Finally, Selara dropped the mask entirely, revealing her true intentions.
“You’ve always loved him, haven’t you?” I asked, my voice calm but steady, carrying the weight of years of unspoken frustration.
Selara met my gaze without hesitation, her confidence radiating like a challenge.
“Well,” she said lightly, tilting her head as if she were admitting to some innocent truth, “I’ve always thought of him as a friend, someone I grew up with. But after these last few days… I think I might feel something more than just friendship.”
I inwardly scoffed.
“Love isn’t wrong, right?” she continued, her tone deceptively casual, as though life had forced her into this position. “Even if you’re still dating him, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll end up married. So… why not let me have him now?”
I couldn’t help but snort.
Finally, she was being honest. No games, no pretenses—just pure selfishness wrapped in polite words.
“Funny,” I said, a smirk tugging at my lips, “I was planning to. Go ahead, take him.”
After all, people like Kael were meant to be with people like her. Nothing more, nothing less.
Her confident smile wavered for a fraction of a second, but I gave her no chance to recover.
“However,” I added smoothly, tilting my head with deliberate calm, “I get to choose my own clients, too. So you’ll need to find another photographer for your big day.”
I didn’t wait for her response. I turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, speechless.
---
After everything Kael had done that morning, I hesitated to return to the apartment. I had even blocked his number. Selara’s words had confirmed what I already knew—I had no reason to stay there anymore. Seven days remained before I left, and most of my things were already packed or sent ahead, leaving only essentials behind.
That night, I decided to go back to my mother’s house.
When she opened the door and saw me standing there with my bags, her surprise quickly melted into a warm, welcoming smile.
“I missed you,” I whispered, wrapping her in a tight hug. “Can I stay with you before I leave for Melbourne?”
Her arms tightened around me immediately. “Of course, my dear. You’ll always be my little girl.”
Her warmth, her gentle voice, reminded me of something I had forgotten I needed. Since college, I had insisted I was independent, capable of standing on my own. Yet, here I was, seeking comfort in my mother’s arms.
The next morning, over breakfast, I finally told her everything.
“I’m going to start over, Mom. A new identity. I’ll even take your last name. Is that okay?”
She listened quietly, her eyes soft and understanding. Without a second thought, she smiled and nodded.
“If this is what you’ve thought through, I won’t question it,” she said gently.
“Thanks, Mom,” I murmured, grateful for her unwavering support.
---
Three days later, my mother had to leave for a sudden business trip.
“Since you’re home, can you stay and watch the house while I’m gone?” she asked, sipping her coffee. “The maid will be here, but I need someone to help feed the puppies.”
Her two tiny, energetic wolves—her pups—barked and yipped playfully from their corner, spoiled beyond belief.
I laughed softly. “Of course, Mom.”
She nodded, satisfied, then added another task. “Also… I need your help relocating your father’s grave.”
I paused, taken aback.
“The cemetery is being renovated. I thought it would be better to move him to a larger plot, in the city center,” she explained.
I thought for a moment. Originally, I had planned to stay in Melbourne for only a year, but maybe I could settle there long-term.
“Should we move him to Melbourne then?” I asked cautiously.
My mother reached over, squeezing my hand gently. “No, dear. This is where he was born. He would want to stay here. If you ever miss him, you can always come back.”
I nodded, feeling a bittersweet weight in my chest.
After dropping her off at the airport, I drove straight to my father’s gravesite. I carefully gathered his urn, framed photos, and the small keepsakes left with him. With my mother’s car, I decided to swing by the apartment one last time to collect a few remaining items. I also wanted my father to see where I had lived during college, even if only in memory.
But as soon as I opened the apartment door, I ran into them. Kael and Selara.
Kael’s eyes widened the moment he saw me. He stepped forward, curiosity written across his face.
“Railey… where have you been staying these past few days? Your room is empty. What does that mean?”
I shrugged casually, my tone deliberately indifferent. “Oh, I heard from Selara that you two have already set a wedding date. Isn’t it about time for me to move out?”
Kael snapped toward Selara, confusion crossing his features.
Selara lowered her gaze immediately, feigning innocence. “Sorry, Kael. My butler was planning to hire her as our wedding photographer. Maybe that’s how Railey found out.” She turned back to me, putting on her sweetest apologetic smile. “But I already told Railey our marriage is only an act.”
I smirked. So this was how she lied to Kael—both of them perfect in their deception.
Kael exhaled sharply, turning back to me. “Railey, I’ve already explained. Everything is just an act. Why won’t you believe me?”
“Oh, I understand perfectly,” I replied, tilting my head innocently. “That’s exactly why I made it easier for you to act. If your parents walked in and saw you still living with me, imagine the chaos that would cause.”
Kael ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Railey, my parents would never come here. I would never let them. What more do you need to believe me?”
His desperation was almost comical.
“Right now,” he continued, attempting to regain composure, “Selara and I are figuring out how to get out of this arranged marriage. Can you just calm down?”
Selara took the opportunity to step in, voice dripping with calculated sweetness.
“That’s right, Railey. We’ve even been thinking of going abroad with you,” she said, her eyes glistening with faux sincerity. “That way, you can marry Kael in secret, without his parents knowing.”
I blinked, unable to hide my incredulity.
“We?” I asked, my voice dark with humorless disbelief.
Kael answered quickly, as though it had all been planned. “Yes, the three of us. My parents will think I married Selara, but in reality… it’ll be you.”
I couldn’t help the dark chuckle that escaped my throat.
“The three of us go together?” I repeated, voice dripping with mockery. “How… convenient.”
Selara’s usual confidence crumbled, replaced by melodrama. She dropped to her knees before me, clutching my hand in feigned desperation.
“Railey… if it’s only the two of you, what about me?” she whimpered, her voice thick with calculated distress. “My parents would be furious. I’d have nowhere to go.”
As she spoke, she shook my arm deliberately, gripping it tightly.
I yanked my hand back instinctively. The urn I had been holding slipped from my grasp.
