Chapter 4

Nathaniel was still hesitating when Sylvia suddenly walked in. “Who are you on the phone with?”

“Oh, just Charles and the guys. They’re asking me to join them for a few drinks.”

“Is that so? It’s been a while since I’ve seen them. I’ll come too. I could use a drink.”

She was curious just how well they could keep their secret with her around.

Nathaniel tried to talk her out of it the entire way, but nothing worked. Frustrated, he resorted to nervously fiddling with his phone, texting his friends to prepare for her arrival.

When they arrived at the private room in the bar, Sylvia immediately spotted Nathaniel’s friends.

Four men sat rigidly, sipping their drinks in silence. Not a single waitress was in sight.

As soon as they saw Sylvia, they scrambled to their feet in unison.

“Good evening, Mrs. Sinclair. Don’t worry, there’s no one else here tonight—just us guys.”

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. “So, what you’re saying is, I don’t belong here because I’m not one of the guys?”

The group froze awkwardly. Nathaniel quickly gripped her hand and said, “That’s not what they mean. They just thought you might find it boring, that’s all.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just been a while, so I thought I’d stop by for a drink. Since it’s a guy’s night, I’ll leave after this.”

She picked up a glass from the table, downed the drink in one go, and ignored the fleeting smirks that flashed across their faces.

Then, without another word, she turned and left.

Nathaniel, pretending to be reluctant, wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Alright, I’ll be home early. If you’re tired, don’t wait up for me.”

Sylvia walked downstairs and stopped in a hidden corner near the entrance, waiting.

Sure enough, she soon spotted Vivian strutting toward the private room, her high heels clicking loudly against the floor.

Vivian sauntered in, her hips swaying, and Sylvia positioned herself discreetly to observe the scene inside.

Vivian wasted no time. She perched herself on Nathaniel’s lap and pouted.

“Why did you even bring her here? I had to hide because of her! You owe me. I want that bag I showed you today as compensation.”

Nathaniel slipped an arm around her waist and chuckled. “I’ll get you two.”

Vivian laughed, wrapping her arms around his solid frame, and planted a kiss on his lips.

"Wow, wow, wow! You’re really making all of us jealous, Mrs. Sinclair. With you around, us poor single guys don’t stand a chance.”

"Cut it out! What’s there to be jealous of? Don’t all of you have women around? Call them over. Let’s have some fun!"

Before long, a group of women joined them. Some poured drinks, others played drinking games, and the room soon buzzed with lively chatter.

They kicked off a round of Truth or Dare, and as luck would have it, Nathaniel was the first to lose.

One of his friends grinned mischievously and asked, "Nathaniel, between Vivian and Sylvia, who do you like more?"

Hearing the question, Vivian didn’t seem angry.

Instead, she looked at him with a playful smile. "You better tell the truth. And don’t use my illness as an excuse."

"Sylvia," Nathaniel replied without hesitation.

Vivian’s smile stiffened. "I’m sitting right here, you know!"

Nathaniel shrugged, utterly unconcerned. "I like you too, but that’s in the past. You were the one who ended things so decisively back then. Marrying you now is just about granting your last wish. The one I’ll grow old with is Sylvia. We’ve already agreed on this."

Turning to his friends, he added casually, "And don’t let this kind of situation happen again. Just make sure Sylvia doesn’t find out."

Sylvia didn’t tolerate ambiguity. If she found out he was being affectionate with another woman, she’d probably demand a breakup.

But he couldn’t ignore Vivian either. She got gravely ill after returning from abroad, and her dying wish was to marry him. He couldn’t turn her away because she was someone he had once loved deeply.

As long as he kept Sylvia in the dark, he could wait until Vivian passed away and then marry Sylvia, taking care of her for the rest of his life.

This way, no one would get hurt.

It was a perfect plan.

Vivian buried her head in his chest, biting her lip, and pretended to remain calm. "It doesn’t bother me. I was the one who left you first. Just having this time with you now makes me happy."

She looked around the room and added sweetly, "I love Nathaniel, and I’d never want to hurt his girlfriend. So, you all have to help keep this a secret, okay?"

Outside the door, Sylvia stood frozen, her face drained of all color.

Their words cut through her like knives, each one slicing deeper than the last.

The pain was unbearable, leaving her feeling as if her very soul had been gutted, her insides drenched in blood. Hearing Nathaniel’s choice made her stomach churn with disgust.

She wanted to vomit.

She couldn’t believe that the man she had loved wholeheartedly for five years was rotten to the core.

Sylvia leaned against the wall, her entire body trembling uncontrollably as waves of pain wracked her.

Her strength drained away, leaving her weak and powerless. She slowly slid down to the floor, her mind a chaotic blur. She didn’t know how long she sat there before finally pulling herself together.

With hollow eyes, she pushed herself up and started making her way downstairs.

She hadn’t gone far before her legs gave out beneath her.

Unable to steady herself, Sylvia collapsed and tumbled down the staircase.