After finishing the hospital administration, I hailed a taxi and left Lewis behind, who seemed more preoccupied with his Kate than with me.

My destination was Tobias’ office.

As soon as I arrived, I burst through the door and shouted, “Tell our parents I accept the arranged marriage!”

Tobias looked up from his desk, startled, his confusion quickly turning to alarm as he noticed my arm wrapped in gauze. “Are you… did you try to hurt yourself by cutting your wrist?”

He rushed toward me, gripping my arm and inspecting the gauze with panic in his eyes.

“Of course not,” I snapped. “It’s just a burn. Don’t change the subject, call our parents and tell them I’m ready to go home and get married.”

“You’re serious?” he asked, his tone incredulous. “But what about Lewis?”

I forced a smile, even as bitterness clawed at my throat. “I’ve figured it out. Mom and Dad want me to get married anyway, so does it matter to whom? Besides, I trust their judgment. They’ve probably already vetted the candidate thoroughly.”

Tobias hesitated before speaking. “Do you want to meet him first? Maybe date him a little before getting married?”

“No need,” I replied firmly. “The sooner, the better. Set the date for a month from now.”

Still cautious, Tobias nodded. “Got it.” He gestured to the couch. “Sit for a bit. I’ll let them know. After all, you’ve been out of the house for two years.”

“Do you think they’ll forgive me?” I asked quietly, realizing just how much time had passed since I left home.

Tobias shrugged. “Not only will they forgive you, but they’ll probably celebrate. This marriage strengthens ties with the Livingston family, it’s a big deal.”

I sighed. “I always knew this was about business, but hearing it spelled out still stings.”

Tobias offered a faint smile. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

After wrapping up his work, Tobias drove me back to the Scott Manor.

The moment I stepped through the door, my mother enveloped me in a tight hug.

“Oh, my sweetheart, you’ve finally come home,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

My father, ever stern, simply said, “Let’s have lunch and discuss everything.”

Despite my initial apprehension, the discussion went smoother than I expected.

As Tobias had predicted, my parents were thrilled. They immediately began planning to take me to a banquet to introduce me formally to the other businesses family and of course the Livingston family.

By the time lunch ended, I was exhausted from the endless conversations about arrangements, expectations, and schedules.

I retreated to my old bedroom. It was still untouched since I left, so its princess-like decor feeling strangely foreign at that moment.

It was not long before my phone rang. Seeing Lewis’ name on the screen, I hesitated before answering.

“Have you come home?” he asked.

“Hm.”

“I’m sorry, Grace,” he began. “I planned to come back for you right after taking Katrina home, but her stomach started acting up, so….”

Before he could finish, a waitress’ voice came through the background. “Sir, your dishes are all served. Please enjoy your meal!”

Though Lewis quickly muffled the receiver, it was too late, I had already heard everything.

“It’s fine. I’m an adult now; I can manage myself,” I replied, both to reassure him and myself.

“Grace, I’ll come to the penthouse,” he said hurriedly. “I’ll explain everything later.”

Explain what? More excuses? More lies?

I ended the call without a word, muttering to myself, “Unfortunately, I’m not in the penthouse anymore.”

Later that evening, I called Tobias, who had returned to the penthouse. “Did Lewis come looking for me?”

“Nope. It’s just me and my freedom now that you’re gone,” he joked.

“Great,” I replied, laughing weakly. “You can finally bring back all your usual women.”

“Ha, very funny,” Tobias shot back, but I hung up before he could nag me further.

Feeling restless, I stepped onto the balcony and scrolled through Instagram.

My heart sank when I came across a new post featuring Katrina and Lewis.

It was a photo of a beautiful bouquet with a man’s silhouette behind it. Though his face was not visible, I recognized Lewis immediately.

What enraged me more was the caption, [After fifteen years, I return to you. And here, the flower blooms, a welcome in all its glory.]

Disgusted, I shut my phone and forced myself to focus on my college assignments.

The next day, fate dealt me another cruel hand. As I excused myself during lunch with my college friends, I bumped into Katrina on my way to the restroom.

She greeted me with a warm smile, her voice syrupy sweet. “Didn’t expect to see you here, little sister. Lewis and I just came from the playground where we used to play as kids.

“But then we got hungry, so I stopped by this restaurant near his campus.”

