Chapter 3

Anastacia's voice oozed arrogance as she boasted about her affluence.

"A mere necklace is insignificant," she proclaimed. "My partner attended the same auction and purchased an entire collection of emerald jewelry for me."

I inched closer to the hallway, glimpsing her as she extended her left hand. An emerald as large as a dove's egg adorned her ring finger, its ostentatious sparkle catching the light.

"Oh my, Anastacia, your emerald is breathtaking!" One woman exclaimed. "It must have been incredibly expensive!"

Anastacia shrugged with feigned modesty, a sly grin playing on her face. "Not really. The complete set was a mere 900 million."

The ensuing collective gasp was loud enough to break glass.

"Nine hundred million?" someone murmured in astonishment. "That's far more than President Barnes paid for Penelope's necklace!"

Anastacia nodded with exaggerated indifference. "Naturally, it is. But what can I say? My partner cares for me enough to buy anything I desire, regardless of cost."

The women tittered and pressed for more information. "Anastacia, who is this partner of yours? Are they a billionaire? When will we get to meet them?"

Anastacia's tone turned aloof. "He's quite prominent, so arranging a meeting isn't easy. However, tonight he's taking me to dine at the newly opened French restaurant. Just check my social media later; I'll share everything there."

Her words echoed in my thoughts as I made my way to the parking area, where Killian was waiting in the vehicle.

He welcomed me with his signature charming grin. "All set for dinner, darling?"

I slipped into the seat next to him. "Do you have any work commitments tonight?"

He shook his head, appearing almost insulted. "Certainly not! I missed our anniversary, and I won't let work interfere with this evening too. I've cleared my entire schedule just to savor this meal with you."

However, halfway through the journey, Killian suddenly instructed the driver to stop.

"Darling, I'm terribly sorry," he began, awkwardly rubbing his neck. "The branch manager just contacted me—there's an urgent issue I must address. I'm afraid our dinner plans will have to be postponed."

I forced a smile, keeping my tone cheerful. "I understand. Work takes priority. I'll wait to eat with you."

Relief washed over his face as he returned the smile. "You're wonderful, darling. I knew you'd be understanding."

He paused, then added, "My car needs to turn back for the office. Would you mind taking a taxi home on your own?"

I nodded, meeting his gaze, but his eyes guiltily darted away.

"Alright," I said softly, watching him exhale with relief.

He gently kissed my forehead. "Darling, I promise I'll return early," he assured me.

I simply smiled, exited the car, and watched as his Maybach sped off—not in the direction of the office, but towards the French restaurant.

That night, Killian didn't come home until two in the morning. He moved stealthily, tie in hand, his shirt partially unbuttoned, revealing a hint of disheveled carelessness.

When he switched on the light, his expression changed to surprise as he found me sitting in the living room, fully awake.

He had once proudly declared at public events, "A man's true worth isn't just measured by his success, but by coming home to a light that's been left on for him."

But tonight, faced with that very light, his initial reaction was one of panic.

"D-darling, why are you still awake?" he stuttered, clearly caught off guard.

I picked up a small black box and held it out. "The housekeeper discovered this while tidying up today. She wasn't sure what to do with it, so she asked me to take a look."

The box was weathered, its edges frayed, and its surface dulled with age.

Killian's slightly intoxicated gaze sharpened as it fell on the box. "This! This is from our university days, when we were dating!"

He hurried over, visibly excited, and sat beside me. Eagerly, he opened the box, revealing a collection of small, nostalgic items—pieces of our shared past.

"This bundle of movie tickets," he said, picking them up reverently, "these are from every film we watched together. I couldn't bring myself to discard even one."

He chuckled, a wistful smile crossing his face. "I remember one of those movie dates so vividly. I was incredibly nervous. I wanted to hold your hand but was too shy, so when I finally did, I couldn't concentrate on the film at all."