Chapter 19
Chapter 19
She sounded firm, but her voice and face were full of sadness and humiliation. By the end, she was crying again.
Emily felt a sharp headache. She didn’t know if it was from Emma’s slap or because, even after she’d explained everything so clearly, Lydia still insisted on misunderstanding her.
As Lydia sniffled and sobbed, a voice suddenly rang out. “Lydia, if you’re not marrying me, who are you going to marry?”
Everyone turned toward the entrance. A handsome man in a white shirt walked in. It was Vincent.
He walked straight toward Lydia, his eyes full of warmth. “Yesterday you said I was the one you loved most. Why don’t you want to marry me today?”
Tears still hung at the corners of Lydia’s eyes, but when she saw Vincent, she lit up with surprise and shyness. Her voice grew soft and sweet. “Vincent…”
The moment Emily saw Vincent’s familiar face again, all the color drained from hers.
In the past two years, she had imagined this moment so many times-how she’d react when she saw him again.
She thought she’d throw herself into his arms and tell him how scared and miserable she’d been at St. Gabriel’s. She thought she’d yell at him, full of rage. She thought she’d walk up and slap him, asking why he’d lied to her back then.
He had said he’d love her and only her for the rest of his life. But after Lydia returned, he said he’d only ever seen her as a friend. That he felt sick just thinking someone so “cruel and twisted” had ever loved him.
Maybe her gaze burned too hot-Vincent turned and looked her way.
At first, he didn’t seem to recognize the shy, skinny girl standing there who looked vaguely familiar.
After a long pause, he finally spoke, uncertain. “Emily?”
There was a trace of surprise in his voice. He started to walk toward her, but Lydia grabbed his hand.
“Vincent…” she pouted, and the tears in her eyes looked like they were about to fall again-but she forced them back.
She looked hurt and stubborn. “Emily saw you buying me all these clothes and thought I was showing off. But I really didn’t
mean to.
“I didn’t know she still loved you. I don’t want to lose you either, but if giving you up will help Emily accept me as her family… I-I’m willing to let you go.”
Her voice trembled with emotion, like she was making the hardest decision of her life. Her words and expression were full of sadness.
Seeing her like that, Vincent stopped in his tracks and pulled his foot back. “Silly girl,” he said gently. “Love doesn’t work like that. And besides, I was engaged to you from the start.”
Lydia blushed shyly at his words, but her face still showed a bit of hesitation. “But Emily…”
Vincent seemed to remember who Emily was-his former fiancée, the girl who used to follow him everywhere, always jealous of Lydia, always full of dark thoughts. His brow furrowed deeply.
He looked at Emily again, but now the surprise in his eyes was gone, replaced by coldness and disgust.
Emily knew that look too well. But even so, it still hurt.
He used to look at her with nothing but joy and affection. But somewhere along the way, he started looking at Lydia the
same way.
And after that, Lydia was the only one in his eyes.
Vincent’s voice turned stiff. “What are you doing back here?”
The way he said it-like he didn’t want to see her again-stabbed right through Emily’s heart.
Even though she’d already told herself to let go, even though she had already guessed the truth about a lot of things, she still couldn’t stop clinging to that last bit of hope.
“Mr. Shaw,” she said, “I want to ask you something. Two years ago, you said there was something important you needed to
tell me. What was it?”