Chapter 2

I stared at Dad's message. A few seconds later, I replied, "Yeah. The sooner, the better."

When I looked up again, Seraphine was holding Will in her arms. She murmured something as she comforted him, as if he were a priceless treasure finally brought into the light.

Suddenly, I recalled that rainy day seven years ago.

Seraphine had stood downstairs in the pouring rain, soaked to the skin. Her eyes had sparkled as she grabbed my hand. "Trust me, Levi. I won't keep you waiting for long."

She hadn't forgotten her words. She simply hadn't meant them from the start.

The moment filming wrapped, backstage descended into chaos.

The production staff was practically glowing with excitement, running around with their phones in hand as they watched the trending rankings climb.

"We're number one!"

"Seraphine Winslow's fiance is trending!"

"The live proposal is blowing up!"

The director caught me by my arm, grinning from ear to ear. "Levi, she really kept this under wraps, didn't she? We've got to move fast on the publicity while the buzz is still hot!

"Get the announcement ready, flesh out the relationship timeline, and give the fans the whole story. They'll eat it up!"

I forced a smile. "Got it."

The moment I stepped into the backstage lounge, Seraphine spotted me through the crowd. She whispered something to the person beside her before making a beeline toward me.

"Levi."

I met her eyes. "Yes?"

She seemed caught off guard by the coldness in my voice. After a brief pause, she said, "Come to my dressing room. We need to talk."

I nodded. "Sure."

The door clicked shut behind us, shutting out the noise. Seraphine stood by the door in silence, as though mulling over how to start.

"What did you want to say?" I asked.

She cleared her throat. "The announcement today… wasn't a last-minute decision."

"I know. The ring was prepared. He was wearing a custom-tailored white suit. None of that happens overnight."

Her expression stiffened.

I stared at her. "Is there anything else, Ms. Winslow? The announcement's blowing up online. I need to get in touch with a few marketing accounts ASAP."

Seraphine frowned. "Don't do that."

I let out a humorless laugh. The silence between us was suffocating.

After a long moment, she said, "Will and I… have been engaged since we were young."

I froze. "What?"

"Our families arranged it. The engagement was decided years ago."

The absurdity of it almost made me laugh. "So, he was always the one you planned to marry. What was I, then?"

I looked at Seraphine. My chest was slowly being hollowed out. The answer lingered on the tip of my tongue. I knew I was just a secret meant for oblivion, someone who never needed an explanation.

I was expected to be understanding, never to ask for a place by her side, and to quietly take care of every detail of her life while unconditionally supporting her career.

My voice came out hoarse this time. "What was I, Seraphine?"

She met my eyes, but all I saw was that familiar look of helplessness. It was the same expression she wore every time she thought I was acting petulant.

"Levi, you've always been smart. I don't need to spell it out for you, do I?"

A laugh escaped me. So, just because I was smart, I was supposed to know when to stop, when to shut up, and when to exit a relationship.

A knock sounded on the door. Kai spoke softly from outside. "Ms. Winslow, Mr. Norman says he's tired. He's asking when you're leaving."

"Right away," she answered before turning to me. "I'll make this up to you, Levi."

There it was.

"And how do you plan to do that?"

She seemed to relax, as if we had finally reached common ground. "A house, a car, better resources, company shares—you name it. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you."

I nodded. "How generous of you."

Seraphine frowned. "Levi, you've been with me for years. You know I won't let you walk away with nothing."

I stepped forward and looked into her eyes. My voice was as solemn as I could make it. "Do you honestly think this is what I'm after? After all these years?"

She didn't answer. Sometimes, silence hurt more than any reply.

I picked up the documents on the table and turned to leave. My hand had just reached the doorknob when her calm voice drifted over.

"The brand meeting is at 9:00 am tomorrow. The magazine shoot is in the afternoon. Stay on top of the schedule, okay?"

I shut my eyes. "Don't worry, Ms. Winslow. I won't let your work be affected."