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.