"He doesn't like hangover remedies either. He's so picky, he'll only drink honey water if I make it myself. Honestly, even taking care of a relative's child was never this troublesome …"
Fearing that I might misunderstand, Nolan quickly cut her off. "Morgan, do you remember this lake downstairs? I proposed to you here when my business succeeded."
I gazed at the snow-covered lake below, momentarily lost in thought. It turned out that so many years had already passed.
Six years ago, when his startup was beginning to show results, he proposed to me. It was also winter and during the first snowfall like this.
Because I loved watching Korean dramas, I would always whisper in his ear, "If a couple watches the first snow together, they'll never be separated for life. You science guy wouldn't understand romance! This is what passionate love looks like!"
Though said unintentionally, those words were etched into his mind.
The day he proposed, the lakeside was crowded with people taking pictures. I thought it was just an ordinary date until he pulled out the carefully chosen diamond ring from his pocket and knelt on one knee before me.
At that moment, I had my back to him, still trying to find the best angle for a photo. "Nolan, did you take it yet? Hurry up, it's so cold here."
The next second, a burst of applause and cheers erupted from the passersby behind us. "Marry him! Marry him!"
Turning around, I was caught off guard and met his eyes filled with love.
Suddenly, fireworks lit up the sky behind us, mingled with the first snowflakes falling.
From then on, love in my heart was defined by Nolan.
We married smoothly and I quit my job to become his devoted wife, focusing on caring for the family.
For a year, his startup kept him away constantly and he would come home late at night every night. I would wait and wait until I fell asleep on the sofa. But the next day, I would miraculously wake up in bed.
I knew there was no such thing as magic in the world. Still, I had my own magician, Nolan Spencer.
To ease his burden, I volunteered to join his company without pay.
That day, Josie had just graduated and joined the company at the same time as me. We were best friends who shared everything and she was the only person in the company who knew about my relationship with Nolan.
Everything changed at that business dinner.
That night, Josie, Nolan and I attended together. Then, a business partner jokingly teased him, saying that bosses and secretaries often have shady dealings.
Nolan laughed at that moment, but he didn't deny it.
When the partner tried to make Josie drink, he blocked it all, saying that the girl was allergic to alcohol and he would drink in her place. But when the other party turned their attention and asked me to drink, Nolan merely nodded.
I looked at him in disbelief, but he just said lightly, "I know you can drink, don't make things difficult for me."
After three rounds, my consciousness blurred and the business partner finally agreed to sign the contract.
Before leaving, the middle-aged man in the lead handed Nolan a room key. His eyes lewdly suggested that he could use this chance to hook up with Josie.
What completely broke me was that Nolan tacitly accepted the offer and took Josie into the elevator.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, or maybe the long-term insecurity, that finally shattered me. I rushed into the elevator regardless of the consequences, demanding to know why Nolan had changed like this.
If he had chosen Josie, then what was I?
In that moment, Josie, who clearly wasn't drunk, pretended to faint and collapsed into his arms.
Nolan quickly pushed me away, saying, "Everyone does this. If I want to climb higher, I can't be the exception."
