The comments section was already ablaze with excitement.

[Wait, two surprises? What’s the second one?]

[Isn’t it obvious? The other surprise is them finally making it official!]

[You two have always been perfect together; why not just announce the wedding date?]

Among the buzzing comments, someone chimed in, [Didn’t I hear Savannah was engaged to Grayson? What’s all this about?]

[Don’t be ridiculous! Everyone knows who Savannah truly cares about. Grayson’s just some fool hopelessly in love with her. That engagement nonsense? Just wishful thinking he made up to save face!]

[Exactly, like a stray dog clinging to scraps that don’t belong to him!]

Grayson’s thoughts drifted back to those school days when Spencer’s cronies used to torment him, calling him a "stray dog" and claiming he wasn’t even worthy of being in Spencer’s shadow.

The cruelty had only stopped when Spencer had boldly declared he had a girlfriend, making it clear that he and Savannah were nothing more than friends.

And then, as if by some twist of fate, Grayson had ended up in the same company as Savannah, a stroke of luck that had allowed him to inch closer to her.

Just as he was about to scroll past the post, his eye caught a fresh "like" beneath it, Savannah’s.

He thought he had already stopped caring, but the sharp sting in his chest proved him wrong.

Was this her way of making it final?

The faint sound of laughter drifted from the other room, but Grayson chose not to interrupt. Instead, he quietly began packing his things, each motion mechanical.

He would stay at the office until it was time to leave; there was no need for back-and-forth trips. It would make it easier to head straight to the airport on the day of the wedding.

Once he finished, he headed downstairs to take out the trash, tossing their wedding photo albums into the bin. What was the point of holding onto them when he wasn’t the groom anymore?

The next morning, just as Grayson was about to leave with his suitcase in hand, Savannah, just waking up, caught sight of him.

Savannah glanced at his empty room, her voice laced with confusion. "Where are you going with your suitcase?"

Grayson froze for a moment, his words lost as his eyes fell on the red mark on her collarbone.

They had shared moments together right under his nose.

Once, Grayson would have confronted her about it, his emotions running high. But now, with his departure looming, what she did no longer held any sway over him.

"Nowhere special," he replied, his voice smooth and measured. "With so much work piling up, it’s easier to stay at the office."

In the past, no matter the hour, Grayson would have always returned home to be with Savannah.

Before Savannah could say another word, Spencer appeared in the doorway, wearing his pajamas. His voice was soft, with a hint of demand.

"Savannah, I’m hungry," he said.

Savannah, quick to shift the focus, turned her unasked question into a gentle response. "Okay, let’s go downstairs and eat in a bit."

She glanced at Grayson, her tone casual, almost dismissive. "It’s probably better for you to stay at the office. That way, you won’t have to deal with seeing Spencer around all the time."

Grayson caught the taunting glint in Spencer’s eyes, but it didn’t faze him anymore.

As he started down the stairs, Savannah’s voice stopped him. "Grayson, where are the wedding photo albums?"

Grayson glanced toward the trash bin, where the albums had once rested, now conspicuously empty. His voice was flat as he spoke, void of emotion. "I threw them out."

"What? Why?" Savannah’s voice held a note of surprise and concern.

"You said they didn’t look good, so why keep them?" he responded, his tone indifferent.

Savannah’s worry deepened, her voice tightening with anxiety. "Even if they didn’t look good, you shouldn’t have thrown them away!"

Grayson’s voice remained eerily calm. "Things you don’t like become nothing more than an eyesore, don’t they?"

Savannah fell into an uneasy silence, the sharpness of his words hanging in the air.

Grayson didn’t feel like prolonging the conversation, so he ended the call abruptly.

As he was about to drive off, he caught a glimpse of Savannah hurrying down the stairs in her pajamas and slippers. She was frantically rummaging through the trash, ignoring the mess, as if the albums were the only thing that mattered now.

After a while, Savannah sent a message to Grayson. [Forget it. The photos from last time didn’t turn out great. When we get the chance, let’s retake them. Let’s include Spencer this time so the three of us can take a few together. That’ll definitely cheer him up.]

[Okay,] Grayson replied with a simple text.

Deep down, he wanted to argue. There was no need for more photos. Savannah’s heart was already with Spencer. She didn’t need a reason to lie about it.

But it wasn’t his problem anymore. Once he walked away, everything that tied him here would fade into the past.

Still, a part of him couldn’t help but wonder how Savannah would react if he didn’t show up on her wedding day.

She’d probably be relieved, free at last. There’d be nothing standing between her and Spencer anymore.

Savannah stared at Grayson’s indifferent reply for a long moment, a trace of confusion clouding her thoughts.

Then, at the sound of Spencer’s call, she went downstairs.

When Grayson arrived at work, a sharp, sudden pain twisted through his stomach, knocking the breath from him. The discomfort was unbearable.

At that moment, Grayson felt lost, unsure who else to call, so he reluctantly dialed Savannah’s number, asking her to take him to the hospital.

She arrived almost immediately.

Seeing him soaked in cold sweat, Savannah’s brow furrowed with worry. "I’m taking you to the hospital right now!"

But just before they left, Savannah caught sight of a message on Grayson’s phone, sitting on the desk.

It was from his older brother. [I’ve already helped you get the visa.]

Savannah froze in place. "A visa? What visa?"

