She seemed surprised that I was home.

Vernon looked at me with red-rimmed eyes. “Mr. Houde, I’m really sorry that I disrupted your wedding. Bridget was accompanying me, and we left with my child. The main reason I rushed back was to apologize to you. Please don’t get mad.”

I held the luggage tightly.

“That really puts you in a tough spot. You took her away, yet you came back home to apologize to me.”

Vernon’s face instantly went pale. He looked at Bridget, and he was somewhat at a loss for words.

Her expression hardened for a moment, and her voice was low.

“Hubert Houde, don’t be so rude. If you are angry about anything, you can come after me. I’m the one who left you at the wedding. I’m the one who betrayed you. It has nothing to do with Vernon.

“It’s hard for him to take care of a child as a father. His body is weak, and he can’t handle the pressure from gossip even more. So, watch what you say.” So, she knew how to feel empathy for others.

It suddenly felt as if someone had split my heart open, and an endless stream of cold wind poured in.

Since planning the marriage, I thought that we were both preparing for the wedding, even if she only gave me support and some empty words of concern.

However, the reality was that I was the only one preparing for the wedding. From setting up the venue, to arranging the programs, to coordinating the staff, I had to do everything myself.

Until the day of the wedding, I was afraid that our friends and family would wait for too long. Despite feeling ill, I had been running around.

However, she did not seem to care if I was uncomfortable or tired.

It would be rather humiliating to be abandoned at a wedding and have to face it alone.

“Aren’t you going to ask me how to handle the part after this?”

Bridget took it all for granted. “You weren’t born yesterday, and you aren’t a pampered young heir like Vernon either. You’re a veteran in the workplace. I know you can handle something like this.”

“Bridget, don’t be so mean. Be nice to him.” Vernon opened his mouth to persuade her. Then, he looked straight at me with pity.

“I’m sorry. You know very well that Bridget’s usually quite gentle. It’s just that when things involve me, she gets anxious and a bit unsympathetic.”

Honestly, in my eyes, Bridget had always been cold and aloof. There was nothing about her that was gentle.

Back in college, she had decisively called the police when a few punks surrounded me. That was the only time I remembered her showing gentleness.

That one time was enough to make me fall for her, and I was completely mesmerized. Then, like a pathetic fool, I chased after her all day and night for a long time.

I firmly believe that my genuine love would eventually get to her.

After I returned from that business trip out of town, with the company about to go public, she unexpectedly proposed to me. She said that she would not waste the six years of hardships that I had been through with her and wanted to fulfil my wish.

At that moment, I thought I had finally reached the calm after the storm and that even mountains had moved for me.

Who would have thought that she was not at all an unapproachable ice queen? She had long been a gentle and loving wife to someone else.

I smiled mockingly to myself. My heart was a whole trail of mixed feelings. I had no idea what I was holding on to for the past six years.

Just then, Vernon stepped forth. “I have a child with Bridget. Love has never been about who came first. It’s about sincerity, and only with true devotion can it last. Now that we are at this point, I hope you can step back and return her to me. Will you?

“My child can’t be without a mom.”

Right then, it was as if I had become the one who had swooped in and stolen someone else’s partner.

Bridget held her child tightly. “You don’t have to apologize. All the responsibility lies with me.”

She looked at me with guilt, but there was more ruthlessness in her eyes.

“Hubert, I proposed to you on impulse. I owed you too much after all. I wanted to make it up to you with marriage. I thought I could settle with you. I thought that if I gave him a child, my marriage would be fairer to you. But the truth is that as soon as Vernon appeared, I knew that I didn’t want anyone but him.”

Vernon looked at her affectionately with unshed tears.

At this moment, my heart broke completely and shattered into a million pieces.

I laughed. “Is this your first day knowing me? We’ve known each other for ten years, and we’ve been in love for six years. Only now do you feel like you’re settling?”

As soon as the company was poised to go public, she was ready to ditch me.

However, she did not know that her company was secretly backed by the Houde family’s wealth, which I had mobilized.

Furthermore, I had spent a lot of effort in obtaining contracts for her.

I wanted to see how her company would function without me!

So, I unfurled my clenched fists and held back the tears that I could barely control as I looked at her. “Fine. Let’s cancel the wedding as you wish.”

Bridget laughed in exasperation. There was no remorse on her beautiful face.

“You said it yourself, so don’t overstay your welcome. Get out of my house now.”

Vernon pretended to look at me sympathetically. “Bridget, it’s snowing heavily outside. Where can he go if you kick him out?”

Bridget hugged the baby and looked at him as she spoke softly. “Sure, he’s an orphan. If someone hadn’t taken pity on him and sponsored him, there’s no telling where he would be begging by now. But that’s no reason for him to yell at me and mess with me.

“We weren’t right for each other in the first place. For so many years, I accommodated him as a poor man. If I hadn’t lowered my standards, he wouldn’t have even gotten a chance to get close to me.”

Yes. I had known Bridget for ten years. Before the Houde family found and brought me home, I had been an orphan who had been tossed around from family to family for adoption.

However, I never mentioned the matter of being adopted to her. I wanted to tell her everything after we got married.

I did not realize that she would not give me a chance.

For so many years, I was nothing in her eyes.

Vernon looked at me apologetically, but he did not give in and said, “Find a nicer hotel and rest well. No matter how much Bridget hates you, I still feel that I owe you.

“Bridget and I are going to get married in a month. Would you come and give us your good wishes? I would appreciate it, especially from you.”

He was blatantly humiliating me.

“Really? Congratulations to you, then. You’re finally official.”

“He can come if he wants to, Vernon. You don’t have to be so humble.”

Bridget felt sorry for him because he was humbling himself in front of me. Then, she glanced at me coldly. “Hubert, you’re too poor. I’m out of your league, so don’t waste your time on me.”

She seemed afraid that I might cling to her.

My heart had already died the moment she left the wedding.

Bridget appeared all high and mighty as she looked at me.

“You’ve been with me for six years, so I don’t want to make things too ugly between us. I’ll give you 10,000 dollars as a breakup fee for those six years.

“You’ll never marry a woman as good as me. Just pack up and get out. Don’t let me see you again for the rest of my life. Don’t ruin my happiness with Vernon.

“Those of us who are rich don’t like to get too caught up with people who reek of poverty. Don’t you dare tell anyone that I’m your ex-girlfriend. Don’t tarnish my reputation.”

I was kicked out as I dragged my luggage. The cold wind pierced my bones and sobered me beyond belief.

At that moment, a sleek, black luxury car suddenly stopped before me.

A beautiful, slender woman then got out and walked briskly toward me.

She was holding a black umbrella. When I looked at her, my eyes instantly teared up, and I shouted, “Lucia!”

This woman was the Houde family’s adopted daughter, my sister.

Her striking face tensed before she placed a black trench coat over my body. Then, she raised her hand and wiped away my tears.

While she appeared gloomy, her voice was gentle.

“Don’t be sad. It’s just a lousy woman. Just focus on going home and inheriting the company. I’ll make her kneel and beg for your forgiveness.”