Chapter 3

Juliet lowered her gaze and replied, "I understand, Callie. I've crossed the line, but I won't anymore. I wish the best for both of you." The moment she said so, Damien's buddies around them burst into mocking laughter. "Which line are you talking about, huh? Calling him in the middle of the night and begging him to pick you up? Or showing up drunk and swearing you'd marry no one but him? Or sneaking into the Kane residence to quiz the housekeeper about his type? "Damien is getting married, Julie. You're just gonna make a fool of yourself and embarrass the Marlowes if you keep clinging to him. It's better to be smart about it and not ruin Henry's friendship with Damien just because you can't let go." Each teasing jab was like salt ground into Juliet's mental wounds. Her gaze instinctively flicked to Damien, who stood just a few steps away with a calm and indifferent expression. For a split second, she felt like she couldn't recognize him at all. He was no longer the Damien who had always protected her when she was younger. But now that she thought about it, he had always been this cold to any ladies who tried to make advances on him. He wasn't the type to give anyone false hope. Looking back now, she realized he had tolerated her feelings for Henry's sake, refraining from embarrassing her outright. But now that he was dating the woman he truly cared about, he had to draw a clear line. After all, Callie probably came before everything and everyone else. The thought made Juliet bitter. She nodded and turned to walk away. The birthday party began soon after. Henry, who arrived late, was too busy greeting guests to notice Juliet. Meanwhile, Damien wasted no time introducing Callie as his future wife. He'd accept all the toasts on her behalf, feed her sweets, gently smooth out her dress when it creased, and massage her aching shoulders. Guests showered him with praise for doting on his wife. To them, Callie was the luckiest woman in the world to marry him, and they were the perfect couple. Juliet watched from afar and forced herself to look away, feeling bitter. She sat in a corner, alone and quiet. That was until Callie approached with a glass of wine and broke the silence. "It's Henry's birthday, yet you've been sitting here all night without saying a word. Are you upset?" Juliet hadn't expected her to come over and instinctively scooted away a little. "I'm not upset, Callie. I'm completely done with Damien." Callie seemed stunned, and a flicker of something complicated crossed her eyes. "But Damien told me you've made moves on him for years and that you're determined to get him." "That was the past. The moment I learned he had been in love with you all these years, I gave up. I wish you both happiness." With that, she turned to leave, but Callie grabbed her wrist. "Are you saying he has loved me for years? Who did you hear that from? Did he say it himself?" Juliet's patience for the conversation was running thin, and she said, "Everyone says so. Ask him if you want answers. I don't know anything." But Callie wouldn't let go and insisted on pressing for the truth. As they tugged back and forth, the overhead chandelier suddenly creaked loose and came crashing down. When Juliet looked up, all she saw was a huge shadow crashing down, and her mind went blank. Before she could react, Damien, who happened to be nearby, paled at the sight. He lunged forward and pulled Callie out of the way. The massive chandelier slammed into Juliet's shoulders and sent her crashing onto the ground hard. Warm blood gushed from her wounds, and excruciating pain tore through every inch of her body as if her bones had been crushed. Lying in the pool of blood, her limbs twitched uncontrollably as screams filled her ears. As her vision blurred, the last thing she saw before losing consciousness was Damien holding Callie tight and murmuring softly to comfort her. … When Juliet woke up, she saw Henry sitting by her bed with red, teary eyes. "I'm sorry, Juliet. I should've protected you better. You wouldn't be so badly injured if I had." Juliet shook her head and said weakly, "It's not your fault, Henry. It happened so fast, and you were too far away to save me." Hearing that only deepened his guilt as he recalled what had happened at the ballroom. "I was too far, but Damien was right next to you, yet he refused to save you. If Callie hadn't dragged you into that pointless chat, you could've avoided that disaster…" She shook her head and sweetly reassured him, "The woman he loves and I were both in danger. It's only natural that he protects the one he cares about most. There's nothing wrong with that. I was delusional back then, but I swear I'm over him now after what just happened." "As long as you're ready to let go, I'll always stand by you no matter what decision you make," Henry said, squeezing her hand tightly and giving her a firm nod. Juliet managed another faint smile and calmed her thoughts. As her condition gradually stabilized in the days that followed, Henry finally allowed himself to rest after days of staying by her side. Alone in the quiet ward, Juliet pulled out her phone and booked a flight ticket for ten days from now. When the airline called to confirm, she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her door and replied, "Yes, the earliest first-class flight to Arden on the 19th." "What first-class flight?"