Chapter 1

As soon as I got home, I announced, "Carl and I have broken up."

When I saw Mom and Dad still in their formal attire, I slumped onto the couch with a look of sorrow.

"But both families have already come to an agreement about the engagement!" Mom exclaimed.

Mom and Dad stared at me in shock. They even dropped the mugs of tea they were holding.

"That's right. Carl's parents have given us their blessings, but Carl doesn't want to marry me," I replied before closing my eyes, feeling rather dejected.

Today, I was supposed to get engaged to Carl Anderson. Many prominent figures from the business industry had been invited to our engagement party.

Everyone watched as I stood there like a complete fool, waiting all day for Carl to come. I was subjected to all their comments and ridicule, and Carl didn't even show up.

Slamming his hand on the table in fury, Dad declared, "Tomorrow, I'll head over to see the Andersons and demand an explanation. They've gone too far!"

Dad wanted to stand up for me, but I replied, "Forget it. There's no point trying to force Carl to marry me. Can you think of anyone who would be a good match for me in our circle? If you can, introduce them to me."

I picked up my phone and started scrolling through my contacts list.

"You can't be so hasty," Mom said. "Perhaps there's some kind of misunderstanding between you two. Let me ask around tomorrow."

Mom looked at me with concern. She seemed worried that I would impulsively do something that I would regret.

"You don't need to, Mom. I'll think of something myself," I replied as my eyes fell on a name.

Henry Moran.

He was three years older than me. Once he reached adulthood, he took over the reins of the Moran family's company and had been in charge ever since.

When we were little, he kept teasing me, refusing to stop until I cried.

Out of the blue, I recalled that he once said I was too ugly when I cried. No one would want to marry me. I had cried even more pitifully when I heard that, so he hurriedly wiped my tears away and said he would marry me if no one else wanted to.

With that memory in mind, I grabbed my car keys and walked toward the door.

"Iris, where are you going at this hour of the night?" Mom asked as she trailed behind me worriedly.

"So what if Carl doesn't want me? I don't want him, either! Mom, Dad, wait for me. I'll get you a new son-in-law!"

I waved at Mom to usher her back into the house.

…

After parking the car outside the Moran residence, I took a deep breath to steel myself before heading in.

Someone was sitting in the living room—Carl.

"What are you doing here?" Carl demanded as he stood up and eyed me with hostility. He thought I had tailed him to the Moran residence.

"Relax. I'm not here to see you," I retorted before taking a seat on the other couch to wait for Henry.

After getting out of the car, I messaged Henry to inform him that I had come to talk to him about something.

"Are you doing okay?" Carl asked. "I know I've hurt you, but I really can't marry you."

He sat beside me and reached out to stroke my head the way he used to, but I shot him a look. He knew full well what would've happened to me if he didn't show up today, but he chose to abandon me anyway.

"Don't touch me! I'm fine." I turned my head away from him before scooting over to the side.

If Carl truly felt bad for what he did to me, he should've told me sooner that he wanted to cancel the engagement. He shouldn't have made me the fool by letting me wait the entire day for him.

He certainly shouldn't have mocked me and disparaged me in front of others.

This proved that my feelings for him throughout the last two decades meant nothing to him. Those words that came out of his mouth felt colder than the biting winds of winter. They left me feeling suffocated and gasping for air.

Even now, as I stared at the face that once mesmerized me, I felt a ball of anger and frustration welling up inside of me.

Eyeing Carl curiously, I asked, "Why are you here?"

"I gave Angela a ride home. She went up to take something for me," Carl replied. Seeing that I was still talking to him, he patiently tried to placate me, saying, "Don't be mad. Everything's my fault."

When I heard the ease and familiarity in his voice as he mentioned another woman's name, I felt even more hurt. My eyes reddened slightly. I couldn't resist feeling the urge to cry.

So, Angela Moran was the reason Carl refused to get engaged to me.

"Once I have some free time, I'll take you out for some fun. Angela's a great person. She's been to the place I want to take you to, so she can show you around. I'm sure you two will be great friends."

Carl didn't notice my reaction. Instead, he chattered happily about the arrangements he wanted to make.

My fists clenched as I stared at him. Did he have any idea just how hurt I was?

Just then, Henry called out to me, "Come with me!"

He was standing at the bottom of the stairway. Having seen that Carl and I were sitting side by side, he spoke in a rather stiff tone.