Love on the Brink

Our marriage was a business deal brokered by our families. Warren Ashford had a lifelong flame, and I had a habit of falling for anyone who caught my eye. When I heard his precious Celeste was ill, my first instinct was to run and get tested for bone marrow and blood type compatibility. Please. Love-struck fools ended up digging wild vegetables for eighteen years. In a CEO romance novel, self-preservation was the only thing that mattered.

01.

Warren Ashford had a sickly sweetheart named Celeste. I first met her at my own engagement party. He knelt right there in the hall, begging to break off the engagement with the unfortunate Miss Ashford. That unfortunate Miss Ashford was me.

His parents nearly had a heart attack. I was the one who calmed them down, even poured Celeste a cup of tea. I knelt beside Warren, begged Celeste to let us be, declared my undying love for him, pleaded with her not to tear us apart. That won over his parents.

Afterward, Warren grabbed my chin, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Mia, you’re so devoted to me. You really want to marry me that badly?”

I waved a hand. “Mainly because my father’s project needs funding right now, and our families are old friends. Marrying you is good for business.”

Warren: “…”

Seeing his disbelief, I pulled out a phone and shoved it at him. “I know your father won’t let you contact her. Use this. I’ve set her up in the Lakeside Villa. You can visit her anytime.”

Warren: “…”

From that day on, we were a married couple in name only. I’d occasionally accompany him to banquets or charity events. Most of the time, he was at the villa with Celeste. The day I found out she had leukemia, I rushed to get tested that very night. When the bone marrow didn’t match, I breathed a sigh of relief.

The villa was my private property. The Ashfords couldn’t trace it. I gave her the best medical care, let her recover in peace. But Celeste had a temper. She’d break things every other day. Whenever Warren got fed up with her, he’d come take it out on me.

Simple logic: if I couldn’t be happy, neither could he.

But this time, he picked the wrong moment. Kieran was in my bed. When Warren burst in, Kieran was still drying his hair with a towel, a bath towel wrapped around his waist, showing off his eight-pack abs.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Then Kieran grinned. “Sister, I’m already undressed. Are you…”

I leaned against the wall, turned away, at a loss for words. I stole a glance at Warren’s face. It was as black as a pot, his temple visibly twitching twice. He pressed his index finger to his brow.

“Mia, you’re quite the player.” His voice was tight with anger.

I gave a sheepish laugh. “No, no, he’s the AC repairman.” Then I remembered I *had* called an AC repairman. I quickly showed Warren the WeChat records.

Warren’s expression softened slightly, but it was still grim. Kieran watched me with a knowing smirk. I didn’t have time for his feelings. I just wanted to get Warren out of here before he ruined the business partnership between our families.

Just as I was panicking, the doorbell rang. It was like a lifeline. I sprinted to open it. The man at the door held up his tools. “AC repair.” He smiled, oblivious to my despair.

Warren snapped, “Enough.” He pulled out a wad of hundred-dollar bills and threw them at Kieran. “Take the money and get lost.”

Kieran jingled the cash, flashed me a smile with his sharp little canines, but his eyes were cold. “Sister, call me again if you have another gig like this.”

02.

It had started raining sometime. Warren took the umbrella and got into the car himself, leaving me to scramble into the backseat in the rain. As soon as I was inside, a towel hit me in the face. I looked up at Warren. He frowned and told me to dry off so I wouldn’t mess up his car.

I nodded and started drying my hair. The windows were up, but it was still cold. I sneezed. Warren turned on the heater. “Grandmother wants us to come for dinner tonight.”

I hummed in acknowledgment.

After a pause, he added, “Change your clothes before you show up. Don’t let her think I’m mistreating you.”

I kept drying my hair and hummed again.

Warren seemed uncomfortable with the silence. “Don’t you want to keep your husband’s heart? Secure your position as Mrs. Ashford?” He paused. “Of course, I’m not asking you to compete with Celeste. I’m just saying, if you have any such ideas, you’d better drop them.”

I stopped drying my hair and looked at him earnestly. “Warren, don’t worry. I have zero interest in you. I just want a peaceful life. The last love-struck fool is still digging wild vegetables on my Douyin feed. I get it.” To prove my point, I raised three fingers and swore.