Grayson quickly grabbed his phone, gritting his teeth against the pain. "It’s nothing, just a business trip abroad coming up," he muttered.

Savannah didn’t press him further, giving a slight nod before she drove him toward the hospital.

But just as they were halfway there, an unexpected phone call broke the silence.

The moment Savannah picked up, Spencer’s anxious voice crackled through. "Savannah, where are you? My depression’s acting up again. I’m really scared! Please, come back soon!"

Savannah’s expression shifted instantly, and she slammed on the brakes, her heart racing as the car narrowly missed the guardrail.

A flicker of hesitation crossed her face before Savannah turned toward Grayson. "Spencer’s having an episode. I need to go take care of him. You’ll have to take a cab to the hospital yourself."

"But..."

Grayson scanned the area, about to protest that it was impossible to find a cab there. But Savannah’s impatience drowned out his concerns. "Hurry up! If something happens to Spencer, this wedding is off."

Seeing the hard edge in her eyes, Grayson swallowed his frustration and painfully forced himself out of the car.

He feared he would have collapsed on the street if not for the kindness of a passing driver who offered him a ride.

After receiving an IV drip, Grayson returned to work and found Spencer had posted something new on social media.

The photo showed Savannah cradling Spencer, her face filled with a soft, reassuring warmth. [Snow White has her prince, and I have my princess. She promised to always stay with me. Feeling happy.]

Grayson closed the app with a calm, almost detached air. Just then, a new message from a client appeared, interrupting his thoughts.

[Mr. Sawyer, did you not receive the contract last time? I’ve resent it. If everything looks good, kindly sign it, and don’t forget the company seal.]

[Also, congratulations on your wedding with Ms. Sullivan! Please remember to invite old friends of ours to the celebration.]

Grayson responded with a courteous message before downloading the contract, his focus shifting back to business.

Once the IV drip was done, Grayson made his way back to the office, printing the contract with quiet efficiency. However, the company seal, still with Savannah, meant the paperwork would have to wait. It was another reminder of how little control he had left in this situation.

Grayson lay on the hard office bed, drifting in and out of sleep. But a shadow was creeping around his desk when his eyes fluttered open. Heart racing, Grayson sprang from the bed, grabbing an iron rod and forcing it down.

A startled cry echoed through the room as the figure crumpled to the floor. Grayson was shocked to see that it was Spencer, clutching the contract he had just signed. "Give me the contract back!"

"Brother Grayson, I just need a small favor," Spencer replied, his tone almost pleading. "You know, I used to work in sales too. Since Savannah has been kind enough to bring me into the company, I want to prove I can achieve something."

He wore an expression of sincerity, but Grayson remained unmoved, his eyes narrowing with disdain. "If you want to prove yourself, go deal with the clients yourself. No need for underhanded tactics."

"Right, I suppose only disgusting people would resort to disgusting things."

Spencer’s expression faltered, but his grip on the contract remained tight, his knuckles white. Irritation burned through Grayson, who, unwilling to waste another moment arguing, reached out to snatch the contract from Spencer’s hands.

The paper ripped apart in their struggle, fluttering to the ground like confetti in the wind.

Grayson was on the verge of losing his temper when the door flew open with a crash. Savannah stormed in, her eyes sharp and protective as she stepped between them. Spotting Spencer on the floor, she quickly moved to shield him, her voice rising in a stern command. "Grayson, what are you doing? Are you trying to hit Spencer? Put that rod down!"

Spencer’s face twisted into a look of exaggerated grievance. "Savannah, I was only trying to surprise you, but he tore up the contract I worked so hard for because of his jealousy and even hit me!"

"Does he want me dead before he’s satisfied?"

Savannah’s gaze flicked to the shredded papers on the floor, her expression tightening with fury as she absorbed Spencer’s words. Her voice burned as she turned on Grayson. "Grayson, Spencer is trying to contribute to the company. Why are you stopping him? Are you afraid he’ll take your position?"

"Your pettiness is revolting!"

Her eyes softened as she turned to Spencer, noticing the red mark on his leg. Concern flickered in her eyes. Spencer’s voice trembled as he looked at her, barely holding back his tears. "Savannah... I don’t want to live anymore. Would people finally stop hating me if I were gone?”

While soothing Spencer, Savannah’s cold gaze shifted toward Grayson. Her voice was cold, laced with warning. "Grayson, I misjudged you. If Spencer does something reckless because of this, I’ll make sure you regret it."

Grayson let out a bitter laugh, disbelief in his eyes. "Savannah, open your eyes. Take a good look at the other party on that contract!"

"I nearly gave myself a stomach ulcer to secure that deal!"

He thought his explanation would land, but Savannah didn’t even spare a glance at the torn contract. She shot back without hesitation. "You can always renegotiate, and a stomach ulcer won’t kill you. But Spencer’s pain? That could be life or death. You owe him an apology!"

"If you don’t, this wedding is off."

Grayson’s lips curled into a grim smile, his patience running thin. "Fine. Then let’s not get married."

"Unreasonable! I’ll handle you once I get Spencer to the hospital!" With those words, Savannah marched off, Spencer clinging to her side, never once looking back.

Grayson was left wondering who the unreasonable one was, but it no longer mattered to him.

That evening, he threw himself into sorting through the company’s client information. At least he had honored his commitment to help her grow the business.

As for how long it would last, he no longer cared.