Her words, though innocent on the surface, dripped with an undercurrent of triumph. Fate was not just cruel, it was merciless.

I gave her a polite smile and was about to leave, not considering our relationship close enough for small talk.

But she did not seem to feel the same. Just as I turned to go, her voice stopped me again.

“Anyway, you go to Lewis’s campus too, huh? But have you guys ever eaten together there?”

The word also made me pause.

The truth was, we never had. Lewis had always avoided it.

He once said that eating together on campus might risk running into his old friends, which could complicate our relationship.

So instead, we would always eat at restaurants far away.

Even then, I remembered the day we accidentally ran into Lewis’s friends at an arcade.

He had waved it off, telling them he was just accompanying his friend’s younger sister to win a prize from the claw machine.

That moment had stung deeply, but I had tried to understand. I thought perhaps it was just a way to keep our private relationship safe.

But then, as I stood there with Katrina, the truth burned painfully in my chest. He did not care about the secrecy itself; he was embarrassed about me.

Because when it came to Katrina, there were no excuses, no evasions, and certainly no concern about being seen together.

He was not even afraid of being caught by me. He did not care.

I clenched my fists, forcing my emotions back down, the memories swirling like a storm in my mind.

Katrina’s knowing smile lingered, as though she could see right through me, but I refused to let her have the satisfaction.

“No, we haven’t,” I finally said, my tone flat. “He’s always preferred going somewhere quieter.”

Her smile widened, as if that response confirmed something for her. “Ah, I see.”

Seeing no reason to stay any longer, I was about to leave when Katrina’s next words froze me in my tracks.

“Anyway, I’m so happy today. I got to remember my childhood with Lewis. We even talked about the promise we made at that playground.”

I did not want to see her smug face again, but for some reason, I could not bring myself to walk away.

Curiosity tugged at me, compelling me to hear the rest of her story.

Katrina did not hesitate, her voice filled with pride as she recounted the tale.

She spoke of a time when her parents were divorcing, and her mother decided to move back to Canada, taking her along.

Katrina had been devastated, especially at the thought of leaving her friends and the life she had known in New York.

As a 10-year-old, she ran away from home, crying in the playground where she and Lewis often played.

That was where Lewis found her, wiping her tears and asking her what was wrong.

“And then,” Katrina said with a gleam in her eyes, “he promised me that when I turned 25, he would come for me, bring me back to New York, and marry me.”

Her voice softened as she added, “So, when Lewis came to pick me up at the airport, I knew he had kept his promise.”

Her words hit like a punch to the gut.

It was not just a fleeting crush or a passing connection. Katrina was the girl Lewis had promised his heart to, years before I ever came into the picture.

In that moment, I realized the truth. Katrina had always been in Lewis’s heart, and I was merely an interlude.

Feeling utterly humiliated, I mustered all the composure I could and said briefly, “Congratulations.”

Without waiting for a reply, I walked past her, each step heavier than the last.

But as I neared my table, a voice rang out behind me.

“Why did you push Katrina? You knew she had a twisted ankle!”

I turned, startled, to see Lewis storming toward me. His face was a mix of anger and disbelief.

“Grace, I told you I’d explain everything later. Why did you have to handle it so harshly?”

It was the first time he had ever yelled at me, and it felt like a slap across the face.

As I stared at him in disbelief, Lewis showed no sign of guilt or hesitation, just pure fury.

In the distance, Katrina hobbled toward us, her shirt rumpled and stained with water and dirt. It seemed that she fell to the ground with a dramatic thud.

I could not help but feel bewildered.

I had not bumped into her at all. How had she ended up on the floor?

Did she slip? Or had she done it on purpose?

Before I could process the scene, Lewis rushed to her side, his protective instincts kicking in instantly.

Katrina, with tears glistening in her eyes, shook her head softly. “It’s not a big deal; she didn’t do it on purpose. Don’t be so hard on her,” she said, her voice trembling with faux kindness.

Then she added pointedly, “If her brother finds out you yelled at his sister, it might hurt the bond between you two.”

The mention of Tobias brought a strange expression to Lewis’s face, hesitation, as if he were weighing something unspoken.

But why would Lewis mind it?

As far as I knew, Tobias and Lewis had drifted apart since I began dating Lewis. He should not have anything to fear anymore, right?

However, Lewis’s resolve returned as he helped Katrina.

