I looked up and saw Conrad walking toward me, surrounded by a crowd.
As he approached, the whispers of the crowd immediately ceased.
Conrad and I had grown up together.
When we were five or six, our families arranged an engagement between us.
Whenever anyone bullied me, he was always the first to stand up for me.
When he made a mistake and got punished, I was the first to plead for him.
Until now, no one had ever doubted that I was Conrad's true love.
But today, on my 22nd birthday, he brought another woman with him.
Kelly was thin and delicate, a fragile little flower standing close to his side.
Conrad smiled, speaking affectionately in her ear.
She looked at me, her face instantly panicked and flustered. She quickly stepped forward, bowing to me in a deep ninety-degree gesture.
It was exactly the same as in my previous life.
Even the single teardrop hanging from her eyelash was identical.
In my last life, it was this pitiful, helpless look that had bewitched Conrad.
I had grown up in a family where marriages were arranged for business and status, so I never expected love.
Her appearance made me feel a pang of bitterness, but it didn't cloud my judgment.
When Conrad wanted to break off our engagement, I didn't cry or throw a fit. I just calmly tried to reason with him, considering the many years our families had known each other.
"Kelly's just an orphan. She doesn't have much work experience. Even though you two…
"But if you marry her, your grandpa won't approve. It'll only bring trouble.
"Conrad, why don't you just keep her as your mistress for now? Once…"
I left my words vague.
"Once you're the heir, won't you be able to do whatever you want?"
I had said these things to protect her, but it only ended up causing me trouble.
In my past life, the moment I saw Kelly bowing, I had rushed to help her up.
This time, I just watched coldly. When she realized no one was paying attention to her, she crumbled to the ground without hesitation and groveled at my feet.
She was practically kissing the ground, drawing gasps from everyone present.
Melanie tugged at my sleeve.
There were many guests today, all eyes on us.
I tightened my grip on her hand.
What was the rush?
"Kelly!" Conrad’s face was already dark with anger.
Kelly slowly lifted her head.
With her tear-filled eyes, it was hard not to feel a little sympathy.
She glanced back at Conrad, then at me, biting her lip as she continued groveling.
I leisurely took a sip of the red wine in my glass.
I couldn't help but wonder—just how long could she keep up this act?
Yes, Kelly was acting.
Her innocent demeanor was all a facade, and even when she "committed suicide" by jumping off a building in my past life, it was an act.
I was on the rooftop, all alone, when I overheard her sweet, almost melodic voice.
She was crying, pleading with a man.
"I'm just an orphan. If I don't use some tricks, how would Mr. Reese ever care about me? Please, help me again. Let me make him feel guilty! Mr. Reese loves me, but because of my status, his family will never approve of me. He promised he'd marry me. I have to do something and make him feel guilty, so he'll feel sorry for me! Please, just one more time! I just need to pretend to jump off the building, and Mr. Reese will feel indebted to me for the rest of his life!"
She was such a good actress.
She fooled Conrad, fooled me, and even fooled the press.
I once asked Conrad why he cared so much about Kelly.
"I was born as the Reeses’ heir. Everyone caters to me and worships me. They respect and love me, all because of my family's money and power. Even you, Shirley—if I wasn't a Reese, would you still marry me?"
His words left me speechless.
If he and I weren't of similar backgrounds, we never would've grown up together, let alone gotten engaged or married.
"Only Kelly—she's the only one who truly loves me and is willing to give everything for me. Shirley, how could I resist such pure love?"
