She pulled out her phone and sent Atticus a message on WhatsApp.

[I already know everything. Let’s cancel the engagement.]

As expected, Atticus did not answer.

Dixie didn’t pay it any attention. She gathered her documents and returned home.

Terrence Chapman and Brianna Chapman were watching television in the living room. Seeing her return, they were startled. “It’s already late. Why did you come back?”

“Dixie, did you have a fight with Atticus?”

Terrence had a heart condition and could not handle emotional shock. Dixie had already thought out what to say. “I missed you. It just happens that I’m free these days. I’m thinking of taking you out for a trip.”

Her plan was to leave Jefferson City first and later tell them about ending the engagement.

Just before sleeping, her phone buzzed again.

[Atticus came to me twice tonight. I can’t even get out of bed anymore. So annoying.]

Dixie bit down on her lip, holding back the tears.

The boy who once looked at no one but her had eventually become someone she barely recognized.

She told herself that at least everything was already finished.

To her surprise, when she woke the next day, Atticus was seated by the bedside, gazing at her gently.

“Wife, you’re finally awake. What happened last night was my fault. I shouldn’t have left you to go to the office. I promise it won’t happen again.”

Dixie coldly laughed. “Jennifer already told me everything about the two of you. Are you still planning to lie to me?”

“You believe her words, too?” Atticus’s face remained calm. With a helpless sigh, he said, “She’s been bothering me for a long time, but I have no interest in her. Last night, there truly was an urgent meeting at the company. If you don’t believe me, look.”

He unlocked his phone and opened a video.

On the screen was a brightly lit meeting room. He sat at the head of the table, discussing matters with several company executives.

The timestamp in the upper corner of the video showed a time shortly after he had gone out the night before.

“After the meeting ended and I saw your WhatsApp message, I realized you must have misunderstood something. But your phone wouldn’t connect, so I had no choice but to call your parents.”

“Good thing you were here, or I would have been extremely worried.”

“I’m sorry, wife. I’ll take care of Jennifer. I won’t let her trouble you again.”

Dixie laughed in anger, tears nearly forming in her eyes.

It was obvious Atticus had prepared everything beforehand, even the ‘evidence.’

If she hadn’t personally seen those videos earlier, she might truly have believed him now.

She pulled out her phone and was about to unlock it when the bedroom door gently opened.

Terrence and Brianna came inside together. Seeing the anger covering her face, Terrence frowned. “Dixie, why are you still creating a scene? Atticus is occupied with his job. If something urgent happened in the middle of the night and he went to the company to manage it, that is proper business. A man should place his career first. You must look at the whole situation.”

Brianna gently advised, “Okay, Dixie, do not behave like a spoiled child. Quickly return with Atticus! He worries about you so much. He came here late at night but did not have the heart to wake you.”

When she saw the open trust and praise her parents showed toward Atticus, Dixie hesitated.

For all these years, Atticus had always been the flawless and dependable future son-in-law in their hearts.

If she revealed it now, would they trust her?

And if they believed it, would her father’s heart be able to handle it?

Suddenly, everything around her spun, and Atticus lifted Dixie into his arms.

She reacted by struggling, but he held her tightly and did not let her go.

“Dad, Mom,” Atticus spoke suddenly. “This time the mistake is mine. Dixie has suffered unfair treatment. To show my honesty, and also to make Dixie feel calm, I want to move the wedding to two weeks from now. That day is a lucky day. I hope both of you elders can accept it.”

Terrence and Brianna clearly had not expected this sudden choice, yet their shock quickly turned into happiness.

Terrence revealed a relieved smile. “You care deeply for Dixie. Naturally, we have no disagreement.”

Brianna kept nodding, her eyes a little wet. “Yes, Atticus. Leaving Dixie with you makes us feel very assured. This child, Dixie, is wonderful in every way, but sometimes she clings to things too much. Please be more patient with her.”

Atticus lowered his head and looked at Dixie, his voice so soft it almost melted. “I will. Don’t worry. In this life, I will take good care of her.”

Without difficulty, he brought Dixie away.

The car door shut, and Dixie received another WhatsApp message from Jennifer.

[You lie on the bed like a dead fish. What right do you have to cancel the engagement with Atticus? If you want to win his heart, learn it properly. Don’t use those playing-hard-to-get tricks.]

[If you really can’t learn, I don’t mind giving you a live lesson with Atticus!]

Hidden between the words was a challenge and a proud attitude.

Dixie curved her lips in a sarcastic smile.

She had always considered Jennifer nothing more than a spoiled heiress, overbearing but not very scheming.

Now it seemed she had completely underestimated her.

Someone who could secretly take Atticus away and still generously share teaching videos, how could she be an ordinary person?

Dixie did not bother arguing with her. She handed the phone to the man next to her. “Is this how you say you handled it?”

Atticus lowered his gaze to the screen. The gentle expression on his face vanished, and his voice turned cold.

“If this matter gets exposed, it won’t benefit anyone. Our parents are elderly and can’t take such a shock.”

“On the fifth of next month, just behave and become my most beautiful bride. As for Jennifer, she won’t threaten your place as Mrs. Reid.”

Dixie laughed coldly. “Atticus, have you stopped pretending now?”

“Wife.” Atticus sighed softly and put on his familiar warm smile. “I stayed up the entire night. Can’t you at least pity me a little? Come on, stop making a scene. As long as you settle down, houses, cars, jewelry, whatever you want, just say it…”

Dixie coldly laughed. “I’m definitely calling off this engagement!”

Hearing that, Atticus’s expression turned cold, and his voice sharpened. “Everyone in Jefferson City knows you went through ninety-nine surgeries for me. If you cancel the engagement, are you sure anyone else will still marry you?”

