Chapter 2

Ryan had married into our family and moved into our home.

My parents and I had fought the marriage, but Lily had gone down on her knees and begged us.

I still remembered what she’d said. “I won’t marry anyone but Ryan. Mom, Dad, Claire, please trust me. I’m going to be happy.”

My parents finally gave in.

But there was one condition. Most of the family business would go to me. Ryan had to prove himself and build a career through his own hard work.

Only then would my parents and I truly accept him.

It wasn’t that we were determined to distrust him.

Lily had grown up sheltered and adored. She was far too innocent.

She had started dating Ryan not long after beginning college.

Ryan was the golden boy from a poor rural town. He’d gotten into a top university with his entire family’s hopes riding on his shoulders.

We had no objection to him personally. It was his family that worried us.

His father was a gambling addict, and his mother was chronically ill.

Afraid Lily would suffer if she moved in with them, we’d suggested that Ryan join our household instead.

His parents had even shown up to make a scene.

They claimed that having their prestigious university graduate of a son move in with his wife’s family would disgrace the Cole name.

I had never seen my father so angry. After that, he refused to approve the marriage at all.

What finally changed his mind? Lily got pregnant.

A wedding with a baby on the way. Ryan could barely stop grinning.

I could still picture the happiness on my sister’s face at her wedding.

Just five years later, that supposed love had become a joke. Every vow had crumbled. If a man’s promises were worth anything, pigs really would fly.

Ryan still refused to give up.

He grabbed Lily’s hand. “Lily, I was wrong. Please forgive me. I promise it’ll never happen again. Just give me one more chance. Please?”

Tears streamed down her face and neck, landing on her silver necklace.

Ryan had given it to her for her birthday. I’d thought it was cheap. She treasured it.

She couldn’t believe—didn’t want to believe—that the man standing in front of her was the same man she had loved for seven years.

Lily shook off his hand. Her voice trembled. “Claire, let’s go home.”

Ryan grabbed the hem of her shirt, then dropped to his knees on the expensive carpet.

Looking at that carpet nearly made me see red. Even his affair was being funded with Bennett money. Fuck him.

Then Ryan started slapping himself with both hands like a madman, apparently hoping to soften my sister’s heart. Pathetic.

The sound echoed through the silent room.

What was that supposed to be? A light scratch?

“Harder. Are you swatting mosquitoes? Haven’t you eaten? You seemed to have plenty of energy in bed.”

I glared down at him, my voice dripping with contempt.

His face cycled through red and pale. Quite a show.

That evening, at the Bennett house.

“Ryan, what did you promise us when you married her? How could you do this to Lily?”

Dad was furious. He was getting older and had high blood pressure, so I sent the household staff out while Mom fetched his medication.

“Dad, I’m sorry. It was my fault. I lost my head. Please give me another chance.”

“Don’t call me Dad. You’ve lost that right!”

I rubbed my father’s back. “Calm down. He isn’t worth risking your health.”