Hailey Lawrence listened, ice creeping into her veins with every syllable of Enzo Rainford’s voice. His crisp London accent was measured, careful, too careful. He was wary of eavesdroppers.

“Allison liked that diamond ring, so I gave it to her.”

“And the marriage certificate? I got one with Hailey, but it’s fake. Keep it quiet.”

His tone was as indifferent as ever, but each word slashed through Hailey like a knife, carving pieces out of her.

She had proposed to him ninety-nine times. She had clung to the hope of being his wife. Now, she was nothing more than his prisoner.

Enzo spoke with unnerving calm, while Jasmine Green, on the other end, was the opposite, agitated and furious.

“Enzo, can you act like a human being for once? She proposed ninety-nine times, and this is what you do to her?”

“You know her family has never cared about her. If even you throw her away, what does she have left?”

Jasmine’s voice wavered between anger and concern, punctuated by coughing. She was probably smoking again.

“Don’t push her too far,” she warned. “Wait until I get back. We’ll figure this out.”

Hailey stood outside the door, every syllable of that crisp London accent piercing through her like a blade.

Her fingers curled into fists, nails biting into her palms until warm blood pooled in the creases. She bit her lower lip hard enough for the metallic taste of iron to spread across her tongue, yet she swallowed her pain in silence.

Inside, Enzo hesitated briefly upon mentioning her name, then spoke with an almost amused indifference.

"Hailey is a generous girl. She wouldn’t lower herself to petty jealousy. Besides, what man doesn’t have someone on the side? The title of young mistress still belongs to her."

——

His tone was as lazy as his actions, hanging up the call as if the words he had just spoken were of no consequence.

Outside, Hailey’s tears slipped down, one after another. But she had long mastered the art of pretending.

Just then, a few coughs broke the silence before the door swung open. Enzo stood there, smiling at her as if nothing had happened.

"You're home early today. How about I make your favorite puppy-shaped cake?"

Hailey’s throat tightened. She forced herself to respond. "Hmm."

She watched as he moved through the kitchen, apron tied neatly, completely at ease, a faint smile lingering on his lips.

For a fleeting moment, she wondered if she had imagined it all.

But the pain in her palms told her otherwise.

She watched as he set the cake down in front of her, a soft glow from the candles flickering in his eyes. By coincidence, or perhaps irony, today was her birthday.

Enzo placed a birthday hat on her head, his excitement unmistakable.

"Hailey, make a wish."

Just as the words left his lips, a playful yet unfamiliar ringtone chimed through the air, cutting him off mid-sentence.

She had never heard it before.

Their marriage was still fresh, and their honeymoon phase had barely begun. Yet, even she had never been given such an honor, a custom ringtone meant for someone irreplaceable.

The moment the sound reached his ears, his entire body stiffened. Without a second thought, he muttered, "I'll take this call. You eat first."

Hailey sat frozen as he walked toward the balcony.

Then, his voice lowered. Soft, intimate. The warmth in his tone was undeniable, seeping into every syllable. His features, once unreadable, carried a gentleness she had never seen directed at herself.

Who was on the other end of that call?

When he finally returned, his expression hinted at apology, but his voice had already turned distant.

"I have something to take care of. Looks like you’ll have to celebrate your birthday alone."

He didn’t wait for a response.

"Hmm," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

The door shut behind him with a sharp click.

And then, despite herself, the tears began to fall.

She stared at the lone birthday cake before her, the soft candlelight flickering against the room's emptiness.

"Enzo, from this moment on, even after many years, we shall never meet again."

By the time she finished the last bite of cake, the clock had already struck eight. Pushing aside the hollowness in her chest, she forced herself to clean up, tackling each task methodically.

But just as she wiped the last dish, her fingers froze.

His social media profile had changed.

No longer the neutral, businesslike image he once kept, it was now a simple sketch of a puppy. Below his name was another girl’s profile, a matching picture of a puppy holding a heart.

They were the perfect pair. A blatant declaration of love.

Anyone who saw it would assume they were in the depths of a blissful honeymoon phase.

Yet, she had once asked him to set a couple’s profile picture with her, too.

His reply had been the same, over and over again: cutting, dismissive.

"Are you a three-year-old child? What would my clients think? I’m a CEO, not a street vendor! How immature."

And yet, here he was now, effortlessly giving someone else what she had once longed for.

Her grip tightened around her phone as she inhaled deeply, steadying her voice.

Then, she dialed.

"Didn’t you want to take me back? I’ll go with you."

Maddox Campbell’s voice came through the line, deep and slightly hoarse, laced with the lazy drawl of someone playing cards. The faint rustling of shuffling cards echoed in the background.

"Alright. Half a month later, we’re going back to Belmond."

His tone was relaxed, but his next words carried the familiar edge of reprimand.

"These past years, you’ve been spoiled rotten. Bad temper, never listen. Say two words to you, and you bolt. Just like a little girl with too much attitude."

Though he scolded, the faint smirk in his voice gave him away, he was amused.

It seemed he had just won a round. His mood was good.

"Hailey, in half a month, make sure to clean up all your mess here."

She nodded silently and ended the call.

For over a decade, she had been raised under Maddox’s roof, a foster child in name.

To the world, he was her older brother.

So, a few words of reprimand were nothing new.

Her gaze flickered to the clock: eleven at night.

She had planned to shower and head to bed.

But before she could move, the sound of the door opening sliced through the silence.

A delicate, lingering scent of perfume drifted in.

