“And every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday,” Bernice continued, “you’re not allowed to bother me. I’ll be spending time with Phineas… just talking with him.”

She said those conditions straight-faced, like she wasn’t tearing open her own dignity and tossing it on the floor.

It wasn’t the shamelessness that surprised me.

It was how boldly she aired it out, like she was proud to be someone’s kept woman.

Last time, she at least pretended to be cold and distant. She never dared flaunt her affair with Phineas in the open like this.

Now, she wasn’t hiding it at all.

Slowly, I smiled. ‘So,’ I figured out, ‘Bernice… You also came back to this life, huh?’

“Just buying a villa is enough to win me over completely. Oh, boy, you must be thrilled.”

“But don’t get ahead of yourself, though,” she added quickly, curling her lip. “Even if we marry, you don’t get to touch me. Not without my consent!”

Her words made me laugh.

‘Of course. That’s exactly how it was last time.’

I bent over backwards to please her, and what did it get me? A knife in the chest and a child that wasn’t mine.

The one time she actually touched me, I thought she was finally softening and letting her walls down.

Turns out, she was just pregnant—with Phineas’s kid. Bold of her to want me to raise their child.

I smirked and told her the truth about the marriage arrangement.

“Sorry to burst your bubble, Bernice, but you’re never going to be part of the Gainsboroughs.

“My family never forced any of you to stay.

“As long as you give up everything my family gave you, you can be with whoever you want. Why don’t you just give them up?”

She gave me a long, mocking look—top to bottom, like she was inspecting dirt under her nails.

“Oh, grow up. Here you are throwing a tantrum again.

“You still can’t accept the fact that you’re a useless nobody, can you?

“You think you can compete with Phineas? He’s the chauffeur’s son, sure—but he knows business. He’s got money. He’s got brains. He’ll be something. You?”

Her words almost made me laugh out loud.

Back then, I tanked my grades, my reputation, my future—just to chase her shadow through nightclubs and racing circuits.

Geraldine scolded me, warned me again and again. The night she cried for the first time in front of me—I still remember.

I skipped Bernice’s invite that night. One time. Just one.

And what happened? She went out alone. Got followed.

I dropped everything to find her. Took a knife for her. I bled for her.

But when I woke up, somehow, it was Phineas who had saved her. His father died heroically.

And from that day on, she funneled Gainsboroughs resources straight to Phineas.

He stole my homework. My projects. My awards.

And I let it happen. I didn’t dare make her mad.

But here’s the truth—Phineas could barely read a textbook. He was a fraud wearing my skin.

“So if he’s that great,” I said, voice low and steady, “why not go tell my grandfather you want to marry him?

“Or is it that you want to be Mrs. Gainsborough, but you can’t stomach being with me?”

For a second, she had no answer. Then she snorted twice, brushing it off.

“Oh, I get it. You’re trying to make me angry. Classic Cyril—throwing fits just to get my attention.

“Well, okay. I forgive you. I know it must sting—having to buy Phineas a villa. That must hurt your pride.

“But if I don’t see that villa within three days? Don’t even think about me showing up to the engagement announcement party.”

As she turned on her heel like a queen walking away from trash, I stared after her, my lips curling in contempt.

‘Delusional. Let her keep that smug confidence.’

She got one thing right—I am buying the villa.

But it’s not a gift.

It’s a trap.

That place will be laced with cameras.

‘And when the whole world sees the Gainsboroughs’s “expected bride” in bed with the chauffeur’s son?’

That’s when I’ll pull the trigger.

Public. Humiliating. Final.

I sent my most trusted man to take care of it.

The execution’s already in motion.

I knocked on Geraldine’s door, but no one answered.

In the end, it was the cleaning lady who told me—Geraldine had booked a flight and left without a word.

I stood there, stunned, for a moment, and then I let out a helpless laugh.

After what happened to Bernice—the day she almost got hurt—I blamed Geraldine.

She was the one who stopped me from going out, and because of that, Bernice turned her back on me.

Three years had passed since then. Her phone number was still on my blacklist. We hadn’t spoken a word.

Thinking of that, I removed her number from the blacklist.

A second later, my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.

It was Geraldine. All the old messages started pouring in.

[Idiot! You got played like a fool by a woman, and you still had the nerve to yell at me?!]

[Wow. It’s my birthday and you really didn’t get me anything? Fine. But just so you know—I’m totally holding this against you!]

[Cyril… you’ve grown up. Maybe it’s time I leave. I’m scared I won’t know how to stop loving you…]

Each message struck deep. My heart stirred, unable to stay calm.

But fortunately, this life gives me a chance to fix my regrets.

And so, I turned to leave… only to be suddenly stopped by someone barging in.

It was Phineas.

He dropped to his knees the second he walked in, his voice trembling, his eyes nearly in tears.

“Sir, please don’t give up on Bernice just because of me!

“She’s really innocent—nothing ever happened between us!

“You must be mad. I’ll punish myself so you can vent it out!”

He started hitting himself hard over and over.

Everyone nearby began pointing and whispering, looking at me like I was the villain.

Right then, Bernice stormed in.

And the moment she saw Phineas on his knees, her face twisted with fury.

“Cyril! I knew you were this kind of person!

“You act all calm, pretending you didn’t care, and now you’re taking it out on Phineas behind everyone’s back?

“Get down and apologize to him—right now! Or I swear, Cyril, I’ll never forgive you!”

But I just let out a cold laugh.

“He slandered me. What the hell did I do wrong?”

Her anger only burned hotter.

“Phineas would never lie! He’s kind and decent—he wouldn’t do something like that!

“You, Cyril, you’re petty and power-hungry. You used your status to force him to kneel!

“If you don’t get on your knees and apologize, I will marry Phineas. I swear, I won’t marry you!”