“Her brother entrusted her to me,” he said firmly, “so it’s my duty to correct her when she’s in the wrong.”

My breath caught.

It was not just that he considered me his little sister. It was worse than that.

He acted like he was my caretaker, and I was some disobedient child needing constant correction.

I could not hold back anymore.

I laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and cold. “What exactly did I do wrong, Lewis? Even in court, you need solid evidence to convict someone.

“Haven’t you thought about how unfair it is to judge me and even yell at me without understanding the truth?”

Lewis’ fists clenched as he glared at me. “You knew there were no cameras in the restroom, so I’m sure you did it on purpose, right?”

His baseless accusation stunned me. The injustice of it all left me somewhere between laughter and tears.

“If there were no cameras,” I countered, “then how can you be sure it was me?”

For the first time, Lewis hesitated. My question momentarily broke through his anger, but it was not enough.

“Are you now saying that Katrina wrongfully accused you?” he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. “I didn’t know you were like this. I thought you were a good kid.”

I refused to let his words cut deeper. “And what if she lies?” I asked evenly.

“She won’t,” he snapped. “I’ve known her. She’s not the kind of person who lies.”

His confidence in her stung more than I thought possible.

Katrina had been gone for fifteen years, while I had been with him for the last seven. But in his eyes, her word was gold, while mine was nothing.

In front of Katrina, even seven years of loyalty meant nothing.

One word from her had been enough to convict him, leaving me defenseless.

It was blatant favoritism, a glaring display of partiality.

And I, in the end, was nothing more than a stand-in, a placeholder with nothing to offer.

"Lewis, we're done.” I looked up into his eyes and spoke with great determination.

I turned to my campus friends, who had watched the whole scene with wide eyes. “Sorry, guys. I’m heading home. Enjoy your lunch.”

Gathering my things, I did not bother looking back at Lewis.

“Grace, wait!”Lewis’s voice thundered behind me, but I ignored it.

There was no point in staying. No point in arguing with a man who had already decided my worth.

As I returned to the Manor, I headed straight to my bedroom, ignoring the curious gazes of the staff.

The last time they had seen me was two years ago, pushing my suitcase out the door in defiance.

I could not accept being matched with a man I did not know, even if it was for the sake of the family business.

It had felt deeply unfair. Why couldn’t I choose my own partner?

If the goal was to advance the family’s status, I could have found someone suitable on my own terms, not under pressure.

At 18, I decided to leave. I wanted to prove I could live independently without their help.

For a while, it seemed like my parents respected my decision, especially since I was living with Tobias. Their concern for me seemed to fade.

But then, at 20, the pressure had returned with full force.

My parents had become more insistent, and Tobias, who once stayed neutral, had begun dropping hints about the man they wanted me to marry.

From what I knew, he was Tobias’ business partner and about his age. Still, the thought of marrying a stranger was unbearable, so I tried to avoid it at all costs.

I thought marrying Lewis would be my way out, my happy ending. But instead, it had brought me more pain than I ever imagined.

The pain was far worse than marrying someone I did not love.

I laid on my bed, tears streaming down my face, when I heard a gentle knock on the door.

“Can I come in, sweetheart?” my mother’s soft voice called.

Even though I resented her for siding with my father about the arranged marriage, she had always been my comfort zone.

So, I opened the door and stepped aside to let her in, quickly wiping my tears with a tissue.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

She sat beside me and wrapped me in a warm hug, gently patting my shoulder. “It should be me asking you that. What’s wrong, my love?”

For a moment, I felt like a child again, safe in her embrace. I stayed silent, unwilling to share the storm inside me.

Sensing my hesitation, she asked again, “Are you sad about having to marry someone who isn’t your choice?”

Her words brought fresh tears to my eyes. She hugged me tighter, her worry evident.

“Oh, my princess, I didn’t think this would hurt you so much. We waited for two years, hoping you’d accept it on your own terms. When we heard you finally agreed, I thought you were ready.”

I shook my head quickly. “No, Mom. I’m not crying because of that. It’s my college assignments, they’re so difficult.”

I forced a smile and added, “As for the marriage, I want it. I really want it. I trust you and Dad have chosen the best for me, right?”

Her face lit up with relief. “Of course! And if college is too much, you can take a break before the wedding. No one will blame you.”