Warren gave a faint “mm-hmm,” then suddenly swerved and slammed on the brakes. He pounded the steering wheel and cursed. I could tell he was in a bad mood. Sure enough, he got out, pulled me out of the backseat, and said, “Walk back.”

I was stunned. “Why?”

In the rain, Warren’s lips curled into a cold smile. “So Grandmother will feel sorry for you. You’re good at playing the victim, aren’t you, Mia?” His black sports car disappeared into the rain. I sighed in exasperation and opened the Didi app.

Half an hour later, I arrived at the Ashford mansion. Grandmother was already seated at the head of the table, waiting for me. I’d changed into dry clothes beforehand. Warren seemed satisfied with my performance. He gave me a slight nod, and I smiled back. He slowly chewed a piece of beef, then handed me a glass of warm soy milk. “Mia, drink this. Warm yourself up.”

Grandmother chuckled. “Look at him, taking care of his wife.”

I gave a stiff smile and took the soy milk. I heard Warren whisper, “How did you get here?”

“Didi.”

Grandmother peeled a mango and put it on my plate. “Mia, you’re so thin. Have some fruit.” I didn’t know how to refuse, but Warren took the mango. “Grandmother, Mia’s allergic to mangoes.”

Grandmother’s face fell for a moment. I didn’t mind. She’d never liked me much anyway. Then she seemed to remember something and patted Warren’s hand. “You take good care of her. Don’t forget how she looked after you when you were sick.”

I choked on my drink.

Warren paused his knife, giving me an unreadable look. I felt inexplicably guilty and looked down, avoiding his gaze. Grandmother was talking about three years ago. Warren had been cut off from the family for Celeste’s sake, then fell seriously ill and needed a large sum of money for treatment. My business had just started doing well, and I’d made a lot of money.

I later found out it was all a setup. Grandmother insisted I was a loyal partner, while Celeste was just after the Ashford money. Even after Warren recovered, Grandmother would tell everyone how I’d stayed by his side through his illness.

But she had the wrong person. It wasn’t me who’d cared for him day and night in the hospital. It was Celeste. She’d even come to me for money when the hospital bills piled up. What had I said? Oh, right. I’d pushed her away. “If Warren really loved me, he wouldn’t have gotten such an expensive illness during my career peak.” Warren, lying in his hospital bed, had coughed up blood at my words.

But for some reason, Warren never corrected Grandmother. Instead, he let her believe it was me. Now that it was brought up again, I felt guilty. I just kept piling food onto Grandmother’s plate, telling her to eat more.

Warren finished the last piece of steak on his plate, grabbed his jacket from the chair, and stood up. “Grandmother, I’m going to the office.” Grandmother frowned. “You can’t just work all the time. Spend more time with Mia.” Please, no need. Warren gave me a bland look, picked up his keys, and left. I went back to my porridge.

Halfway through, someone nudged my arm. I looked up to see Grandmother’s excited face. She shoved a thermos into my hands. “Don’t be so passive. There are plenty of vixens out there.” She patted my hand. “Take this to Warren. He barely drank any porridge. Wait for him to finish work, and come back together.”

I was silent for a moment, couldn’t think of an excuse, and reluctantly agreed. I’d just deliver the porridge and be done with it. Whether Warren drank it or not was his problem. To keep the driver from reporting back to Grandmother, I decided to take a cab.

But as soon as I stepped out of the Ashford gate, someone pressed a cloth over my nose and mouth. My last conscious thought was a single word: *Cliché*.

03.

The hood was pulled off. I was tied to a chair in a dilapidated warehouse, the floor covered in rusty water. My eyes took a moment to adjust to the harsh light. A knife was pressed against my neck.

“You’re Ashford’s wife?”

I shook my head, then nodded. “I’m Mrs. Ashford, but he doesn’t love me. He won’t pay a ransom for me. You’ve got the wrong person. Warren has a sweetheart named Celeste. She’s the one he loves. She lives in the Lakeside Villa. Kidnap her, and he’ll pay.”

Maybe I’d revealed too much too fast. The two kidnappers exchanged glances, speechless. I hadn’t meant to drag Celeste into it, but knowing Warren, he’d probably be happy if I died, clearing the way for her. He wouldn’t save me. But if Celeste was here too, that would be different.

A day and a half later, Celeste was brought in, a hood over her head. She was wearing a white dress, her wrists raw from struggling against the rope. I put on an innocent face. “Celeste, what are you doing here?”

