Chapter 5

Lucas began to work overtime frequently and even go on business trips, causing our wedding date to be postponed.

He said the new project he was in charge of was extremely urgent and had to be completed before the new quarter.

However, Vanessa posted a photo on social media, claiming that Lucas, who was supposedly very busy on a business trip out of town, was accompanying her on a stroll along the Bund.

Lucas's explanation for this was—

"I was meeting with Mr. Li, the boss of our business partner. Vanessa happened to be there too. Remember she helped me get the project last time? So I invited her to dinner as a thank you. After dinner, I was just walking her back to her hotel, that's all. Don't overthink it..."

I didn't overthink it, because I knew this was Vanessa's declaration of war against me.

Or rather, it was her smug way of showing off and giving me a warning.

She wanted to tell me that she had set her sights on my man, and there was nothing I could do about it.

On the fifth day of Lucas's business trip, Vanessa posted another photo on social media. It was a picture of a hotel room.

Through a narrow gap in the curtains, you could see the blue coastline outside.

Coincidentally, the city where Lucas was on his business trip, the hotel he was staying at, also had a view of the sea.

I tried to video call Lucas, but he hung up.

He said he was dealing with work matters and couldn't talk at the moment, but he'd call me back later.

About two hours later, Lucas finally returned my video call. In the frame, he had already showered, his hair still wet.

Lucas and I were in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. Before we lived together, we used to video chat every night.

He was a reserved and distant person, always keeping others at arm's length, but with me, he showed a rare boyish side.

He liked to cling to me, using that whiny and tired voice, as if he was showing his vulnerability and trying to please me.

Every time, we would chat until around 10:30 PM. Only when I reminded him to go to sleep because he had work the next day would he reluctantly end the call.

But now, as the clock struck 9 PM, he said he was tired and wanted to go to bed early.

Looking at his handsome face in the video, I held back the pain in my heart and wished him goodnight.

After hanging up, I sent a message to Vanessa's husband, Derek Lee. It was the photo of Vanessa and Lucas out together.

After a long while, I finally received Derek's reply—

"That's her business. She can do whatever she wants. It has nothing to do with me."