Chapter 2

I froze in place, tears instantly falling.

This wasn't our special song after all. It seems I was the only one who cared.

Very well, I can't keep deceiving myself anymore.

Dashiell saw my tears while on the phone and instinctively reached out to wipe them away.

As soon as he extended his hand, he recoiled as if shocked, pulling it back.

Jolene yelped as if burned. He immediately hung up and took her to run her hand under water.

He asked Jolene in a puzzled, hushed tone.

"Why am I so nice to that housekeeper? Even serving her food."

Jolene hesitated for a moment, then quickly said it was because he's kind to everyone.

I gave a bitter smile. No one saw how distraught I was.

He actually dislikes that dish, but always gives it to me.

To our friends, it looked like a sign of favor.

Jolene joked playfully.

"But the housekeeper's cooking is really good. If we get married, we should keep her on."

Dashiell nodded thoughtfully.

I looked at the various burns on my hands from cooking, suddenly remembering when we first got together and I couldn't cook - Dashiell did it all.

But since we rarely saw each other then, he taught me so I could take care of myself when he wasn't around.

Over time though, I just became the housekeeper.I can't recall the taste of Dashiell's cooking anymore. We've been sharing fewer and fewer meals together.

The computer chimed with a new email notification. After settling Jolene, Dashiell opened his laptop.

From the corner of my eye, I saw his mouse hover over our shared folder on the desktop, his face showing confusion.

I gripped my chopsticks tightly, hoping he would open it.

In the next second, without hesitation, he dragged it into the trash.

My heart, which had been in suspense, sank completely.

He closed the laptop and said nonchalantly, "There's a party tonight. Jolene, why don't you come with me?"

Jolene nodded docilely, then turned to me with a challenging look in her eyes.

I dug my nails into my palm, telling myself to wait just a little longer.

Once Mom was transferred to a new hospital, everything would be over.

As Dashiell put on his suit and searched for his cufflinks, I instinctively walked over to open the drawer.

He looked at me in surprise. "Does a nanny do this much?"

Just as I was about to speak, Jolene shoved me aside to fix his tie, saying with an ambiguous tone, "Of course. After all, she's a top-notch nanny. Why don't we bring her to the party tonight too?"

Though Dashiell hesitated, he didn't refuse.

I knew what Jolene meant. She simply wanted me to watch them together, the perfect couple.At the dinner party, everyone raised their glasses in a toast, praising the couple as a match made in heaven.

I stood alone off to the side when a friend texted me.

"The professor got back to us. We'll have the results tomorrow."

I felt a bit more settled.

Jolene was whispering with her friends, her eyes occasionally darting in my direction.

Their contempt and scrutiny made me as uncomfortable as a fish on a cutting board.

As her friend passed by me, she stumbled, spilling her drink all over me.

My already sheer clothes clung even tighter to my body, revealing my curves.

Lecherous gazes stuck to me like glue, and I awkwardly tried to escape.

Jolene grabbed me, feigning concern.

"Serenity, you're not mad, are you? She didn't mean to. I apologize on her behalf."

She pulled my hand away, allowing everyone to shamelessly ogle my body.

My efforts to break free turned into apparent impatience with her apology, and Dashiell's face darkened.

"If it weren't for Jolene, you wouldn't even have the chance to see the world. How dare you give attitude?!"

Hushed, mocking voices reached my ears.

"Wasn't she Dashiell's little girlfriend before? Did he dump her?"

"Good riddance. They were never a good match anyway. Dashiell probably just wanted to try something different.""He's probably just bored with you. Besides a decent body, what else do you have going for you?"

One insult after another made my face turn pale.

"I want to go home."

Jolene's friend chimed in with a flirtatious laugh.

"Why do you want to leave? Dressed so provocatively, I thought you wanted men to look at you."

"That's right, with your background, aren't you here to snag a good match? It's your chance to climb the social ladder."

Everyone's gaze seemed to pin me to a pillory of shame, while Jolene laughed with schadenfreude.

The dress was something Jolene had forced me to wear by threatening my mom, but now anything I said would sound weak and unconvincing.

A pair of hands started groping me, making my body shudder.

I looked up to meet a pair of greasy eyes belonging to an obese man.

Dashiell's business partner.

Mr. Lincoln's hands roamed over my body as he smiled at Dashiell.

"Since this young lady seems to have that intention, why don't I do the honors of making it happen?"