Love Too Late

In the past, I was Raymond Wright’s wife. Or rather, a prisoner kept in his gilded cage.

I was an internationally renowned jewelry designer. Under the spotlight, I had the most dazzling presence.

Raymond was the most influential business elite on Floor Street, and he had an extreme desire for control.

He claimed to love me, but he never truly loved me for who I was.

He was determined to shape me into the “perfect Mrs. Wright” that existed in his imagination.

He disliked me having my own social circle and hated it when I appeared in public.

I once naively believed that if I were obedient enough, he would eventually recognize my sacrifices.

The turning point came at a banquet. Someone there publicly mocked me as “nothing but a canary kept by Mr. Wright.”

I could bear it no longer and retorted. Raymond rushed over and coldly scolded me. He said, “Behave yourself. Don’t embarrass me.”

At that moment, the surrounding snickers and the disgust in his gaze forced the truth upon me.

Ultimately, I fell down the stairs in an “accident” orchestrated by my stepsister.

When I opened my eyes again, I was greeted by a warm-toned pendant lamp in the apartment I lived in before I married Raymond.

On the desk calendar, a date was circled in red—there were only five days left until my wedding to Raymond.

I had returned to the past.

This time, I did not want to get involved with Raymond anymore.

“I’m not marrying Raymond. I’m calling off this wedding.”

My stepmother, Susan Lovell, immediately lashed out in anger. My father, Robert Lovell’s, face also darkened.

“Are you out of your mind? The wedding is in five days! You’ll ruin the Lovell family’s future!”

Gemma Lovell, my stepsister, was standing nearby. She said harshly, “Cara, you’re incredibly selfish for going back on your word. What will the other families say about us?”

I approached her and looked right into her eyes.

“You’ve been after the Mrs. Wright title for a long time, haven’t you? Well, it’s yours. I’m handing the engagement over to you.”

They looked at me with disbelief. After all, I had loved Raymond Wright so deeply in the past.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am completely serious,” I stated plainly. “Give the engagement to Gemma, and return all my mother’s overseas assets to me. Consider it a fair trade.”

Susan loved money more than anything. The overseas trust my mother established held the majority of the Lovell family’s assets.

She looked at me and said, “Cara, let me make this clear. You are not getting those assets.”

I laughed coldly.

“Fine. Then, I’ll call off the wedding myself. Let’s see how much of the Lovell fortune survives the Wright Group’s retaliation.

“Transfer the assets to me, and Gemma gets the engagement. That way, the alliance between the Lovell and Wright families will stay intact. You’d just be switching the bride. You have two minutes to decide.”

Gemma was deeply in love with Raymond. Hearing my words, she immediately rushed to Susan and pleaded tearfully for her consent.

“Time’s up,” I announced. Then, I pretended to leave.

“Wait! We agree to transfer the assets,” Susan said with a displeased expression.

“Good. Sign here.”

I pulled the prepared agreement from my bag and handed it to them.

Shortly after, they reluctantly signed the documents.

I took the agreement and left the Lovell family without looking back.

In the past, Raymond tore my design sketches to pieces one by one.

He said, “Cara, you’re my wife now. Your role is to wear jewelry, not design it. There are certain expectations that come with being my wife, and this falls far outside of them.”

I pleaded desperately and promised never to exhibit my work publicly, yet he still refused to yield.

Being Raymond’s wife stripped me of all my freedom.

This time, I was determined to pursue what I truly wished to do.

I participated in the jewelry design competition I had longed for.

The host announced my name, “Our final presenter is Cara, with her piece titled ‘Freedom.’”

Thunderous applause filled the venue as the spotlight fell upon me.

While scanning the guest section, I spotted Raymond. He sat in the award presenter’s seat, dressed in a black suit.

His initially calm gaze burned with fury the moment it met mine.

As soon as I stepped off the stage after the presentation, he grabbed my wrist forcefully.

He looked down at me. His voice was low as he seethed with suppressed anger.

“Cara, didn’t I forbid you from participating in such public appearances?”