chapter 2
The day after that dinner, I pretended everything was fine.
I smiled when I needed to, laughed when expected, and played the role of the devoted fiancée. But inside, I was counting every hour.
Four more days.
Four more days until the wedding.
Four more days until I disappeared from their lives forever.
That morning, Ethan brought me breakfast in bed. He sat beside me and carefully placed a tray with toast, orange juice, and scrambled eggs on my lap.
“Sweetie, you need to eat well,” he said softly.
I nodded and forced a smile. “Thank you.”
He watched me as I ate, his expression unreadable. I could almost see the gears turning in his mind. He hadn’t forgotten the hospital message. I could feel that question lingering between us like smoke after a fire.
Later, Jake called.
He almost never called me before noon.
His tone was flat. “I heard Ethan made you breakfast. That was new.”
I replied casually, “Yes, he did. It was nice of him.”
There was a brief silence.
Then he said, “I’ll be back tonight. We need to finalize some wedding details.”
“Sure,” I said. “Looking forward to it.”
When evening came, the real Jake arrived, cold as ever. He walked past me without a glance and went straight to his office.
I followed quietly and knocked.
“Come in,” he said.
Jake sat behind his desk, flipping through documents. Without looking up, he said, “I need your signature on these contracts. Wedding venue. Catering. Standard things.”
I approached and picked up the pen.
Just as I was about to sign, he looked up sharply.
“Tell me something, Rachel. Do you love me?”
His question caught me off guard.
I stared at him for a moment before answering.
“I do. But I’m not sure if I love you… or your brother.”
For a split second, something cracked across his face.
Then it vanished.
“That’s a dangerous thing to say,” he muttered.
I shrugged. “Then maybe you should have thought twice before sharing me with someone else.”
Jake stood.
He walked around the desk, closing the distance between us, his voice dropping low.
“You think you’re smart. But don’t forget, Rachel. I’ve always been one step ahead.”
I tilted my head and met his eyes.
“Then why do I feel like I’m the one with all the control now?”
He stared at me for a long time.
Then he turned away.
“Leave.”
I walked out calmly, though my heart was beating hard enough to shake my ribs.
I had just poked the bear.
But I didn’t care anymore.
That night, I booked a hotel room near the airport under a different name. I transferred my savings into a new account and contacted a clinic overseas to confirm my appointment.
Everything was set.
Three days to go.
At home, I continued pretending.
Ethan tried to be sweet. He cooked dinner. He picked movies he thought I liked. He sat too close on the couch and watched my face when he thought I wasn’t looking.
I let him think everything was normal.
Then he found the suitcase.
It was tucked under the bed, half-packed.
I came out of the shower to find him holding one of my dresses.
“Going somewhere?” he asked.
I froze for half a second.
Then I laughed lightly. “Just a backup suitcase in case the honeymoon plans change suddenly.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You never prepare in advance.”
I smiled. “People change.”
He nodded slowly.
“Yes,” he said. “They do.”