“Wow, what a sweet couple!”

“Looks like they’ll be getting married soon. Hahaha, I’ll finally get a daughter-in-law!”

Her stepfather’s voice behind her woke Lucille from her daze. She quickly took a few more pictures of the highlight of the night.

River and Sophia soon parted. Sophia waved toward the third floor with a bashful smile. “Thanks for everything, Lucy! Let’s stop here!”

Lucille heaved a sigh of relief and brought her equipment downstairs, returning to her parents’ side.

Victoria was holding Sophia’s hand and smiling at her. “Dan and I encountered some delays along the way and ended up a little late. I hope you don’t mind, Sophia.”

“Of course I don’t! You came right on time. We haven’t distributed the cake yet.”

Dan patted his son’s shoulder with a proud smile. “I’m glad you found the love of your life, River. Since you gave Sophia that necklace, isn’t it time you invited her family over? We should start discussing your wedding.”

Sophia turned bright red, looking at River with love overflowing in her eyes. She then looked at Lucille. “I’m okay with anything, but I don’t have many friends here. I may ask Lucy to be my bridesmaid.”

Lucille was busy rubbing her sore hands, so she did not hear what Sophia said. It was only after Victoria nudged her and repeated the request that she understood.

She raised her head, her expression still calm and even. “Sorry, I may be busy from now on. I won’t be able to attend the wedding, but I wish you and my brother all the best. Welcome to the family, Sophia.”

Sophia, Victoria, and Dan’s smiles widened. On the other hand, River gave Lucille a dark look, his smile slowly fading.

Having completed her long and painful commission, Lucille went straight to her bathroom as soon as she got home. After washing up, she dragged her weary body to her bedroom.

The moment she opened her door, before she could even go in, a powerful pair of arms pinned her against the corridor wall. River rained kisses down her neck, still wet from the shower, leaving a trail of red marks in his wake.

His sudden assault almost caused Lucille to scream. She pressed her tongue to her throat, swallowing her cry as she tried to dodge his kisses.

The more she tried to evade him, however, the harder he kissed her. In the end, he even grabbed her chin.

She struggled desperately, the terror in her eyes deepening with the footsteps coming up the stairs. “You’re crazy!”

River scoffed, his eyes bloodshot as he whispered into her ear. “Yeah, I’m crazy. Go on, why don’t you scream? Show everyone our relationship. Show them how you melt under your stepbrother’s kisses.”

The footsteps stopped and then headed back down the stairs. Lucille’s heart finally settled back in her chest.

She used all her strength to push away his arm pinning her to the wall and ducked away from him, her voice still trembling with fear. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

River followed her with his dark gaze. “I should be asking you that. ‘Welcome to the family?’ What the hell was up with that?”

Lucille paused. She did not get it. He only approached her to get revenge, so why was he bothered by something so trivial?

“What’s wrong with me saying that? You two are getting married, aren’t you? You even kissed in front of me!”

“Lucille Shaw! I told you, we’re just acting! I only kissed Sophia because I saw our parents!” He seemed to be actually angry now, his tone brash and harsh.

Lucille could not tell if he was just pretending. Even so, she instinctively believed he was still acting, so she nodded. “Yes, I know. You’re an amazing actor!”

So when was this show going to end? He had already broken her heart. Wasn’t that enough?

Lucille did not say the rest out loud. She just blinked, the tears she had been holding back spilling forth.

She was too tired to continue this charade with him anymore. Why wouldn’t he let her go?

Her words and sudden tears caused River to panic. In the four years they had been together, he had never seen Lucille look so helpless and upset.

No matter what happened before this, she would only ever smile brightly at him — because she never wanted him to think she was losing faith in their love.

He did not know what exactly had happened, but he still hugged her on instinct. “I’m sorry, sweetie. Don’t cry, I shouldn’t have done that. I only lost control because you welcomed her into the family.”

After that, he tried to kiss her again. He was even gentler than usual, but Lucille pushed him away again.

“Period.”

“Even after so long?”

“Yes, probably because I had a fever that day.”

Worry flashed through River’s eyes when he remembered how weak she was during her fever. He stopped pressuring her, instead carrying her into her room tenderly. He turned off the lights and hugged her in bed.

Lucille was too tired to keep her eyes open. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

River stared dazedly at her peaceful sleeping face under the night lights. A bunch of messy memories ran through his head. It was only at three in the morning that he finally brushed a tender kiss on her forehead and drifted off to sleep.

The curtains were not drawn. The morning sunlight woke River up.

Lucille was still fall asleep next to him. She turned slightly, and his numb arm began to feel sore.

River opened his eyes and saw that the clock showed nine in the morning. He was stunned.

