Chapter 5

The room fell silent after Anthea dropped that bombshell. Even everyone's breath could be clearly heard. All eyes were on her before they slowly turned toward Harlan. A few seconds later, the room was abuzz with exclamations. "Gosh! Harlan, you've already proposed? Why are you still calling her your girlfriend, then? You should call her your fiancee!" "No, he should just say that she's his wife." The crowd teased while Beatrice saw red, gripping the strap of her purse tightly. Harlan glanced at her, and his gaze darkened. He closed his eyes for a moment, keeping his fingers up. Then, he commented in a deep voice, "I don't have plans for that for now." His voice was soft, but it felt like he was slapping Anthea in the face. That was because everyone thought they were a couple. She said she was getting married, but he said he was not. Didn't that mean that he rejected her, saying that he had no plans to marry her? The crowd clearly noticed that something was off. Feeling awkward, someone tried to ease the mood and said, "What's up with you guys? Did you not discuss with each other about getting married?" Anthea was about to explain that she and Harlan were not a couple. Yes, she was getting married, but not to him. However, before she could say anything, a loud crack sounded right above her head. "Watch out!" someone shouted. Anthea looked up and saw that the huge crystal chandelier was about to drop—and it was about to fall toward her and Beatrice. In the blink of an eye, Harlan suddenly rushed over, pulling Beatrice into his embrace and protecting her tightly. Anthea, on the other hand, was hit by the chandelier. She felt a sharp pain all over her body. Glass shards broke her skin, soaking her sleeve with her blood in an instant. Things became chaotic. While someone frantically moved the chandelier away, another person yelled her name in a panic. Harlan, however, only thought of her after he confirmed that Beatrice was safe. He quickly walked over and apologized, "I'm sorry, Thea. I caught the wrong person." Anthea looked into his eyes and smirked. He got the wrong person? She did not share any similarities with Beatrice, be it her hair, clothes, and height. How could it have been possible for him to mistake Beatrice for her? Harlan would always instinctively choose Beatrice when it came to life or death. "It's fine. It doesn't hurt," came Anthea's reply. Perhaps she had been hurt so many times that she no longer felt pain. However, Harlan was not convinced. He anxiously wanted to take her to the hospital. Anthea shook her head, explaining, "I'm not seriously injured. I'll just bandage the injuries myself when I get home. Carry on and have fun without me." Turning, she wanted to leave, but he carried her up by her waist. "You're badly hurt. How could I possibly let you head home by yourself? I'll give you a ride," said Harlan, not taking no for an answer. … While they were in the car, Harlan apologized again. "I really mistook her for you, Thea. I won't let you get hurt anymore. Also, about the matter of getting married, you're still young. There's no need to rush into it." Anthea could tell that his explanation was full of holes. She said nothing and simply looked out the window, silently watching the raindrops hitting the window. His phone suddenly rang. It was from Beatrice. "Harlan, have you dropped Ms. Murphy home? Is she alright? I'm calling because someone stopped me at the club's entrance and asked for my number. I wanted to ask if I should give it to him or not," Beatrice asked. Harlan's expression darkened. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Go for it, if you dare!" After he hung up the call, he calmed down and looked at Anthea once again. "Thea, I have an urgent matter to take care of. You should head home first, alright?" Before she said anything, he stuffed an umbrella into her hands. "It's raining outside. Be careful not to catch a cold," he added before driving off in a hurry. Anthea stood in place, suddenly thinking of what he had said earlier. "You're badly hurt. How could I possibly let you head home by yourself?" She laughed, but it was not clear if she was laughing at herself or Harlan.