Chapter 2
For days, Zachary had been so busy that he didn’t even remember my birthday.
Not that it mattered anymore–it wasn’t like I cared.
But then, as if the thought suddenly struck him, he tried to make it up to me by buying tickets to my favorite Broadway musical.
It was a wildly popular show, nearly impossible to get tickets for. I hadn’t been able to snag one myself, so when Zachary said he had two tickets and invited me, I agreed.
On the day of the show, I waited for him.
3:15 PM
<
And waited.
But instead of Zachary, I saw a post from Aria on Instagram, flaunting two tickets to the very same musical.
Her caption read:
“Bored, so I decided to catch a show. It’s the best feeling to have someone who’s always there for you, no matter what.
The photo didn’t show their faces, but I recognized the hand in the picture immediately.
That scar–it was unmistakable. It was Zachary’s, from the time he got hurt saving me years ago.
Suddenly, I felt like a complete fool.
While I stood outside in the rain, worried something had happened to him, Zachary was inside, sitting in VIP seats with his secretary.
Ice–cold raindrops pelted my face, soaking through my clothes. The chill worked its way into my bones, but my heart felt even colder than my body.
My phone buzzed with a message from my mom.
She told me the wedding was set for two weeks from now. If I thought it was too rushed, we could push it back.
I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me, and replied, “No need. Let’s keep it as planned.”
The heavy rain had brought the city to a standstill. Traffic was a mess, and I couldn’t get a cab no matter how long I waited.
Finally, Zachary called me. His voice was casual, like nothing was wrong.
“Why aren’t you at home?”
I kept my tone calm, completely devoid of emotion. “I’m at the Broadway Theater.”
There was a pause, as though he’d just remembered something. Then he said, “I’m sorry. Something came up this afternoon, and I couldn’t make it. Stay where you are–I’ll come get you.”
I didn’t argue, but I knew he wouldn’t show up.
And I was right.
A moment later, Aria updated her Instagram again:
“He didn’t want me catching a cold in the rain, so he made ginger tea just for me. A man who cooks is the most attractive. marry him!”
The photo showed Zachary’s back as he stood at the stove, cooking.
I stared at the post for a second, then calmly exited the app.
The rain left me with a fever and a nasty cold.
Can’t wait to
I used it as an excuse to move out of the master bedroom, claiming I didn’t want to infect Zachary. I moved into the guest room instead.
For once, he actually stayed home from work to take care of me.
But I couldn’t stand it.
“It’s just a cold,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “I’m an adult. I can take care of myself. You should go back to work.”
He frowned and looked at me for a long moment.
“You used to want me around the most when you were sick. What’s with the sudden change?”
<
I lowered my head, hiding all the emotions in my eyes, and forced a small smile.
“I was immature back then. I’m not like that anymore.”
Zachary’s brows furrowed with concern. “Natalie, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Go on, really.”
He didn’t seem convinced, but after staring at me for a while, he finally sighed.
“Alright. Call me if you need anything.”
As soon as he left, I let out a long breath and fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up, I found another message from my mom.
This time, it was the finalized wedding plans.
She’d also sent me photos of over a dozen wedding dresses, asking me to pick one.
I scrolled through the pictures absentmindedly, enlarging them to get a better look.
I was so absorbed in the task that I didn’t even notice Zachary walk in until he snatched my phone out of my hand and tossed it aside.
“What are you doing looking at wedding dresses?” he demanded, his face dark with irritation.
For a moment, I thought he’d figured it out–that I was planning my own wedding.
I was just about to come clean when his next words stopped me cold.
“Natalie, is this your way of pressuring me to marry you? I told you I’d marry you eventually. You don’t have to resort to tricks like this–it’s pathetic.”
