brother wasn’t happy about it.”
“But what surprised me was finding out that your brother–the one making waves–is the Howard.”
“That got me curious, so I did some digging into your father’s history. Turns out, he was once a man who loved so deeply it drove him mad.”
Passionate love rarely ends well. The higher you rise, the harder the fall.
I didn’t press Christopher any further about his feelings for Evelyn. I just quietly ate my dinner.
But Christopher wasn’t done.
14:30 Wed, Feb 5 r
K 68%,
“Hannah,” he asked, his tone curious, “is that why you keep your heart locked away? Because your father was betrayed when he was younger?”
“Do you really feel nothing for me at all?”
I gnawed on a piece of sweet and sour rib, the sharp tang of vinegar making my throat
tighten.
He must’ve added extra vinegar on purpose.
It was so sour it stung.
Christopher had Evelyn. He had his beautiful bunny–girl.
Why did he feel the need to mess with me, too?
“Love doesn’t pay the bills,” I said lightly. “You can enjoy your whirlwind romances. I prefer a quiet, peaceful life.”
Hearing this, Christopher chuckled and opened a bottle of wine.
My heart ached.
11
Evelyn had always believed she was God’s favorite child.
After all, her beauty was undeniable. From a young age, everyone around her showered her with compliments about how stunning she was.
But life wasn’t perfect. She was an orphan.
Her parents had reportedly died in a car crash, leaving her to grow up in the foster system.
Despite her beauty giving her countless chances to be adopted, things never worked out. For one reason or another, by the time she turned eighteen, she still hadn’t found a family.
At eighteen she got into a mediocre college. She worked part–time
14:30 Wed, Feb 5
<
68%
At eighteen, she got into a mediocre college. She worked part–time to support herself
while attending school.
Even then, she often returned to the orphanage.
Outside, people always looked at orphans with a hint of judgment. But in the orphanage, things were different. There, she was adored, admired, and respected.
The younger boys in the orphanage practically worshiped her, treating her like their leader.
During her college years, Evelyn had two relationships, but neither lasted very long.
After graduation, she got a job at a coffee shop.
Of course, she didn’t pick just any coffee shop. She carefully chose one located near the headquarters of the Gray Group.
Why? Because Christopher Gray, the company’s CEO, was known to stop by that coffee shop for coffee–and sometimes chocolate.
Through meticulous planning and deliberate effort, Evelyn finally had her “chance encounter” with Christopher.
That day, Christopher walked into the coffee shop, as usual, and ordered a coffee.
Under the dim, golden glow of the shop’s lights, Evelyn kept her head down, carefully preparing his drink. Her pale, flawless skin, delicate features, and breathtaking beauty were impossible to ignore.
The rich aroma of coffee hung heavy in the air, an almost perfect backdrop for her.
When Evelyn brought the coffee to Christopher, their fingers accidentally brushed.
The brief, fleeting contact sent a jolt through her.
Startled, the coffee cup slipped from her hands, rolling across the floor. It didn’t shatter, but the dark liquid spilled everywhere, leaving a sticky mess.
<
14:30 Wed, Feb 5 t
<
10
Evelyn stammered an apology, flustered as she scrambled to clean the coffee off his expensive suit.
And just like that, she got his business card–and later, his number.
From then on, Christopher started coming to the coffee shop every day. He’d order a
coffee, sit down, and quietly watch her hustle around the shop.
This went on for three months.
685
After three months, Christopher finally showed up with a bouquet of roses and confessed
his feelings.
Evelyn was ecstatic.
No one knew how much pressure she had been under during those three months. Every conversation she had with Christopher replayed in her head at night.
She analyzed her words over and over.
Were her responses right? Did she say too much? Too little?
She carefully planned her outfits every day, wondering if they fit his taste.
Did Christopher like her? Was he interested?
Every detail had to be perfect. Every interaction was a calculated move.
Her hard work paid off.
After more than a year of relentless effort, Christopher proposed.
It was a grand spectacle.
The proposal was broadcast live globally, with fireworks lighting up the night sky.
Christopher even named his company’s new jewelry line after her, announcing it to the
world.
