I clicked the file with trembling hands, and the calm I’d just regained shattered in an instant.
“Mr. Parker, everything’s in place. As long as Ryan shows up and is seen as the savior, even if Ethan is the rightful heir of the Carter family, you can still request to replace him with Ryan as the groom.”
“What were you thinking? Why did Ethan end up saving me? Don’t you realize I’ll never get rid of this burden now?”
...
No wonder Emily looked so shocked when I came to her rescue, frantically begging me not to act impulsively.
Who would’ve thought it wasn’t an accident at all—but a plan?
She had deliberately risked her life just to be with Ryan.
Even though I knew she didn’t love me, hearing this still tore me apart.
In the decade since my left leg was injured, no matter how many stares or whispers I endured, I never once regretted saving her.
She was the first person who had ever truly cared about me after I returned to the Carter family.
I saw her as the light in my life. I never imagined she had orchestrated my downfall.
And thinking back, I realized—through all these ten years of engagement, she never once said she loved me.
But none of it matters anymore. She’s married. I’m married.
Once Sophia returns, all of this will finally end.
That night, Emily didn’t come home.
Her secretary told me she had found another promising doctor and left in a hurry.
As expected, her call came at midnight.
“Ethan, I’ve arrived. This doctor’s really good—I believe he might be able to cure your leg.”
“Oh, and if you feel lonely since I’m not around, just go back to the Carter house, okay? Don’t show off too—”
Suddenly, fireworks exploded outside the window, drowning out the rest of her voice.
But through the video call, I clearly saw the fireworks spell out abbreviations—her love for Ryan, displayed in bright light.
I stared at her back, my hands trembling.
Emily, you’re lying to me again.
I couldn’t sleep at all that night.
The next morning, I was awakened by loud banging sounds from downstairs.
When I went to check, I was stunned by what I saw in the kitchen.
I had no idea when Emily came back—or that she wasn’t alone.
Ryan stood behind her, arms wrapped around her waist, watching her cook soup with a tender smile.
They talked and laughed. At one point, he even slipped his hand beneath her shirt while joking, a gesture far too intimate.
In front of me, she was always cold and distant.
We’d lived together for five years, but never once shared a bed.
She finally noticed me standing outside the kitchen.
Her eyes widened in panic, and the ladle in her hand slipped to the floor.
She quickly pushed Ryan away, but he awkwardly rubbed his hands against his clothes—the nervous habit he always had when lying.
“Ethan, why didn’t you go back to the Carter house?” she asked, her voice was overly casual.
“Don’t misunderstand—Ryan came back this morning without his keys. I just happened to bump into him at the airport, so I brought him home.”
“He was helping me cook soup earlier—I almost added sugar instead of salt. Thankfully, he caught it.”
“Since you’re here too, let’s eat breakfast together.”
At that, I couldn’t help but sneer inside.
No wonder she tried to convince me to return to Carter's house last night.
She just didn’t want me to interrupt their little private world.
And seriously, who needs to stick their hands into someone’s clothes to teach them how to cook?
Still, I had no interest in exposing her poorly crafted lies.
I’d already made up my mind to leave.
So I responded calmly,
“As a sister-in-law, you’re supposed to look after your brother.”
“Yes, Emily,” Ryan chimed in with a grin.
“Good thing you brought me back. I might’ve starved outside the Carter house if you hadn’t.”
