Sure enough, in less than five days after arriving, Harry has gotten used to Grandma and I.
A month later, he and I hitched a ride with our neighbor into town to sell the harvest from grandma's corn field.
Ten acres of corn brought in 2,250 crowns. After deducting the cost of fertilizer, pesticides and transportation, we cleared 1,050. I gave Harry a cut—350 crowns. And, that night, he lay awake hugging the cash until morning.
The next day, with dark circles under his eyes, he sat beside me and said, “Joyce, let’s date. I’ve got money now.”
Of course I knew he had money. Harry Wallace, the heir to the powerful Wallace Family, never lacked that.
From that day on, he started pursuing me. Everywhere we went, people whispered.
"Typical rich boy... his ex just left and he’s already moved on?"
Then one day, he showed up with 10,000 roses to propose me.
I said yes.
He froze for a second, then pulled me into his arms, grinning like a fool. I could hear his heart pounding through his chest and mine beat just as fast.
What those people didn’t understand was—Harry might’ve had all the money in the world, but what he rarely got was something genuine care.
After we got together, my biggest challenge became my background.
But I never bowed my head or backed down. I threw myself into exams, internships and late nights, until finally, I became the top lawyer standing by his side.
Sadly, dreams don’t last forever. His ex-fiancée, his once puppy love who had once left him had came back.
Rose Tabard cried in his arms all night. The next day, my title was stripped and Rose became the lead counsel.
Harry looked exhausted when we spoke. “Joyce, I had no choice. The Tabars have done a lot for my family. I can’t just ignore their request.”
“When we’re married, be rest assured that you’ll be the future Mrs. Wallace. You have to learn to weigh the pros and cons. Sacrifices are part of the deal.”
So I gave in. I watched him and Rose attend events together, throw lavish birthday parties for her, even buy matching necklaces for their engagement.
I kept waiting through endless hope and disappointment, until one day it hit me... Maybe he didn’t need my love anymore.
That day, I waited for him from morning till night. In the end, his assistant came instead, to try on his tux for the wedding.
I finally snapped. When I called Harry, however, he was even angrier than I was.
“Joyce, do you have any idea what I’ve sacrificed just to marry you?” he snapped. “Rose and I aren’t playing house. We’re working. It’s just a damn tux. Can’t you tell what really matters?”
Seven years. From dating to engagement, not a single photo together. And yet he let Rose post couple selfies from their ski trip on his socials.
I used to think that as long as he loved me, I could endure anything, any inequal treatment he’d done. Now I understood. All the sacrifice and the poor treatment I got… came from the fact that Harry didn’t love me anymore.
Two days later, I picked up my grandmother’s accessory box from the mortuary.
Just as I was signing the papers, Harry called. “Where are you? We’re supposed to be trying on wedding outfits today.”
I looked down at my grandma’s accessory box in my arms, ready to tell him no, but he had hung up soon after informing me, “Send me your current address. I’ll send someone to get you.”
I didn’t send anything, but a car showed up anyway. To my surprise, Harry was driving himself.
He yanked at his collar, clearly irritated. “I know I was wrong not to visit your grandma. I should’ve gone to the hospital, no matter how busy I was.”