And along with it, a pair of matching couple’s outfits.

Enzo met Hailey’s gaze, his discomfort evident in the way his eyes flickered away.

After a brief pause, he finally spoke. "This is Allison, my friend."

Hailey let out a soft "Hmm," her reaction detached, almost absent.

But the truth lay in the details, the overpowering scent of perfume clinging to his clothes, the matching cartoon couple’s outfits that practically screamed intimacy.

The air between them was thick with something unspoken, something undeniable.

Allison lifted her hand, a dazzling diamond ring catching the light. Her eyes twinkled with amusement, but there was something sharp beneath the surface.

"Thank you so much for the ring, big brother! Do you think sister will be upset?"

Her tone was light, almost playful.

Yet the venom laced within was unmistakable.

Hailey’s gaze dropped to her own hand, where a ring sat, a cheap imitation.

She remembered the day Enzo had handed it to her, his words still painfully clear.

"The wedding ring might fall off easily. Just wear a fake one."

For half a month after their wedding, she had worn it without fail.

She never imagined the real one had already been given away to Allison.

Hailey swallowed the tightness in her throat, her voice quiet but steady.

"Come in."

Allison waltzed in as if she owned the place, settling onto the couch with practiced ease.

Then, with a bright, saccharine smile, she turned to Hailey.

"Sister, I was out with big brother today. You’re not mad, are you?"

Hailey’s expression remained unreadable as she replied flatly, "No."

What was there to be upset about? She would be leaving soon. None of this mattered anymore.

Allison’s smile widened, her voice dripping with amusement.

"That’s good. You probably don’t know, right? Mother-in-law never really liked you. That’s why she asked me to get closer to Big Brother."

Then, as if remembering to play innocent, she added with a light laugh, "But don’t worry, I’d never break up a family."

Her tone was sweet, almost playful. Yet every word was a carefully placed dagger.

Mockery, ridicule, and outright contempt.

Hailey ignored it all. Her gaze drifted past Allison and settled on Enzo, who leaned back, cigarette in hand, exhaling smoke as if none of this concerned him. His voice was calm, indifferent.

“Don’t worry, you’re still my legitimate wife. You know how my mother is; once she sets her mind on something, there’s no escaping it.”

“It’s all just for show. Don’t overthink it.”

Hailey’s fingers curled into her palm, her nails pressing into her skin. She lifted her chin, her voice steady.

“If Auntie wants this marriage to be nothing more than an act, then so be it.”

From the beginning, she had been unwanted. Enzo’s mother had made her disdain clear, treating her presence like an eyesore.

Back in the bedroom, Hailey lay awake, staring at the dim glow of her phone screen. The chat with Enzo remained open.

She had been the one who called him home tonight for his birthday.

Before that, their conversations had been nothing but half-hearted excuses. He was always “busy.” She had once been thrilled when Enzo agreed to marry her, foolishly believing she had a place in his life.

But outside this house, he was already surrounded by admirers.

She took a breath, then dialed.

The moment the call connected, an arrogant voice greeted her from the other end.

Hailey didn’t hesitate. Her voice was clear, unwavering.

“Didn’t you say you’d give me fifty million? Transfer the money. I’ll be gone by morning.”

She once believed love could conquer all. But now, she had given up.

Kaia Rainford, Enzo’s mother, set down her coffee cup with a satisfied smile, her tone unhurried. “I knew you’d be reasonable. Fifty million, leave my son.”

“Fine. Give me half a month. I’ll return to Belmond.”

Perhaps sensing her sincerity, Kaia transferred ten million on the spot, her laughter laced with amusement. “Once you’re gone, I’ll send the rest.”

“Alright.”

After ending the call, Hailey wasted no time. She began handing over her cases at the law firm, tying up every loose end. By the time everything was settled, the sun had already dipped low in the sky.

As she stepped into the house, voices from the living room stopped her in her tracks.

“Enzo, when are you going to give me a proper status? Didn’t you say you liked her? Why did you marry me?”

“She proposed to you ninety-nine times; how could you be so cruel?”

Enzo’s voice was as deep and lazy as ever, carrying a careless amusement. “Cruel? Not at all. I liked her from the start, and she liked me too. It was just a little game between lovers, making her propose ninety-nine times. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?”

Hailey’s body trembled violently.

So Enzo had liked her all along.

Yet he had stood by and watched as she humiliated herself over and over again.

“Are you talking about Hailey? Isn’t she just Enzo’s pathetic little shadow?”

“What kind of woman clings like that? Even after he’s married, I bet she’d offer to care for his wife during postpartum recovery!”

“Exactly! How much lower can she sink?”

The sneers, the scornful stares, and the merciless ridicule from the past came rushing back, sharp, piercing, relentless. The taunting laughter echoed in her mind.

So many had mocked Hailey like she was nothing more than a joke.

Yet she had been foolish enough to believe she could thaw the iceberg that was Enzo.

But he had never been cold. He had simply never cared.

Her knees nearly buckled.

Inside, the laughter continued, lighthearted and teasing, interwoven with the sweet, flirtatious tone of another woman.

She had prepared herself for this moment. She had braced her heart.

With quiet determination, she pushed the door open, only to be greeted by a sickly sweet voice.

“Hailey, Enzo, and I are going on our honeymoon. Want to come along?”

Enzo’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her with detached amusement.

“Why do you always make a fuss over such trivial things? Like a little girl throwing a tantrum. Fine, we’ll bring you back something nice from our honeymoon. Don’t sulk, alright?”