Anne Richardson held Ariya's hand, regret written all over her face.

"If only you were the one joining the Richardson family, with your talent and how perfectly you fit in with us."

Ariya gave a bashful smile. "Oh, Auntie, please don't say that."

"What did I say wrong?" Anne glanced at Colin and let out a sigh. "If it weren't for Tallulah saving Colin's life, he wouldn't have to marry her."

The way she said it so casually hit me like a slap in the face.

Back in college, Colin had been mugged, and I stepped in to shield him from a knife—ended up bedridden for three months. I never once thought of it as leverage to trap him. I trusted that we were naturally heading toward marriage. But to the Richardson family, it seemed like I was holding it over his head, leaving him no choice but to marry me.

I couldn't take it anymore. I pushed open the slightly ajar door.

Everyone turned to face the entrance. Colin's expression shifted just a little.

I looked at him, clinging to the faint hope that his answer would be different. "Colin, is that what you think too?"

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, a muscle tightening in his jaw. "After everything the attack did to your body... who else would want you? Who else would take care of you the way I do?"

"Tallulah, I'm marrying you out of responsibility."

Every word stabbed straight through my heart.

He tried to step closer, but I took a step back, tears slipping out despite the bitter smile on my face.

"I never forced you to marry me, and I sure as hell don't need you."

"Colin, I'm calling off this wedding!"

Ariya immediately stepped forward, reaching for my hand. "Tallulah, marriage isn't something to take lightly. Don't be impulsive..."

"Get lost!" I snapped, shaking her off. "Ariya, I thought you were my best friend. What am I to you? A fool?"

Ariya's face flushed red, her breathing turning heavy, triggering an asthma attack that made her collapse.

My mind went blank. By the time I snapped out of it, Ariya had already been rushed to the hospital.

After half an hour of emergency treatment in the ER, she was finally out of danger and slowly came to.

The first thing she said when she woke up was, "Tallulah, I'm sorry."

A sudden pang hit my chest.

Right then, memories I'd buried deep came flooding back. From my earliest recollections, we'd been inseparable, sharing everything.

In elementary school, she stayed after class with me when I was punished for unfinished homework.

In middle school, when her dad ran off with another woman, I took her home and held her till dawn.

During our sophomore year of high school, when her parents divorced and she moved with her mom to another city, I cried for two hours at the train station.

When she came back from studying abroad, I was too excited to sleep, dying to introduce her to Colin—I wanted my two most important people to meet.

I had no idea Colin and she had known each other long before I did, and it was all because of me that they reunited.

Ariya's eyelids fluttered, tears tracing down her face. "There are things I didn't say because I wanted to spare you the pain."

"But after facing death, I realize life is short. I can't lose Colin again..."

My voice came out eerily calm. "So, you admit you're the other woman?"

Her face went pale instantly, and I couldn't help but smirk.

"Ariya, have you forgotten how much you despised mistresses after your father's betrayal?"

Colin shot up from his seat, tension radiating off him.

"Tallulah Elliott, Ariya ended up in the hospital because of you, so show some respect!"

Just as I was about to fire back, Ariya suddenly cried out.

"Enough!"