Celeste looked at me with contempt, then struggled against her ropes, biting her lip, her face set with determination. I’d wanted to deflect suspicion, and I was satisfied with the result. I hadn’t expected the kidnapper to chime in. “Didn’t you tell us to bring her here?”

I: “…”

I turned to Celeste, who was staring at me in shock. After a long moment, she spat, “You viper.”

The kidnappers tied us together and shoved a phone at Celeste. “Call your man.” Celeste turned her head away, fearless. The kidnapper got angry and slapped her face with the flat of his knife. “Tough guy, huh? Let’s see if you’re tougher than this knife. Dongzi, take them both—”

“Wait.” I finally spat out the rag in my mouth. “Let me call him.”

The phone was handed to me. I dialed Warren’s number. A low, lazy voice answered. “What is it?”

I cleared my throat and sobbed, telling him I’d been kidnapped, begging him to pay the ransom. There was a long pause, then a flat “Oh.”

I kicked Celeste. She yelped. The voice on the phone suddenly sharpened. “Where are you? Is Celeste there too?”

Before I could answer, the phone was snatched away. The kidnapper grinned. “If you want your woman alive, bring eight million to the Bay Pier by noon tomorrow. If you call the cops—” He was cut off.

“Four million. I’ll only save one.”

Listen to him. Was that a human thing to say? Even the kidnapper seemed disgusted. He just said, “No eight million, no body,” and hung up.

04.

The next day, Celeste and I were tied to a rock by the shore, the sea churning below. I was terrified these idiots would pull a “you can only save one” stunt. I had no doubt Warren would choose her.

Luckily, they didn’t. Warren threw down the money, and we were released. Celeste ran into his arms as I made my way to the other side. A swarm of police tackled the kidnappers. Warren glanced at me, holding Celeste, but I felt his gaze linger on me.

Just as I was about to slip away, Celeste grabbed my wrist. “Mia, where do you think you’re going?” Her grip was painful. I looked up to see her frantically shaking Warren, then pointing at me. “Warren, Mia set this up. If you don’t believe me—” Her eyes darted to the kidnappers, then steadied. “Ask them.”

I met Warren’s probing gaze. He stared at me for a long time before finally speaking. “Mia, you’d better hope this has nothing to do with you.”

Celeste was furious at his lukewarm response. She wanted him to punish me. But Warren remained unmoved. She coughed up blood. Warren scooped her up, called for the driver, and told me to come along as he got into the car.

I reluctantly got in, sitting stiffly in the passenger seat. “There’s no point in bringing me. Our blood types don’t match.”

Warren clicked his tongue against his cheek, then ground his molars. “Mia, what goes on in that head of yours? I’m taking you to the hospital to get checked out. If you’re hurt, Grandmother will blame me.”

Oh. He wasn’t asking me to donate blood. Maybe the novels weren’t entirely accurate. CEOs could be normal people too.

05.

I didn’t expect to run into Kieran in the hospital lobby. He was slouched in a chair, playing on his phone, wearing a gray hoodie, hands in his pockets. I tapped his shoulder. He looked up, frowning, then his face lit up. “Sister, what are you doing here?”

The tall boy threw himself at me, nearly knocking me over. “A friend is hospitalized. I came to visit.”

“Oh,” Kieran said, feigning understanding. “You mean that guy from the other day. He’s obviously got some serious issues.” I laughed. Kieran suddenly leaned in, his lips brushing my ear. “Don’t move.” I froze. He plucked a tiny leaf from my hair, smiling brightly. “All good, sister.”

I reached up and ruffled his hair, laughing. Then I turned to see Warren’s ashen face.

Before Warren could speak, Kieran stepped in front of me, like a protective cub. “What do you want?”

Warren gave him a cold, dismissive glance. He didn’t answer Kieran. Instead, he strode over to me and shoved a carton of warm milk into my hands. “Warm yourself up. Celeste didn’t want it.”

I raised an eyebrow, inserted the straw, and took a sip. Kieran still stood in front of me, protective, but Warren didn’t even look at him as he left. He just said he had work to do, told me to wait for the driver, and not to cause him any trouble.

Warren was always like that. He hated trouble.

06.

