Chapter 2

My phone rang.

Ethan sent me a message.

[Clara, did you go to the wedding home? The paint was just finished there, and the smell is strong, so don’t stay too long.]

[I’ll come pick you up after I finish work later.]

I looked at those two fake, hypocritical lines of concern, and my fingertips turned cold.

I replied: [No need, I’m already back.]

He quickly sent back a kissing emoji.

[Good girl, after the wedding is over, I’ll spend proper time with you.]

I stared at that emoji and only felt sick.

I returned to the apartment where I lived and locked the door from the inside.

Ethan did not come back tonight.

At one in the morning, another record popped up in the lock’s backend system.

Ethan had entered the wedding home.

I looked at that record, and my hand shook so badly I could barely hold my phone.

Five minutes later, Mia updated her feed.

In the photo, two hands were folded together, and there was a faint scar on the back of the man’s hand.

That scar was from when Ethan had cut himself on broken glass while saving me.

Mia captioned it: [He said tomorrow will be exhausting, but tonight he still wants to stay with me.]

Tomorrow was the day our two families were supposed to meet before the wedding, and it was also the day Ethan’s parents had proposed adding his name to the property deed before the wedding.

I closed my eyes and suddenly calmed down completely.

At six in the evening, the two families met in a private room at a hotel.

My parents arrived early, and they were still carrying gifts prepared for Ethan’s parents.

My mom reminded me in a low voice, "Clara, marriage is a big deal, so if something feels wrong, say it, and don’t always endure everything alone."

My chest ached, and I forced a smile.

When the Carter family arrived, they made quite an entrance.

Ethan’s mother wore a dark red suit, and as soon as she came in, she grabbed my hand.

"Clara, we’re about to be family, so I’ll just speak plainly."

She said family with her mouth, but her eyes kept sweeping over my parents.

Before all the dishes had even arrived, she steered the topic to the apartment.

"You two have such a good relationship, and as parents, we’re happy to see it."

"It’s just that for this wedding home, it really isn’t proper to have only one person’s name on it."

My dad set down his coffee cup, and his tone was steady.

"The apartment is Clara’s premarital property, and she is paying the mortgage herself. We have no objection to Ethan living there with her after marriage, but there is no need to add his name."

Ethan’s mother’s expression darkened.

"That makes it sound like we’re outsiders."

"Ethan is going to spend his whole life with Clara, so isn’t it the same no matter whose name is on the apartment?"

My mom smiled faintly.

"If it’s all the same, then not adding it is the same too."

The private room went quiet for a moment.

Ethan quickly tried to smooth things over and held my hand.

"Mom, let’s not talk about this today."

Ethan’s mother glared at him in dissatisfaction and said, "Why not? The wedding is almost here, so if we don’t talk about it now, should we wait until there’s a fight later?"

Ethan’s father also spoke up: "Clara, I’m not trying to be petty. When a man gets married, he has to have some dignity. If the home you two live in later only has your name, outsiders will think Ethan is taking advantage of you."

Ethan said in a low voice, "Clara, I’m not after your apartment. It’s just that my parents do have a point. Don’t worry, after my name is added, I’ll pay the mortgage with you."

I looked at him.

"You’re currently paying your parents’ mortgage every month, plus a car loan and credit card bills. What are you going to use to pay it with me?"

Ethan’s face stiffened.

Ethan’s mother immediately frowned.

"Clara, that’s an ugly thing to say. If husband and wife calculate everything so clearly, how are they supposed to live together in the future?"

I gently pulled my hand back.

"I’m just asking for clarity."

Ethan looked at me, and there was a hint of displeasure in his eyes.

In the past, as long as he said a few soft words, I would give in and step down.

But today, I did not.

Ethan’s mother could not help raising her voice: "Our Ethan is so outstanding, and there are plenty of girls lining up outside who want to marry him. If he weren’t sentimental about the past, why would he have dragged it out until now before getting married?"

My mom’s expression changed.

I held her hand down and asked calmly, "Do those girls you’re talking about include Mia Reed?"