Why didn’t his biological clock wake him this time? The family always had breakfast at this hour, so he quickly leaped out of bed.

He opened the door, planning to creep back to his room. However, he had barely taken a few steps before Victoria appeared at the stairs. She froze when she saw him coming out of her daughter’s room in his pajamas.

“River?!”

River could not help but look at his messy clothes. His heart was about to leap out of his chest.

Victoria was starting to put two and two together. Her expression turned stern. “River, why were you coming out of Lucy’s room?!”

River had just woken up, and his brain was malfunctioning. Just as he was at a loss on how to explain, the door suddenly opened behind him.

Lucille appeared, properly dressed. She looked at the two of them calmly. “Morning, Mom. Thanks for waking me up for breakfast, River.”

So it was all a misunderstanding. Victoria’s heart settled back in her chest, and she waved at her children. “Well, hurry up and come down for breakfast.”

“Okay.” Lucille quickly walked to her mother’s side and held Victoria’s hand as they went down the stairs. After that, though, she froze.

Sophia was sitting at the table, waving at her with a smile. “Hi, Lucy! I’m here to discuss the wedding with River. I hope you don’t mind.”

Victoria replied with a smile before Lucille could say anything. “What are you talking about, Sophia? Lucille is River’s sister, and you’re his girlfriend. Why should she mind when you’re discussing your wedding?”

She then gave Lucille a look.

Lucille understood. From now on, she was just his sister. Why should she mind?

She sat at the dining table and listened as Sophia bugged River about their wedding.

“River, how about a garden wedding? Or should we get married at the beach? Do you want a diamond ring, or do you like any other gems…?”

Lucille focused fully on her breakfast. She did not look up, nor did she pay attention to River’s replies.

She was about to leave after breakfast when she suddenly received a text on her phone. It came with a twenty thousand dollar transfer from Sophia.

Lucille looked up just in time to see Sophia’s provocative smirk. The text that came with the transfer read, [I really like the pictures you took yesterday, especially the one of the kiss! I’ll send them to River. I’m sure he’ll appreciate your handiwork!]

Lucille simply replied, [Received with thanks.]

She then clicked on her bank app. When she saw the three hundred thousand dollars in her account, she chuckled softly to herself.

While the rest of the family was still engrossed in their discussion, Lucille went upstairs, got changed, and then called a cab outside.

She had invited her besties out for a farewell luncheon. If she did not leave soon, she would be late.

In the end, Lucille arrived at the cafe at exactly twelve o’clock. Her besties crowded around her, looking lonely.

“Are you really going abroad, Lucy? For how long? Will you come back?”

“Yeah, I’ll be studying for three years. After that I plan to find a job in London and stay there, so I probably won’t be coming back.”

The other three girls were surprised. “Then what about your brother? He’ll stay here while you’ll move to London? Weren’t you planning to get married?”

She had told them all about their relationship. It was too big a secret to keep to herself, so she confided in her most trusted friends.

In response to their question, she just pursed her lips and said, “I’ve given up on him. I don’t like him anymore.”

She made it sound easy, but her friends knew how much she had struggled internally over the years. Although they did not know why she changed her mind so suddenly, they were still all on her side.

“Good, I’m glad you broke up! Now you don’t have to worry about breaking your mother’s heart if she finds out.”

“Yeah, and there are plenty of hot guys in England! You’re sure to find someone. You know, I’ve never been there before, so you gotta film a lot of videos when you get there. I want to feed pigeons in Trafalgar Square too!”

Their lively chatter gradually put a smile on Lucille’s face.

Yeah, she was starting a new phase of her life very soon. Why should she keep worrying over this dark part of her past?

River did not come home for the next few days, and Lucille did not care where he went.

She spent the rest of her time before her departure with her mother. They went shopping, took photos, and ate the food filled with her childhood memories. Victoria gave her a lot of advice about living alone.

Time ticked by peacefully. Five days before her flight, Victoria went outstation with Dan.

Just then, Lucille received a call from her paternal aunt, saying that her father’s cemetery was being regazetted for government use. As his next of kin, she and Victoria should take care of it.

Dan’s family had not been too happy with Victoria since they got married. Lucille did not want to cause her mother any more trouble with the in-laws, so she planned to handle everything on her own.

She quickly made some calls and bought an excellent plot in another cemetery. As she was heading out to collect the ashes, however, she bumped into River at the doorway. She had not seen him for a long time.

When she explained where she was going, he frowned and squeezed her hand. “Do you think of me as your boyfriend or not? Your father is mine, too. Why didn’t you ask me to help you with something this important?

“Get into the car. I’ll go with you!”

Lucille looked at his solemn expression. She really could not tell if his feelings for her were still an act.