When I got home, Grandmother was waiting in the living room. She tapped her cane, her face dark, and patted the seat beside her. I obediently sat down. She looked me over, making sure I wasn’t hurt, then began her interrogation. “Did you hide Celeste in the Lakeside Villa? You foolish girl. Why didn’t you come to me? Why did you have to suffer in silence?”

I kept my head down, playing the part of the meek, obedient listener. Finally, she sighed in exasperation. “I’ve already sent her away. The villa is yours. Keep it.” I was stunned. I hadn’t expected her to be so ruthless. She patted my hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle Warren.”

Fat chance. No one could handle Warren. I was just dreading the inevitable confrontation. I couldn’t avoid explaining this to him. My head ached. I made an excuse and went to my room.

Sure enough, no sooner had I closed my door than Warren called. His voice was low and husky, sending a shiver down my spine. “You took back the Lakeside Villa?”

“It was Grandmother…”

He gave a faint “mm-hmm.” “I know. Get some rest.”

I stared at the phone for a long time after he hung up. Since when did Warren become so easy to talk to?

07.

I kept a little lamb in the Ashford garden. I named it Warren. I’d often poke its nose and ask, “Warren, what kind of thing are you?” It couldn’t answer. It just bleated.

I never expected my little lamb to offend Celeste.

08.

Warren came to confront me while I was eating. He threw a white dress onto the chair, glanced at my half-eaten sweet potato, and sneered. “Baijiu with sweet potato… You still have an appetite? Don’t you want to ask about your lamb?”

I was confused. “My lamb already ate.”

Warren was momentarily speechless. He pressed his fingers to his brow. “Your lamb bit Celeste’s white dress. I gave it to her.”

Now I was getting angry. I’d had a bit to drink, and liquid courage made me bold. I rolled up my sleeves and argued back. “Get Celeste in here. How dare she feed my lamb a dress? My little Warren is so cute. How could she do that?”

The tables turned. Instead of Warren yelling at me, I was yelling at him to get Celeste. Apparently, I was carried back to my room by Warren. Through my drunken haze, I remembered someone asking, “What did you say the lamb’s name was?”

“Warren.” I laughed happily.

But the person’s face darkened. He scoffed. “What kind of thing is it, being named Warren?”

I shook my head earnestly, correcting him. “It’s not a thing. Just like Warren.”

I must have been really drunk, because I swear I saw Warren’s face in front of me, gritting his teeth, saying I’d gotten bold.

09.

The next morning, sober and cowardly, I went to apologize to Warren. The Wangs weren’t as powerful as the Ashfords. I lived in constant fear of hearing “It’s a cold day for the Wangs” from Warren’s lips. Plus, my lamb *had* been at fault.

I sewed the dress back together and presented it to Warren. He picked it up, looked at it, and laughed. “Where did you find this rag?”

I was annoyed. “This is Celeste’s dress. I spent a long time fixing it. It’s not a rag.”

Warren finally put down his laptop and looked at my clumsy stitching. “It’s well sewn. Don’t do it again.”

I snatched the dress back, furious. “Fine. Don’t wear it then. And how dare you bring Celeste here? What if Grandmother finds out?”

Warren took a sip of coffee. “Don’t worry. I’m just picking up something. She won’t know. Unless you tell her.”

I mumbled an “oh.” “Are you staying at the mansion tonight?”

Warren stopped typing and gave me a knowing smile. “When have I *not* stayed at the mansion?”

I was shocked. “How would I know?”

Warren ruffled my hair. “You sleep like a log. How would you know anything?”

10.

Grandmother went to Florence. The night she left, I brought Kieran home. But I didn’t expect Warren to bring Celeste too. So the four of us sat in the living room, staring at each other in awkward silence.

“How about… poker?” I pulled out a deck of cards.

11.

The poker game was a lie. Bringing Kieran home wasn’t my idea either. It was Warren’s. I didn’t know what he was planning. I only knew my lamb had caused trouble again. Last time, it chewed Celeste’s dress. This time, it knocked her over, and she coughed up blood.

I panicked, standing helplessly as Warren carried Celeste away. Before he left, he gave me a long, hard look. Kieran stepped forward, ruffled my hair, and told me not to worry. He pulled a beautiful collar from his pocket and put it on the lamb. “Beautiful. Just like Mia.”

