Chapter 2

When morning came, Elias greeted Adele with his usual kiss.

"Addie, I missed our wedding anniversary yesterday. Let me make it up to you today, okay?"

"Let’s go to the amusement park. Didn’t you say you wanted to go there before?"

Adele had no interest and was about to refuse, but Elias was already getting everything ready without waiting for her reply. He even laid out an outfit for her.

At the amusement park, he was attentive to her every move. The moment she pressed her lips together, he brought a bottle of water to her mouth. If her gaze lingered on a stuffed toy for more than a second, he bought it immediately.

Carousel rides, bumper cars, the Ferris wheel—Elias didn’t care how childish the activities were. As long as she enjoyed them, he happily went along.

He held her hand tightly throughout, barely letting go. Even when she tried to pull away, he only gripped her hand more firmly, as if afraid to lose her.

At one point, he even tied a balloon to her bag and chuckled. "This way, Addie, you’ll never get lost."

Never get lost...

But the place she was going this time was somewhere he’d never be able to find her.

“Elias, you lost me a long time ago,” Adele wanted to tell him that.

Their undeniable chemistry and captivating looks naturally caught the eyes of other visitors. It wasn’t long before murmurs began, and someone pointed them out.

"Look! That’s Mr. Sterling and Mrs. Sterling, isn’t it? I can’t believe we’re seeing them in person! They’re so sweet together!"

A girl let out an excited gasp, practically bouncing on her toes as she grabbed her boyfriend’s arm and dragged him over to Adele.

"Um… could we take a picture with you? We’re huge fans! You’re our favorite couple!"

Seeing the girl’s eager expression, Adele didn’t have the heart to refuse and nodded in agreement.

Elias wasn’t fond of taking photos but was willing to cooperate with Adele.

The camera clicked, and the couple beamed with excitement. "You two are such a perfect couple. We’re so envious. Please stay happy forever!"

Elias smiled and gave them a polite nod.

He never noticed that Adele stood silently by his side the entire time, saying nothing. Only she knew the truth—there was no “forever” waiting for them.

During their lunch break, Elias kept glancing at his phone. Each time he caught Adele’s gaze, he quickly apologized with a soft, coaxing tone.

"Addie, I’m sorry. There’s some work I need to handle right away. Be good and eat first. I promise I’ll make it up to you in a moment, okay?"

But then, an image of a luxury castle flashed across his phone screen.

He wasn’t working. He was watching a livestream.

Adele’s lips curved into a mocking smile as she quietly opened the livestream on her own phone.

It was Evelyn, an obscure internet influencer Elias had recently signed to the company. Not only had he signed her, but he’d also made her the face of “Adele", the jewelry line he claimed was a tribute to his wife.

Everyone had been speculating about Evelyn’s sudden access to such high-profile opportunities. Some whispered that she must have someone powerful backing her.

They were right. That someone was Elias.

At that very moment, Evelyn was standing at the entrance of the amusement park, livestreaming to her audience. She held up her phone with a smug expression, bragging to her viewers.

"Look, everyone! This amusement park was a gift from my boyfriend. Just mention my name for a discount when you visit. Come and have fun!"

Adele’s hand, clutching her phone, turned ice-cold. Her grip tightened as a wave of frost seemed to seep through her veins.

“This amusement park… the one he brought me to… was a gift for her?” she thought.

The livestream’s comment section was filled with skepticism.

"Stop lying. How could a small-time influencer like you afford a billionaire’s playground?"

"She’s just trying to grab attention. Without proof, anyone could stand in front of this park and claim it’s theirs."

"You’re insane if you think we’ll believe this. Do you have any idea how many billions it would cost to own a place like that?"

…

Evelyn bit her lip, looking aggrieved. "I’m not lying! Look, isn’t my name on this?"

She pulled a property deed from her bag, holding it up to the camera. Clear as day, her name was printed on the document in black and white.

The livestream exploded instantly, flooding with comments as viewers reacted with awe and disbelief.

"I take it back. I’ve never seen such a powerful figure in my life."

"An entire amusement park as a gift? This is next-level spoiling! It’s on par with Mr. Sterling and his undying love for Mrs. Sterling!"

"They say a man’s love is where his money goes. Why can’t I meet a perfect man like this?"

"That’s because there are only two perfect men in the world: Mr. Sterling, and this mysterious boyfriend of Evelyn’s. So, who do you think loves their partners more? Sterling’s devotion to Mrs. Sterling or Evelyn’s boyfriend’s love for her? Press 1 for Mr. Sterling, 2 for Evelyn’s boyfriend!"

The comment section was filled with a cascade of "1"s. After all, Elias’ love for Adele was legendary—he didn’t just spend money, he almost gave his life for her.

Just then, a new account named "LovesEvelyn" appeared and instantly sent 10,000 luxury virtual gifts to her livestreams. The screen lit up with vibrant animations, leaving viewers stunned.

With the flood of gifts, the number of viewers in Evelyn’s livestream skyrocketed from hundreds of thousands to over ten million.

Then, a bold message flashed across the screen: "Of course, I love Evelyn more."

The livestream erupted in chaos.

"The boyfriend just showed up! He’s too rich! Too rich!"

"This is insane! Absolute madness!"

Evelyn smiled with smug satisfaction, her eyes full of spoiled pride. "See? I told you my boyfriend loves me."

Adele’s hand trembled as she clutched her phone. Her gaze lifted just in time to catch Elias’s faint smile, the indulgent look in his eyes unmistakable.

He was "LovesEvelyn."

It felt as though her heart had been wrenched apart, the pain lingering long after the hand that caused it had let go.