Chapter 2
Tears suddenly fell from my eyes.
I fled the bar in desperation.
Outside, I gulped for fresh air, but no matter how hard I tried, oxygen wouldn’t enter my lungs.
Before coming here, I’d invented a thousand excuses for Aiden.
Maybe Raven was forced into marriage and he rescued her.
Maybe her reputation was ruined and he helped restore it.
Out of love, I refused to believe his betrayal.
But against the bloody truth, all these reasons seemed so hollow.
There was no excuse. He simply didn’t love me anymore.
That simple.
Tears mixed with rain washed down my face as I stood at the curb waiting for a taxi.
Behind me, employees excitedly gossiped.
“So that’s the secret wife Sinclair’s been hiding? Married five years, they say. She’s gorgeous-could be a celebrity. No wonder he keeps her hidden-afraid someone might steal her!”
‘You should’ve seen the setup in the VIP room today. Guess how much it cost?”
The guy held up five fingers.
‘Five thousand? Damn, that’s my yearly salary!”
‘Five hundred thousand, idiot! The ultra-rich don’t live like us peasants. Those diamonds decorating the room were air-shipped from South Africa. In en years working here, I’ve never seen a room sparkle like that! And that’s nothing compared to what he got his wife!”
ust as I was about to collapse, a taxi pulled up.
jumped in quickly, terrified that one more second would send me rushing back inside.
Dense, needle-like emotions pierced through my insides.
My heart felt like someone had carved out a chunk.
Even breathing hurt terribly.
As the car approached the university gates, I blurted out:
‘I’ll get out here.”
Then I walked through the rain across the campus field, ignoring the strange looks from people around me.
Someone recognized my face and called out excitedly:
“Isn’t that Miss Parker?”
“Who?”
“You don’t know her? Never been on the campus forums? Her love story with Aiden was legendary here. Childhood sweethearts who got into this
university together..
On their first day, he confessed his love in front of the entire school. Their romance was epic-I swear, no TV drama could compare.”
“Weird that he’s not with her though. Should we go ask? I heard they secretly got married. Maybe we could score some wedding candy.”
“Back off, can’t you see something’s wrong? Let’s go before we ruin her day.”
Their voices gradually faded away.
And endless bitterness flooded my chest.
Aiden was my neighbor’s older brother. We were truly childhood sweethearts.
From my earliest memories, he was always chasing after me.
As kids playing house, he’d fight off other children to make me his bride.
To make me happy, he once stole his mother’s family heirloom ring and gave it to me as a token of his love.
He promised that someday he’d use that ring to propose.
For eighteen years, we were inseparable.
After high school graduation, his family wanted to send him abroad.
He knelt in pouring rain for a day and night, refusing food and water in protest.
Finally, his family agreed to let him stay.
Ɔn university orientation day-my eighteenth birthday-he pulled off something incredible.
During the ceremony, he’d paid every student to hold up a banner.
Together they spelled out: “Aiden Sinclair and Zoey Parker, together forever, never apart.”
‘ll never forget how everyone’s faces lit up with admiration when drones spelled my name across the sky that day.
Beside me stood Aiden, holding my hand with that determined look in his eyes.
His passionate gaze burned so intensely that I instinctively kissed his cheek.
That moment kicked off four years of romance.
Our love story, posted on the university forums, remains pinned at the top to this day.
But after graduation, Aiden was still sent abroad.
Before leaving, he held me tight with teary eyes. We spent the night in a hotel bed, not doing anything physical.
let the longing in his gaze was so intense I could barely look at him.
He whispered in my ear:
‘Zoey, wait for me just two years. When I return, I’ll marry you.”
‘Don’t marry anyone else.”
As he closed his eyes, he missed the smile that crept across my lips from his sweet promise.
But right after he left, disaster struck my family.
In one night, I experienced bankruptcy and lost both parents.
Even freedom became a luxury I couldn’t afford.
For three years after being shipped overseas for marriage, I endured constant abuse.
I considered running away. Considered ending it all.
Just when I was about to give up, Aiden appeared.
With a billion dollar contract, my “husband” quickly agreed to let me go.
The divorce papers were signed in record time.
On the flight back home, I traced Aiden’s features over and over with my fingertips.
He hadn’t changed-still as handsome as before.
I thought happiness awaited me. That my suffering was finally over.
But when I stepped into his mansion, countless girl dolls filled my vision.
Then Raven stood before me in a sexy nightgown.
Aiden panicked.
“She’s my sister, adopted from an orphanage. I felt sorry for her and took care of her for two years.”
I didn’t miss the hurt in Raven’s eyes.
As a woman, I recognized her feelings for Aiden.
After my return, Raven was quickly moved out of the Sinclair home.
I thought she just had an unrequited crush on him.
But now I see the truth-I’m the extra person in this equation.
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.