I recalled how Caleb had said, "You've been so good to me, Quinn. I, Caleb Larson, swear on my life that I'll be your faithful knight for the rest of our lives."

Caleb lied.

Frowning, I threw my phone out of the window without hesitation. It crashed into the tarmac, screen cracking. Fractures appeared in our wedding photo.

"I'm tired, Jason. Drive me home."

The mansion was abnormally silent when I got home. I was about to go upstairs when I suddenly noticed that the lights were on in the bathroom, and I could hear the sound of pouring water.

Had Caleb come home? My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't prepared myself mentally to see him again.

As I hesitated, I heard humming from the bathroom. It was a woman. Who was it?

My heart sank into my stomach. Padding over to the door, I grabbed the baseball bat I kept in the corner and snuck upstairs, leaning against the bannister as I went.

I knelt by the door and waited for the intruder to come out. When the door opened, I watched as Selene walked out, wrapped in my silk robes. Her wet hair was strewn over her shoulders as she hummed a tune.

The second she saw me, the contented expression on her face disappeared.

"Cal, Cal, save me! She wants to beat me up again!"

Selene's knees gave out as she crumpled onto the floor. She cried as though the end of the world had come early.

Upon hearing her shrieks, Caleb rushed over, appearing seemingly from nowhere. He shoved me aside and stood in front of Selene.

"Aren't you done with your childish ploys? Will you only be satisfied if she dies?"

"Let me ask you, Caleb. Why is this woman in my house? Why is she using my bathroom?" I enunciated every word clearly, pushing down the anger bubbling at the surface.

"The hospital environment is not ideal for Selene's recovery. I brought her back so she could recover in peace." Caleb spoke as though his explanation made all the sense in the world.

"Recover in peace? In my bedroom and my bathroom?"

I was so furious I snorted at the utter nonsense Caleb spewed righteously.

"I'm warning you, Caleb. You had better get her out of my sight within three minutes. Otherwise, I won't hold back anymore."

Selene nestled into Caleb's chest. She tugged at Caleb's sleeves and whimpered timidly, "Cal, has Quinn always had such a terrible temper? That explains why Madam…"

Pausing purposefully, she turned to me, a challenge glinting in her eyes.

"Quinn pissed her off so much she died, right?"

Selene's words were like a thorn. It stabbed into the deepest crevice of my heart, where I'd hidden my secret. I felt as though my blood had frozen in my veins. I couldn't breathe.

"You're asking for it."

Driven by impulse, I swung my bat at her. A dull thud sounded out. Caleb had caught the bat, withstanding the hit for Selene. Quinn could hear his bone cracking.

His eyes were rimmed red as he glared at me angrily.

"You're incorrigible, Quinn!"

Incorrigible.

I zoned out. My mother's name was Cecilia Weston. Her death was a forbidden secret in my family. It was a secret that had to do with me, back when I was a spoiled little princess, headstrong and reckless.

I felt as though I could smell the scent of the storm from three years ago.

Back in the hospital, I had clung onto Caleb, who'd suffered a fatal wound to save me. Begging and screaming, I insisted on marrying him immediately.

Cecilia was a strong woman who'd carried the Stewart family on her shoulders her entire life. She wouldn't give me her blessing.

She said he was ambitious and harbored ulterior motives. Yet, did I listen to her?

A young girl crazy in love would only think that the world was trying to stop her from achieving her happiness. So, I handled it my way.

Being brash and unafraid of consequences, I trespassed onto the territory of our enemies, while men on both sides were engaging in an intense brawl.

Even now, I still have no idea what I wanted to prove by doing that. Was I trying to prove my sincerity? Or did I just want to strongarm my mother into giving in?

My mother had rushed over like a madwoman. She used her body as a shield, taking a bullet to the heart for me.

"I'll give in. Be happy with him."

With her last breath, she fulfilled my selfish demand.

Outside the funeral home, rain poured.

Caleb knelt before Mom's photo. He slammed his head against the ground again and again until blood and rain streamed down his face.