I felt like crying. Instead, I crouched down and hugged the lamb and Kieran tightly. Through my tears, I looked up at Kieran. “Kieran, if I could grant you one wish, what would it be?”

Kieran shrugged. “I don’t want anything. If I had to pick… help me find a job.”

My heart sank. What had Warren said when he told me to bring Kieran home? “Ask Kieran if there’s anything he wants. Like… a job. Especially one at Ashford Group.”

I felt like I’d walked into a trap, unable to see the strings. Then Kieran said, “Ashford Group seems like a good place.”

12.

Kieran and I rushed to the living room. Warren was tending to Celeste’s scraped palm. She was crying, burying her face in his chest. Warren’s face was dark. “You’ve raised a fine beast.”

The servants were watching me like I was a spectacle. The doctor looked up too. I felt humiliated, standing there like a child being scolded. “The lamb is usually very gentle. I don’t know why it hurt Celeste… And it doesn’t have a mind, it doesn’t know…”

Warren cut me off. “The beast has no mind. Does its owner?”

The servants snickered. I felt like I was being publicly executed. Kieran rubbed his nose, opened his mouth, but said nothing.

“It’s just a lamb. It doesn’t have a mind. If someone didn’t go near it, how could it hurt them?” The doctor spoke up for me. He was packing up his medical kit, a cold smile on his face. “Mr. Ashford, you’re being a bit dramatic. One might think the lady in your arms is the real Mrs. Ashford.”

I recognized the doctor. His name was Julian, recently returned from abroad, a brilliant physician. I hadn’t expected Warren to call him for a scraped palm. I also hadn’t expected Julian to defend me.

Warren was clearly angered. He tightened his grip on Celeste’s hand without realizing it, making her wince. “Dr. Julian, you’re quite the busybody.”

Julian smiled, his eyes indifferent, as if watching a child throw a tantrum. “I really couldn’t care less.” He picked up his kit and walked out. As he passed the table, he picked up the bottle of baijiu, shook it, and looked at me. “Mistakes have consequences. This baijiu is bad for you. Confiscated.”

13.

After Julian left, I felt a surge of委屈. “Warren, after all these years of marriage, have you ever considered me your wife?”

Warren raised an eyebrow, his smile mocking. “What, are you going to play the emotional card now?”

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. This was a business marriage. I shouldn’t expect anything from him. “The garden has cameras. Check them.”

Celeste’s face went pale. Warren’s expression hardened. “You think I would suspect Celeste?”

He wouldn’t check the cameras. Checking would be an insult to Celeste, a sign of distrust. He would rather blame me, blindly and unjustly.

I smiled and gave him the finger. “Six.” Then I turned and went upstairs. On the stairs, I remembered Kieran. I turned back. “Oh, Kieran starts at Ashford Group tomorrow.”

Kieran’s face lit up. Warren was lazily playing with Celeste’s hair, his face dark. He didn’t like Kieran? Fine. I’d make sure Warren saw him every day. I never lost at being petty.

Back in my room, I changed clothes and climbed out the second-floor window, planning to hit the club. But at the gate, I ran into Julian again. He was leaning against his car in his white coat, drinking water. When he saw me, he smiled, his eyes crinkling.

I was shivering in a crop top and a miniskirt. I just nodded at Julian and tried to leave, but he stopped me. He screwed the cap back on his water bottle and pointed at my clothes. “If you don’t keep warm, you’ll get cramps during your period.” Then he draped his white coat over me, buttoned it up, and handed me his water bottle. “Warm your hands.”

I took the bottle, confused. I didn’t understand why he was being so nice to me. People tend to get emotional when they’re catching a cold. I sneezed, wiped my nose on the coat, and looked at him innocently. “You don’t mind, do you, Dr. Julian?”

I was a despicable person. Cowardly, selfish, a crybaby. Julian would find out sooner or later. Better he know now, so he wouldn’t waste his kindness on me. Warren liked Celeste because of her rebellious spirit. She dared to throw things at him. I never dared to resist.

Julian just chuckled softly. He pulled out a tissue and wiped my nose. His fingers were cool, brushing against my cheek, sending a tingle through me. “Dress warmer next time. Don’t catch a cold. Get in. I’ll give you a ride. It’s on my way.”

“But I haven’t told you where I’m going.”

Julian had already opened the car door, smiling. “I’m free. Anywhere is on my way.”

