Chapter 2

My dad and I had lived together, relying only on each other, since I was a little girl. He had used his frail shoulders to build a life for us.

But in order to be with Julian, I had repeatedly argued with my dad, eventually leading to a massive falling out with my family.

My dad had begged me, his voice full of worry:

"Julian is not a good man."

"You won't be happy with him, Chloe."

I didn't listen. I fought him at every turn. Yet, my dad still spent his final days quietly setting up a trust fund and securing my future.

Back then, Julian and I were engaged, just waiting to set a wedding date.

But then, my dad suddenly collapsed and passed away.

I was left completely alone in this world.

Julian had promised me he would always be by my side.

But on the day of the funeral, he stood me up.

I called his phone over and over again. When my battery was down to its last two percent, Julian finally answered, his voice dripping with annoyance.

"There’s an emergency at the office. I have to fly out right now. We’ll talk when I land."

I held the phone, my mind completely blank, filled with disbelief.

Right before the call disconnected, Hailey’s giggling voice drifted through the receiver.

I knew I hadn't misheard.

Julian’s parents, who were at the funeral, sneered at me because their son hadn't shown up.

I had to swallow my grief and make excuses for him, only to be met with their harsh scolding:

"You can't even keep a hold of your own man. What good are you?"

"How are you supposed to handle being a part of the Carter family?"

Under the judging eyes of his parents, I dragged my hollow body through my father's funeral like a ghost.

Seeing me space out, Julian ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"It was an emergency. I tried explaining it to you back then, but you refused to listen."

"Why are you bringing this up again now?"

"A pre-wedding game, and you have to make it this disgusting. Do you have to ruin everyone's mood to be happy?"

"The wedding is tomorrow! What are you throwing a tantrum for?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll actually call off the wedding?"

My throat burned, and tears welled up in my eyes, but I forced them back.

"Then let's call it off."

Julian scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose in sheer annoyance.

"Chloe, you're doing this again. You're so dramatic."

"I already agreed to marry you. What more do you want?"

Hailey, sitting nearby, began playing with a ring on her slender finger. She playfully poked Julian’s cheek.

"Julian, don't be mad. Chloe is just being a typical emotional girl. You can't expect every girl to be as laid-back as me, right?"

The triumph in Hailey’s eyes was blinding.

She deliberately twisted the ring on her finger.

At a glance, I recognized it. It was the extremely rare pink diamond ring Julian had high-profilely bid on at a Sotheby's auction a few weeks ago, spending millions.

That pink diamond ring was my father's wedding gift to my mother.

Years ago, when the Miller family faced a financial crisis, the ring had been sold to the market.

Before he died, my dad’s biggest regret was that the ring’s owner refused to sell it back, meaning a piece of my mother could never come home.

Two weeks ago, when I saw the ring in an auction catalog, my eyes had welled with tears.

Julian had wrapped his arms around me, comforting me gently.

"Don't worry, Chloe. I'll buy it back and give it to you as our wedding present."

I had waited in pure anticipation. But now, it was sitting on the finger of a completely irrelevant woman.

I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my skin. My voice was trembling.

"Julian... you promised to buy that ring back for me. Did you buy it just to give it to Hailey?"

"Do you have any idea what that pink diamond means to me? It was my dad’s wedding gift to my mom! What right does she have to wear it?"