"Is this for me?" Ethan loved the soup she made and always praised her talent for it. He even asked her to make it for him every Wednesday and Friday, bringing it to his office.
Elena was overjoyed. No matter the weather—wind, rain, or even a storm—she would always bring him the soup without fail.
Before Elena could say anything, Sienna suddenly took the thermos from her hands, flashing a sweet smile.
"Thanks, Ellie. Didn’t Ethan tell you? Actually, I’m the one who loves your soup. I didn’t want to trouble you since you’re always so busy, so he said it was his favorite instead."
Elena’s smile faltered, and her face went pale for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. Ethan’s affection for Sienna was something she could never have. In her most desperate moments, she had even wished she could be Sienna.
But what did it matter? Only Elena knew the truth—that Sienna was just a stand-in.
Ethan’s face darkened as he coldly ordered Sienna to return the thermos. "When did Ellie’s soup become yours?"
Both Elena and Sienna froze at his words.
Elena couldn’t hide her shock. So… this was the affection she had earned by sacrificing her entire future?
Sienna’s face turned sour as she handed the thermos back to Elena. Usually, when she pouted, Ethan would indulge her every whim without hesitation. But this time, Ethan didn’t even give her a chance to speak.
The room fell silent as Ethan finished his soup. Unable to hold back, Elena finally asked, "Why did you send Sienna away?"
"You don’t like her, do you?"
Elena was stunned. She had never forgotten how much she disliked Sienna. She remembered the first time Ethan brought Sienna home to spend the night—Elena had taken a cold bath in the dead of winter, pushing herself until she had a high fever, and Ethan had stayed with her in the hospital all night.
Whenever they went on dates, Elena would always find a way to call Ethan back. Facing his anger, she would always openly admit that she didn’t like Sienna and didn’t want them to be together.
However, Sienna had said that everything in life had its proper order, and love was no different. From the very beginning, Elena had lost.
So, if even Sienna could see her feelings, why couldn’t Ethan?
Ethan seemed to have truly changed. As Sienna’s visits to the hospital grew fewer, on the day Elena accompanied him to check out, Ethan had arranged for a car to take them to a bridal shop.