14.

I said I wanted to go to a club. Julian refused. He turned on the heater and rolled up the windows. “You didn’t finish your sweet potato. You must be hungry. Let’s get something to eat. Guess where we’re going?”

My ears perked up at the mention of food. “King crab.”

“Alright. King crab it is.”

15.

I used to like Warren. The first time I got my period, I thought I was dying. Blood stained my white dress. Warren took off his jacket and covered me. He handed me a pad, blushing. “Here. I just bought it at the store. Don’t wear white dresses anymore. They don’t look good on you.” I never wore white dresses again. But he fell in love with Celeste, who always wore white.

I got the lamb after I realized I liked Warren. I named it after him. But now I was ready to butcher it. I didn’t like Warren anymore. Or maybe I never really did. Falling for someone new was one of my best qualities. And Julian was way better than Warren in every way.

Just as I was sharpening my knife, my phone buzzed. It was Julian, asking what I was up to. I sent him a picture of the lamb and told him I was planning to eat it for dinner. “Why the sudden change of heart?” “Because after three years, it hasn’t even laid an egg.”

Julian sent a “haha” emoji, then video-called me, suggesting I keep it. On the screen, Julian smiled gently. I was drowning in pink bubbles. I didn’t care about the lamb anymore. I put on a sweet voice and called him “Brother.” “Brother, can you give our baby lamb a name?”

Julian’s smile deepened. He looked down, his soft hair falling over his brow, his eyes sparkling. I was mesmerized. I blurted out, “How about Julian? Just as cute as you.” Julian pretended to be angry, pouting. He was backlit, his pale skin flawless. He tapped the screen. “Silly. Boop.”

God, this guy was killing me.

16.

We settled on the name Gigi, a play on Julian’s name. My relationship with Julian heated up fast. On National Day, Julian texted me to come downstairs. I opened the window and saw him holding a bouquet of roses. I ran down. He opened his arms and spun me around.

I held the roses, pretending to be coy. “But Dr. Julian, I have a husband.”

Julian blinked, his long lashes casting shadows under his eyes. “I’m just giving you flowers. Nothing else. Your husband won’t be mad, will he?”

I pinched his cheek. “Julian, I’m in a good mood today. Let’s have some baijiu.”

Julian ruffled my hair. “Forget the baijiu. Let’s go upstairs. I’ll make you some millet porridge.”

Just then, my phone buzzed. It was Warren, telling me to come back to the mansion tonight. I glanced at it and turned off the screen. Another message came in. “I’ll pick you up.” I blocked him.

Julian was busy in the kitchen, wearing an apron. I was at the table, banging my knife and fork, demanding food. Soon, he brought out a plate of crabs. He cracked one open, scooped out the meat, and fed it to me. “Crab is cold-natured. Your stomach is weak. Don’t eat too much.” I nodded obediently and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Can you taste the crab on my lips?” Julian froze, his eyes dark. Then he swallowed, pulled me closer, and deepened the kiss.

17.

I texted Warren that my driver was picking me up. He could either ride with me or not come at all. That evening, I saw him downstairs, lighting a cigarette. He blew out a smoke ring. “Mia, you’ve got some nerve, blocking me.”

I didn’t even look at him. I got into the backseat. After a moment, Warren followed. He must have seen the footage, realized Celeste had provoked my lamb. He knew he was in the wrong, so he gave me a diamond necklace. I picked it up, examined it. Nice quality. Then I tossed it aside. Warren looked ready to argue.

“Warren, what gave you the idea that a diamond necklace could make up for how you treated me?”

Warren cursed, rolled down the window, and threw out his cigarette. The cold air made me shiver. “I apologized. What more do you want? Celeste has leukemia. You provoked her.”

I was furious. “If she has leukemia, she should stay home and rest. How can I avoid provoking her? Should I kowtow to her every time I see her? I’d probably bounce right back up.”

Warren’s impatience was obvious. “Mia, you—”

I cut him off. “You what? You want me to get out again? I’m sick of this. This is my car, Warren. Get out.”

“Fine. You’ve got guts.” He slammed the door and got out. I looked at the phone in my hand, satisfied. I’d lifted it from Warren’s pocket. It was raining hard. He wouldn’t be able to get a cab. He’d have to walk.

18.

