Kendra's POV:
The moment I saw Rhett, I found myself at a loss for words. He was undeniably handsome, with a tall, broad-shouldered frame and an imposing air that naturally drew attention. Yet there was something almost dangerous about the way his eyes rested on me, as though a predator were quietly studying its prey and calculating its next move.
"It looks like my fiancée approves of what she sees."
His deep voice held a trace of teasing amusement, while his steady gaze made it strangely difficult for me to look anywhere else.
For a moment, I just stood there, not knowing how to respond.
Vince and Elaine had actually gone as far as finding someone to pretend to be my fiancé. What shocked me even more was that Rhett had willingly gone along with their absurd arrangement. He slipped into the role so naturally, as though he'd been playing it for years.
I quietly examined his face, trying to figure out what was going through his mind. Before I could make sense of anything, however, Vince reached over and covered my eyes.
"Kendra, what are you looking at? Have you never seen a man before?"
The annoyance in his voice was obvious, and his fingers pressed so tightly against my face that I winced. I was just about to pull his hand away when Rhett grabbed Vince's wrist and yanked his hand back.
"She's my fiancée, Vince. Is it really that surprising she takes an interest in me?"
Rhett slid an arm around my waist before leaning down and pressing a kiss against my cheek. The gesture was so natural and intimate that anyone watching us might have assumed we'd been a couple for years.
With his arm securely around me and the faint fragrance of his cologne drifting around me, I immediately felt heat spreading across my face.
"You're standing too close," I whispered, attempting to push him away. Instead of letting me go, Rhett tightened his hold.
"You're cold." His voice was low as he spoke beside my ear. He then shrugged off his jacket and gently placed it over my shoulders.
The warmth of the jacket wrapped around me, along with the unmistakable sense of his presence.
It had barely settled around me before Vince angrily snatched it away.
His face was twisted with jealousy and fury as he tried to pull Rhett away from me. "What exactly do you think you're doing, Rhett? Don't forget what you came here for."
Rhett didn't show the slightest sign of being intimidated. He remained beside me, calm and unshaken, like a guard determined to stand his ground.
"I haven't forgotten. I know perfectly well why I'm here. I'm Kendra's fiancé, and there's nothing inappropriate about me showing some affection toward the woman I'm supposed to marry."
Vince looked furious, far more enraged than I'd ever seen him. He opened his mouth as though he wanted to argue, but in the end, he stopped himself and let out a disdainful scoff.
"Some people spend their entire lives picking through another person's scraps until they start mistaking leftovers for treasure." His expression turned even more contemptuous. "But I suppose an illegitimate son without any status and some nobody from the backwoods are a fitting pair."
"Vince, you shouldn't say things like that so bluntly. You might hurt their feelings," Elaine said, pretending to sound concerned.
She immediately wrapped herself around his arm as though deliberately reminding everyone that he belonged to her. Vince didn't push her away. Instead, he casually pulled her closer, the familiarity of the gesture making my stomach churn.
Knowing that the two of them had been intimate with each other behind my back throughout my relationship with Vince made me want to rip them apart. But this wasn't the moment to lose control. I dug my fingernails into my palm and forced myself to stay composed.
Both Vince and Elaine wanted me dead. I had no idea what Rhett's intentions were, but at this moment, he was the only person who could possibly help me get away from them.
I deliberately turned my gaze away from Vince and Elaine, and then slipped my arm through Rhett's.
Forcing a faint, bashful smile onto my face, I said, "Whatever people may think about Rhett's background, he's the man I love. In my eyes, no one could ever be better than him."
Vince stared at me as though he'd just heard something impossible. He even pulled his arm free from Elaine's grasp before reaching toward me.
"Kendra, what the hell are you saying? You have no memory of anything, and you're saying you love this bastard—"
Before he could get any closer, Elaine grabbed his hand and held it tightly.
Then she let out a soft, pitiful whimper in that delicate voice of hers. "Babe, Kendra and Rhett are together. As long as they're happy, shouldn't we be happy for them too?"
Vince didn't say another word, but his eyes remained locked on the arm I had linked with Rhett's. The look he gave me was almost accusatory, as though I were the one who had betrayed him.
It was ridiculous. This entire arrangement had been Vince's idea in the first place, yet somehow, he seemed to be the first person incapable of maintaining the act.
Rhett reached out and gently held my face, turning my attention back to him.
"Don't keep looking at other men when your fiancé is standing right beside you. I already spoke with your doctor about your condition, and you've been cleared for discharge. Come on, Kendra. Let's go home."
He then turned toward Vince and smiled politely. "Thank you both for informing me that my fiancée needed me. I'll take her home now."
Rage darkened Vince's face. He squeezed Elaine's arm, not even noticing until she winced and cried out.
I paid them no attention and allowed Rhett to lead me away. We were almost at the hospital entrance when Elaine suddenly hurried after us.
"Kendra, your phone was damaged in the accident, so I bought you a new one."
She held out the phone with a concerned expression.
After finally seeing Elaine's true colors, I was certain she wouldn't go out of her way to help me simply out of sisterly concern. There was no such thing as a free favor from someone like her. Even so, I accepted the phone and returned her smile.
"Thank you, Elaine. You're so thoughtful. Rhett and I are going home now."
I then followed Rhett into his ordinary black sedan. As soon as the car door shut, I pulled out the new phone and immediately began inspecting it.
