Chapter 2

With William's kiss as proof, all the sneers thrown at Elsie were completely unfiltered—cutting right through her chest like shards of glass. She turned toward William, face pale, but he didn’t even glance her way. He was gently fixing Grace’s disheveled hair, the tenderness in his eyes something Elsie had never seen—not even in dreams. A chill suddenly crept down her spine. “William, I deserve an explanation.” Her voice trembled, but she clenched her fists hard, still trying to keep her last shred of dignity. She probably had already become the biggest joke in Capemont, but even so, she hoped William would at least say something to ease the embarrassment. Even a lie would’ve been better than this dead silence. At least it would’ve made it a little easier to breathe through all the ridicule. But William only glanced at her, his eyes as cold as if she were a stranger who meant nothing to him. “What you just saw is my answer.” Elsie’s lips parted slightly, but her throat felt completely blocked. Even breathing started to hurt—a sharp, tiny pain with every inhale. “Come on, don’t take it so seriously,” Lucas suddenly chimed in, voice far too casual. “Grace can’t handle alcohol. William kissing her? That’s just an alternative method of helping her out with drinks.” “It was just a game. If you’re upset about that, aren’t you being a bit too sensitive?” As he spoke, Lucas moved to stand between them like some invisible wall, effortlessly cutting Elsie off from William’s world. Her smile barely held together—it looked more like she was about to cry. She’d been here before. Last time, they told her William had invited her to a pool party. She showed up in a swimsuit, only to realize it was a formal event. That picture of her became meme material for half a year. Another time, Jack Lyons said William was waiting for her at an abandoned building. She got locked in a room, soaked in cold water all night. It was late autumn—she was burning with fever by the time she was rushed to the hospital. The doctor said if she’d arrived even just a little later, they wouldn’t have been able to save her. Every time she got upset, they said she "couldn't take a joke". Every time she got hurt, it was because she was “too dramatic.” No one ever asked how she felt. No one remembered that William used to lose his mind over her getting even slightly upset. Now? He was the one making a public show out of humiliating her. And maybe that’s fair. After all, if it hadn’t been for the way she “got in the way” three years ago, it would’ve been Grace standing beside him today. Of course they would kiss in front of everyone—who was she to say anything? She tried convincing herself it was fine, but the pain—like getting sliced over and over with a dull knife—was so overwhelming, she could hardly stay on her feet. “Alright then. I won’t bother you anymore.” She forced back the tears that were threatening to fall and turned away. But she could still feel those burning stares stabbing at her back like fire. William caught the faint sheen of tears in her eyes just as she turned. Something in his chest jolted out of nowhere. Expression darkening, he shot Lucas a look before striding off after her. Lucas blinked, confused. “What? What did I say wrong?” Outside the lounge. Elsie hadn’t even walked that far when headlights lit up behind her. Before she could react, a hand grabbed her wrist roughly, and the next second, she was shoved into the passenger seat. “You—what are you doing—” “Weren’t you the one who wanted to talk?”William cut her off, his tone unreadable. In the dim lighting, the sharp lines of his profile looked distant and harsh. Elsie froze. She'd come to him hoping for one last shot at salvaging their relationship. But that kiss in the private room had shut her up completely. The car fell into a dead silence, only the low hum of the engine filling the space. It wasn’t until they passed an intersection that Elsie finally spoke, her voice hoarse, “I just wanted to say, there’s only one month left. No matter how much you love Grace, don’t make it so obvious in public... If our parents find out, I…” “You rushed to see me just to get the divorce done faster?” William glanced at her, his face immediately sinking, each word like ice, “Even if you’re in a hurry, you’ll wait. Three years means three years. Not a day earlier.” He paused, then gave a cold laugh. “As for our parents? They’re way happier seeing Grace than seeing you.” Elsie’s face turned a pale mix of green and white. She turned to look out the window, suddenly drained of the will to fight. His love had never been something she could earn, no matter how hard she tried. He'd always wanted Grace—it never changed. And he’d never once opened up to her. Thank God she didn’t say everything. Saved herself the extra humiliation. “Don’t worry,” she said, staring into the pitch-black night outside. She forced down the lump in her throat. “Once the date hits, I’ll sign the papers. I’m not clinging to the spot of being Mrs. Harding.” “You sure?” In the car window’s reflection, Elsie saw William looking over at her. His eyes were dark and cold, enough to send chills down her spine. She really thought that being self-aware would earn her a bit of kindness—but clearly, it didn’t matter what she did. He just straight-up hated her. Elsie turned her head, about to say she was sure, and that post-divorce, she’d never bother him again. Suddenly, a truck sped toward them, headlights blinding. “Screech—!” The tires shrieked against the asphalt. Elsie instinctively shut her eyes. But the crash she braced for didn’t come. Instead, her forehead landed against something warm and firm. She opened her eyes in shock—right in front of her was William’s arm, stretched out to shield her. And for a split second, she was thrown back ten years, to the boy who brought her home from the orphanage. Back then, too, he had shielded her during a sharp stop like this, saying, “Don’t be scared. I’ve got you.” In that moment, the floodgates broke. Elsie clung to his wrist, her hands trembling, voice shaking uncontrollably. “William, we weren’t always like this. How did we even end up here like this…” William stared into her tear-filled eyes. Something flickered in his gaze—something Elsie couldn’t read, like it was about to surface. But in the end, he yanked his hand away hard, voice colder than steel. “From the moment you climbed into the wrong bed, you should’ve known—I’m not that William anymore.”