Grandmother was in Florence. She got stuck there due to quarantine. Probably for the best. She’d have a heart attack if she saw what was happening. Kieran was now running Ashford Group. Apparently, he’d started at the bottom and worked his way up, reviving several dying industries. Rumor had it he was Warren’s father’s illegitimate son. Warren hadn’t been involved with the company for months, giving Kieran an opening.

By the time I heard the Ashfords were going bankrupt, Kieran had already moved into the mansion. He sat there, legs crossed, smiling at me. “Sister, didn’t see that coming, did you?”

I paused. “Actually, I did.”

Kieran: “…”

“You hid that bug too obviously. It was hard to miss.” Yes, the collar he’d given my lamb had a bug in it. He probably wanted to hear me discuss company secrets. Hilarious. I was a ditzy socialite. My father ran the family business. What did I know about corporate secrets?

Kieran seemed surprised by my sharpness. He paused. “Do you know who was behind the kidnapping?”

“Probably Celeste.”

Kieran was silent again. I continued. “She was too calm. Like she knew the kidnappers wouldn’t hurt her. She was probably testing whether Warren loved me.” It was unnecessary. If Warren loved me, I’d know.

Kieran pulled out a card and threw it on the table. “Sister, one million or Warren. Choose.”

Easy. I’d hesitate for a second if I didn’t respect the money. “I’ll take the million.”

19.

Warren signed the divorce papers and was kicked out of the mansion. He stood in the street, smoking, unfazed. When he saw me, he smiled. “You and Julian?”

I didn’t answer. He stubbed out his cigarette, his smile bitter. “Mia, you’re always so indifferent. If I said I wanted to chase you now, would we have a chance?”

I laughed. “Six.”

Warren didn’t get angry. He walked over and wrapped his scarf around my neck. “Mia, what if I said I just realized I like you? Would you believe me?”

I was about to flip him off again, but he grabbed my hand. He seemed to realize how ridiculous he sounded. He changed the question. “If Julian and I got into a fight, who would you help?”

“Julian.”

Warren’s smile turned bitter. “I didn’t realize he meant that much to you. What if I got into a fight with someone else?”

“That someone else.”

Warren: “…”

20.

Turns out, you shouldn’t celebrate too early. Kieran hadn’t even settled into his position when Warren took the company back. He’d known about Kieran from the start. He’d worked with trusted shareholders to transfer a shell company to Kieran, flushing out the traitors. Warren was always clever. If only he’d stop looking at me with that pathetic, lovesick expression.

Kieran had given me a million to leave Warren. Now Warren was offering me two million to stay as Mrs. Ashford. I waved my hand. “I’m done.”

I ran into Kieran outside the Ashford building. He’d been kicked out. He tried to smile. “Didn’t see that coming.”

I didn’t say anything. He raised an eyebrow. “What, you predicted this too?”

I nodded honestly. “Warren always knew you were his father’s son. He told me to bring you in.”

Kieran: “…”

21.

Warren got drunk and texted me late at night, asking if I wanted to get back together. I quickly replied, “Where are you?” “Outside your place. Come down and hug me.”

I laughed. “I’ll transfer you two bucks. Rent a bike and go home.”

Julian was always gentle. When I was learning to drive, he’d calmly tell me not to be nervous. Unlike Warren. Last year, when I didn’t know how to brake, he’d just said, “Yeah, yeah, run him over.”

22.

Julian and I got married. We’re happy. I haven’t heard from Warren in a long time. Some say he went abroad. Some say he died. No one’s seen him.

When did I really give up on Warren? It was when Celeste was knocked over by my lamb. He came to my room, looking at me like I was something disgusting. “Mia, don’t tell me you had your beast push Celeste to get my attention. Pathetic. Just like your beast.”

He called my lamb a beast. He probably forgot. Back in school, needle felting was popular. I stayed up three nights making a little lamb for him. When I gave it to him, he hung it on his backpack with a grimace. “This pig is ugly.” I kicked him. “It’s my lamb. I want to raise a white lamb someday. We can raise it together.” Warren had just said, “Oh. Then you’d better get a smart one. One that can take care of itself and you.”

Thinking about it still hurts. But I have Julian now. I’ll always be faithful to Julian’s love. And I’ll never forgive Warren.

[The End]

Bonus: Warren

Mia once asked me a ridiculous question. “