Phineas seemed to panic the moment those words came out of her mouth.

He tried to stop here, say something—anything.

But before he could get a word in, Bernice grabbed his arm and dragged him away in rage.

“Phineas, we’re leaving!” she said impatiently. “When no one’s around, Cyril will kneel and beg. You’ll see.”

I didn’t say a word the entire time. Because honestly?

‘She’s not worth it.’

I let her shout. I let her make a scene.

But once my family announces the official bride-to-be tonight, she’ll be kicked out of our place.

‘I don’t need to stoop to her level.’

Later that night, while I was sketching out the wedding gown for Geraldine, Bernice barged into my room, full of herself.

“Cyril, I got the villa you sent. I’ll let it go this time,” she said, her arms crossed.

“But if you ever try to save face in public by making me look bad again? You won’t be forgiven so easily.

“Oh, and here—your apology gift.”

‘Apology gift?’

That made me put down the fashion magazine I was flipping through.

She handed it to me. It was a brand-new luxury watch, one of the newest models.

She smiled proudly. “The back’s engraved with your birthday.”

I turned it over.

Yeah, there were numbers etched in.

But I immediately gave it back, laughing from sheer disbelief.

“Bernice… Is it even my birthday? And you’re really here giving this to me?”.

She frowned at the back of the watch, and then she laughed it off.

“Well, you know how it is—hang around greatness, and a little of it rubs off,” she said. “Phineas’s on another level. Even stuff he turns down still feels… special because of him.”

“You should wear it. Maybe then you’ll finally be half as impressive as him,” she said with a smug smile. “I’m just helping you improve, as your future wife.”

“You’re serious?” I asked flatly.

She nodded, completely pleased with herself.

“Of course. It’s for your own good. But let’s be clear—the gift isn’t entirely free. About the gala the day after tomorrow—Phineas doesn’t have anything decent to wear.

“So he’ll need your ‘Starlight’ tux.”

That was it. I laughed, stunned at her audacity.

“Bernice, the Starlight tux isn’t just some suit—it’s part of my family’s legacy. Only the heir of my family wears it. And it’s my wedding gala suit. What the hell gives Phineas the right to wear it?”

Her expression soured. She looked really disappointed.

“I really thought you’d come to terms with being a nobody by now. But clearly, you’re still delusional.”

I pointed to the door behind her, my voice cold and flat. “Get. Out.”

That night, I checked the villa’s security cameras as usual.

There she was—climbing into Phineas’s bed.

They didn’t even try to hide it, playing out their little love scene right in front of me like it was a game.

I thought she’d come back empty-handed and humiliated.

Instead, the night of the gala arrived—and I couldn’t find my suit.

The Starlight tux was gone.

Forced to wear a plain black one, I showed up… only to see Phineas, parading through the crowd, wearing my tux, holding Bernice’s hand.

People stared. Envious. Whispering.

And I understood—when asking nicely didn’t work, Bernice just took it.

She literally stole my tux.

As I walked in, the mood shifted. The room went quiet, tension cutting through the air.

All eyes were on me.

As soon as Bernice spotted me, her smile dropped instantly, replaced by annoyance.

“Oh, come on, Cyril. Can you not act like a damn child for once?” she snapped. “You swore you couldn’t wear anything but that tux, and yet here you are in something else. I call that drama.”

Phineas chuckled awkwardly, pretending he had no clue how valuable the tux was.

“Sir, please don’t be mad at Bernice. It was my idea.”

The way they acted, like they were in on some inside joke and I was the punchline… My patience cracked.

“Well, isn’t that convenient…”

But before I could unload my rage, I saw it—the sleeve. A rough edge. Sloppily altered.

I stepped forward, my eyes narrowing.

“You cut the Gainsboroughs’s heirloom?” I asked, my voice low but shaking with fury.

Bernice moved in front of Phineas protectively.

“I told him to. The suit didn’t fit. What’s the big deal?”

I stared at her, and I swear I could feel fury boiling in my chest.

“That tux is a symbol of my family’s honor. It’s been passed down through generations—stitched, patched, never cut. I told you that. Yesterday. I made that crystal clear.”

Phineas tugged at her sleeve, clearly getting nervous.

“Sir, I swear I didn’t know. Please don’t make me pay for it—I can’t afford that.”

Before I could reply, Bernice huffed and rolled her eyes.

“Cyril, you own dozens of tuxes. He wore one. Why are you so pressed?

“And honestly? He wore it better than you ever did.

“And this whole ‘don’t cut the heirloom’ nonsense? I’m your future wife. If I say cut it—we cut it.”

‘Typical Bernice. She wants the title, but she doesn’t want the marriage. She wants the power, but not the price.’

What she didn’t know? She was never going to be my wife.

I let out a cold, mocking laugh. My voice dripped with contempt.

“Bernice, what makes you so damn sure you were ever going to be my wife?”

Bernice’s brows knitted, but her tone brimmed with overconfidence.

If it’s not me, then who else would it be?” She scoffed.

“I am going to be your future wife,” she declared. “Let me spell it out for you, Cyril—once I marry into your family, I'll tear down all your backward traditions, one by one!”

But just then, the room buzzed with sudden unrest.

Grandpa stepped out from behind the crowd, his face carved from stone, his eyes blazing with fury.

“Bold words,” he spat. “You think you can rewrite the family legacy before even setting foot through our door?

“Unfortunately for you, you never were—and never will be—Cyril’s choice.”

His voice echoed through the hall, silencing every whisper.

“He chose the woman who shielded him through the hardest years of his life. The woman who raised him.”

He turned to the crowd.

“He chose… Geraldine Godwin!”

Bernice shot up from her chair, her face pale, her eyes wide.

“No… No way!”