“Dad is already old, and his heart is weak. Do not make him worry.”

“Atticus!” Dixie clenched her teeth in anger. “Are you using my father to threaten me?”

Atticus neither agreed nor refused. “If you stay quiet and behave well, I promise the old man remains healthy and unharmed.”

Dixie suddenly lost control of her feelings and raised her hand to slap him.

He had prepared for it and suddenly seized her wrist. His grip was so powerful that it felt as if her bones would be crushed.

The pain was so strong that Dixie’s features twisted, and tears quickly rose in her eyes.

Atticus quickly released her hand, his voice returning to the same gentle tone as before. “Sorry, wife. Do I hurt you?”

His fake expression made Dixie feel disgusted. She quickly drew her hand back.

She refused to look at him again and turned her face toward the window.

It was the twelfth month of the lunar year, bitterly cold, just like the feeling in her heart right then.

The car became completely quiet.

Atticus seemed not to mind her response and leaned back in the seat again.

As if he had already decided that Dixie had given in.

He drove Dixie back home and left after dropping one line. “Don’t go wandering, so our parents don’t worry.”

Dixie’s eyebrows pressed together tightly. Before ending the engagement, she had to think of a way to send her parents away.

That night, Atticus did not return.

Very late at night, the phone that had stayed silent for a long time shook again.

The picture Jennifer sent was Atticus’s sleeping side view.

The caption had only five words. [He’s so tired he falls asleep.]

Dixie had just taken a screenshot to keep it when Jennifer removed the picture and the message.

She mockingly laughed and put the phone onto the bedside table, accidentally spotting a picture of herself and Atticus.

Inside the picture were the two of them from ten years before, standing beneath the big school trees, smiling carefree.

At that time, Atticus would fight with others whenever she was bullied and would awkwardly wipe away her tears.

After returning to awareness, she tossed the picture frame into the trash and lay on the bed in a blank state.

The shapes on the ceiling seemed to bend and intertwine, just like the more than twenty years between her and Atticus, looking clean and lovely on the surface, yet actually long, full of breaks and schemes.

Dixie almost stayed awake the whole night and only slipped into a faint sleep when dawn arrived.

She did not know how much time had passed when sounds rose from downstairs.

Before long, Atticus pushed into the bedroom with a dark expression.

“Jennifer almost got raped. Was it you who arranged someone to do it?!”

Atticus’s words sounded like a poisoned knife, stabbing hard into Dixie’s heart.

She opened her eyes and stared at him, her face pale.

Atticus’s expression was terribly dark as he spoke in a cold voice, “I ask you, do you do it?”

Dixie stayed silent. She slowly rose and calmly watched the man standing in front of her, both known and strange at the same time.

A smell of hospital disinfectant clung to him, likely because he came straight from the hospital.

Dixie coldly laughed. “It is not me.”

“If it is not you, who else could it be?” Atticus laughed coldly. “Last night I only went to keep her company, and today she almost lost her innocence. Dixie, do you still have any conscience?”

“Conscience?” Dixie laughed quietly, her eyes full of dislike. “Atticus, you break your vow. What right do you have to speak to me about conscience?”

“It is not me. Believe it or not.”

Atticus coldly laughed. “That thug already confessed he accepted money from you.”

After saying this, he roughly pulled her out of the villa and pushed her into the car. “Jennifer is still frightened. You’re coming with me to the hospital to apologize.”

Dixie laughed angrily. “I already said I didn’t do it. I’m not apologizing!”

She tried to open the door, but the driver had already started the Phantom.

When they reached the hospital, Atticus ignored her resistance and dragged her into the ward.

Jennifer was lying on the bed, her face bright and healthy, nothing like someone who had just been frightened.

When she saw Dixie, a brief look of pride and challenge flashed in her eyes. Then she acted scared and gave a fake apology.

“Miss Chapman, I know I was wrong.”

“I’ll stay away from Atticus. Please don’t send anyone to destroy my innocence again!”

Dixie clenched her teeth in anger at her fake behavior. “Stop pretending. From the time I found out you and Atticus were together, I already stopped thinking about staying with him. Why would I have someone to rape me?”

Right after she finished talking, Atticus spoke in a low tone, “The criminal already pointed at you himself. It cannot be wrong. Say sorry!”

Seeing the man with the dark expression, Dixie suddenly remembered the words he once told her.

“Even if one day you shoot me, I will believe the gun fired by accident.”

Atticus, who once trusted her completely, now believed the words of a criminal…

No, in the end, it was because of Jennifer.

Dixie’s heart held chaotic feelings, and her chest hurt every time she breathed.

Suddenly, a strong pain spread from her wrist. It was Atticus.

He held her wrist hard and pulled her toward the bed, his voice cold with no warmth. “Say sorry to Jennifer. Right now.”

The cornersof Jennifer’s mouth rose a little, her tone fake and sickening. “Forget it, Atticus. Am I not okay? Since Miss Chapman refuses to admit it, just let her return.”

Dixie could not bear it anymore and lifted her hand to slap her. “Jennifer, stop spreading lies about me!”

“If you want Atticus, I will give him to you. Why spend so much effort setting up such a scene?”

Jennifer clearly had not thought Dixie would hit her. Her face showed complete shock. Atticus’s face turned dark, his voice cold. “Dixie, you really go too far! Not only do you refuse to say sorry after doing something wrong, but you even hit someone…”

“I already said it was not me.” Dixie felt deeply hurt. With red eyes, she looked at him. “She set me up. The one who should say sorry is her!”

After speaking, she turned around and walked away quickly without turning back.

Atticus paused for a moment, then hurried after her.