Chapter 8
Wyatt kept rambling on about the wedding preparation.
Sloan watched him, taking in the warmth in his eyes and the easy charm in his smile. A sudden ache tightened her chest. If she hadn’t seen what happened last night with her own. eyes, would he still be lying to her? After all, Wyatt was a masterful liar.
For years, she had molded herself to fit his tastes, pushing aside her own needs just to keep him happy. Even when doubt crept in, she buried it beneath blind faith in his love.
Wyatt took the necklace from the box and carefully fastened it around her neck. The cool weight of the chain against her skin felt heavier than it should.
When Sloan didn’t say anything, her gaze fixed blankly on the dress and necklace, Wyatt assumed she was too overwhelmed to speak. He took her hand, his voice tender. “Baby, meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m so lucky we’re about to start our life together.”
His sudden confession caught her off guard. Her heart, which had been dead for so long. trembled for a moment.
She had waited six years for this. Sloan picked up the dress and walked toward the dressing room.
Just as she was about to close the door, she spotted a familiar figure through the gap.
Carol.
Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying. Wyatt gently wiped her tears away and pressed a tender kiss to her cheek. They whispered to each other, their bodies close.
A sales assistant approached with a velvet jewelry box.
Inside was a ruby necklace – Sloan’s favorite gemstone. But the one Carol held was larger and brighter than the one Wyatt had given Sloan..
A dazzling, brilliant red sharp and cutting, like a dagger piercing Sloan’s heart.
–
Compared to Carol’s necklace, the one around Sloan’s neck felt cheap and meaningless.
Much like her relationship with Wyatt–polished and perfect on the surface, but rotting
underneath.
Sloan gripped the necklace, the sharp edges of the ruby cutting into her palm until blood trickled between her fingers.
Carol, now wearing the necklace, seemed noticeably happier.
Still, she pouted and murmured, “Are you really going to marry Sloan? You don’t even love her… You only feel sorry for her.”
Wyatt denied it immediately, “That’s nonsense. You better go now. Sloan is in fitting room. ! don’t want her to see us together.”
Carol scoffed. “Fine. If you’re really going to marry her, then I guess we’re done. After the wedding, don’t come crawling back to me!”
07: M4 Sun 30 Mar
She turned to leave
Wyatt instantly panicked and grabbed her hand, pulling her back into his arms.
His tone was soft, coaxing. “You know you’re the only one I love Mom and Dad would never let us get married. We’re lucky they hadn’t caught us. I need to focus with Sloan now because she’s the key of this alliance. I swear I’ll divorce her as soon as we get the trust fund Just be patient and trust me, okay?”
In that moment, Sloan felt like a knife had pierced her chest, her entire body trembling uncontrollably
When the Tanner Family had tracked her down years ago, there was already another girl in the house–a fraud who had taken her place. The only reason they took her back was because her relationship with Wyatt would benefit the Tanner Family’s business.
At the time, her mother had fallen seriously ill and was hospitalized. The medical bills were astronomical and despite working multiple part–time jobs around the clock, she was still drowning in debt. That’s why she agreed to return to the Tanner Family
She hadn’t expected that not only did the Tanner Family see her as nothing more than a bargaining chip, but even the man she’d loved for six years had been using her all along.
