My mom fell ill from the shock, and though my dad was furious, he had to swallow his pride and go to the Gibson family to apologize. After all, if the wealthiest family in the city turned against us, my dad would not be able to handle it.

Zac was devastated by the breakup and spiraled into drinking. Within a month, he was hospitalized twice for stomach bleeding.

Sally was in tears every day, and Tom angrily berated him for being so weak, saying no woman was worth ruining his life over.

Feeling indebted to the Gibson family, my parents decided that I should marry Zac. Zac’s parents eagerly agreed, as I had just begun to make a name for myself in the company. And since their son was not stepping up, they saw me as someone who could help keep Gibson Corporation afloat in the future.

The only person who did not agree was Zac. He came to my house drunk, pointed at me, and yelled, "Quinn, don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Even if Eve’s gone, you’ll never marry me. The title of Mrs. Gibson belongs to Eve and no one else.

"Compared to Eve, you’re nothing. She’s out of your league. I’ll never love someone like you, always chasing after money and power.

I swallowed the pain and looked at him calmly. "Zac, you’re drunk."

Tom had him escorted out and personally took me out to dinner to apologize. He assured me, "Quinn, don’t worry. Sally and I only see you as our daughter-in-law."

In the end, Zac could not defy his parents. After running away from home, staging hunger strikes, and every other form of protest, he finally gave in.

Two years later, he stood with me at the altar.

Eve sent him a congratulatory message, but over the phone, she could not hide her scorn toward me.

If she did not want me to marry Zac, why did she leave him and run off to another country in the first place?

Drunk on our wedding night, Zac gazed at me with what looked like affection and pulled me into his arms. His chest was burning hot as if he might melt me into him.

This man, who I had never dared to dream of, was finally mine, and it felt like a dream.

But when he laid on top of me, calling out Eve’s name, I wished it really were just a dream.

……

After the wedding, Tom arranged for me to be the general manager at Gibson Corporation.

As for Zac, he continued partying and hanging out with his spoiled friends. He said since he had already done his part by marrying someone capable, he did not need to bother working at Gibson Corporation anymore.

Tom transferred the shares that had been meant for Eve to me. However, I always felt like I had stolen something that was not mine, so I worked even harder to create success for the company.

While Zac was racing cars in the mountains, I was stuck in the office, working late.

While Zac raised his glass to drink with his friends, I was flying all over the country negotiating deals.

While Zac stared at photos of Eve, his eyes red with longing, I was being forced to drink until I threw up at client dinners.

I pushed myself so hard that I gave myself this stomach illness.

Tom once said, "Quinn, you’re a woman. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. The company doesn’t need you to kill yourself working. We didn’t bring you into this family to work yourself to death."

Sally would hold my hand and say, "Quinn, no matter how capable a woman is, the most important thing is to keep her husband close and to have children."

I wanted to build a life with Zac, maybe even have a child with him. But he never gave me the chance. If he came home twice in ten days, it was considered a good week.

And even when he did come home, we slept in separate rooms. On the rare occasions we were together, he made sure to take every precaution.

He said only Eve was worthy of having his children. I could not help but mock him, "Too bad Eve only wants to have kids with a foreigner."