“Thanks, Mom. But no. I’d feel weak if I gave up now. I need to face it and become stronger.”

“That’s my girl,” she said proudly, convinced my only problem was schoolwork.

To lift my spirits, she suggested, “How about we go shopping and try on dresses for the banquet tonight? It’s been forever since we had a girls’ day out.”

I forced another smile to please her. “Sure. It used to be our favorite thing. Let’s go.”

She insisted on driving her pink Porsche, claiming she missed being behind the wheel. She even joked about letting me drive her home later, just to relive old times.

We indulged ourselves at the shops, buying more than we needed, both her recommendations and items I picked for myself.

During the fitting, the designer raised her eyebrows at how much my size had changed. “It’s been two years, hasn’t it? Looks like I’ll have to adjust quite a few things.”

I laughed lightly. “Well, my chest grew bigger this time.”

Her comment set off laughter in the room, lightening the mood.

When we got back home, the stylists had already arrived to help us get ready. Tobias had also returned and was trying on his suit.

Seeing me, he grinned and teased, “Looks like someone’s back to being Graciela, the shopaholic.”

“Of course,” I shot back, smirking. “I got my AmEx back.”

Tobias lightly hit me on the head.

I turned to my mom, feigning indignation. “Mom, did you see what he just did?”

She just shook her head with a small smile. She was used to the bickering between Tobias and me, our playful rivalry as constant as ever.

After finishing getting ready, I decided I should say something to Lewis.

Since this banquet would mark the final night I considered him my boyfriend. After that night, we would be strangers.

I called him, but every time I dialed, he rejected the call.

After a while, a message appeared on my screen.

[Lewis: If you haven’t realized your mistake and aren’t genuinely ready to apologize to Katrina, then I don’t think there’s any reason for us to speak.]

I smiled bitterly. If that was how he saw me, I did not care anymore.

For a moment, I considered blocking his number, but I decided it was not worth the effort. Instead, I slipped my phone into my purse and left for the banquet.

The room buzzed with laughter, chatter, and clinking glasses.

Familiar faces filled the space, family friends, business associates, and their children.

Some of the younger guests were strangers to me, clearly there to be paraded as potential matches.

It was not just a banquet. It was a matchmaking spectacle.

Bored and suffocated, I stepped out onto the balcony, seeking refuge in the cool night air.

To distract myself, I opened my phone and scrolled through Instagram. But Lewis’s friend’s story caught my attention.

Against my better judgment, I watched it.

There they were, Lewis and Katrina. Still together.

Curiosity gnawed at me until I opened Katrina’s profile. My stomach churned as I saw her stories. It was all Lewis.

From the Lewis who was picking her up at the airport, then to Lewis who was at the welcoming party with her.

There was also Lewis who was accompanying her in the hospital. Then, the Lewis who was helping her after her supposed fall.

The final blow was a photo of them doing a love shot, followed by another of them kissing passionately.

I slammed my phone shut, my blood boiling.

At that moment, a waiter passed by with a tray of wine. Without thinking, I grabbed a glass and downed it in one go.

Still furious, I gestured to the waiter before he left. “Wait. I’ll take the whole tray. And please bring me more.”

He hesitated at first and his shock was evident, but then he nodded. “Of course, Miss.”

I finished the first tray in minutes, the wine barely dulling the ache in my chest.

“I’ll be happy,” I muttered to myself, my voice growing louder with each word. “After I get married, I’ll forget Lewis.”

I thought I was only thinking about it, but the words spilled out, my voice carrying into the night.

Before I could yell further, a man appeared, quickly covering my mouth.

“Don’t shout. You’ll become the center of attention,” he said, his tone firm.

I pushed his hand away, glaring at him. “It’s my life. You have no right to interfere.”

“Well,” he replied, his voice calm but teasing, “your life is my life too.”

I scoffed. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Just then, the waiter returned with another tray of wine. Before I could grab a glass, the man stopped me.

“Take it back. This lady is already very drunk,” he instructed.

The waiter nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“How dare you snatch my wine!” I fumed. “If you want some, get your own.”

He shook his head, smirking as he tapped my forehead lightly. “You’re such a baddy.”

“I am not bad!” I snapped, the alcohol loosening my tongue. “If I were bad, I would’ve kissed you already.”

Before I could second-guess myself, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.

What shocked me even more was that he kissed me back.