"Cecilia, I swear that Quinn will be the only woman I love! I will protect her with my life and make sure she doesn't suffer. If I go back on my promise, I'll die a terrible death!"

I'd believed the passion burning in his eyes, thinking that his warmth would drive away the chill in my heart from my mother's death.

Back in the present, I met Caleb's eyes.

"I'm incorrigible? Have you forgotten everything you said before Mom's grave?"

Caleb seized for a moment. His arm fell to his side.

"Selene's young, and she didn't mean it. Forgive her."

She didn't mean it? I shook my head.

"She must pay for what she said!"

Imbued with a sudden burst of strength, I lifted the bat once again and swung it toward Selene.

The bat didn't make contact with Selene. Instead, it hit Caleb. He'd shielded her with his own body.

When the bat landed on him, he whimpered and paled. However, his hold on Selene hadn't loosened up at all. Instead, he'd pressed her further into his chest.

Just like…

Just like that stormy night back then. Caleb had been covered in blood, but he'd protected me with everything he had.

"Don't be scared, Quinn. I'm here."

I didn't stop hitting him. I even put even more force into it as the bat collided with his body again and again.

Stuck in a trance, the sound of him consoling Selene broke through the haze in my head.

"Don't be scared, Selene. I'm here."

…

All the anger and madness drained out of me. My arms fell, and the bat thudded to the ground.

I stood in place, disoriented, and watched as Caleb anxiously asked Selene whether she'd gotten spooked. He didn't even care about his own injuries.

Then, I looked up at him. The love and warmth in his eyes had disappeared, only to be replaced with disdain and disappointment.

At that moment, I understood.

He had thrown away our past, as well as the tears and promises he'd made, even though he'd nearly sacrificed his life to have me.

It wasn't a misunderstanding, nor was he just playing hard to get. Caleb genuinely didn't love me anymore.

"I was wrong about you, Quinn. I used to think you were just reckless and headstrong because you were spoiled. Yet, Selene merely said something wrong, and you wanted to take her life. Turns out you're an evil woman through and through."

He pulled Selene till she was flush against him, as though he wanted to become one with her.

Selene took the opportunity to wail in his arms.

"I'm scared, Cal, I'm scared! I don't want to see her!"

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

After pressing a kiss onto the top of Selene's head, Caleb continued glaring into my eyes.

"You can't stand her, Quinn? Then I will."

He stopped looking at me. Caleb bent down and gathered Selene into his arms. Then, he brushed past me to leave our house.

The door slammed, the sound echoing through the empty mansion.

Caleb did not come back until the day he published his official statement on breaking ties with the Stewart gang.

The Stewarts used to rule Ashville. However, as different national powers came to light, the Stewarts had started shifting their focus to their overseas businesses. Caleb took advantage of the Stewarts' power and utilized his own ruthlessness to make a name for himself.

It was only a matter of time before they received notice of his departure from the Stewarts.

I sipped my tea, not offering a reaction.

Jason continued ranting angrily about Caleb.

Shortly after moving out, Caleb brought Selene to many exclusive events that he'd only have been able to enter on account of being married to the daughter of the Stewart family.

They flaunted their love unabashedly. Caleb pulled her chair out, helped her put her coat on, and wiped at the corner of her mouth constantly. Selene became the subject of envy for all the women in Ashville.

News about them flooded headlines from financial papers to entertainment tabloids. Caleb's love was passionate, and he wanted everyone to know about it.

Jason trembled with anger when he saw on his tablet that Caleb had won a bid for an expensive blue diamond and gifted it to Selene.

"Ungrateful bastard! How had he sworn on his life before Mrs. Stewart? How dare he do this? How dare he humiliate you like that? Mr. Stewart is overseas, not dead … Does Caleb really think there's no one left in the Stewart gang?"

I sat by the window, looking out at the overcast sky without replying.

A parcel came with no return address. I opened it to reveal a velvet box. Inside was the golden bracelet with Caleb and Selene's initials, the one she'd shown off to me.

"Cal said he'll marry me. You're going to be unwanted after this. This golden bracelet is an apology gift. Sell it off for some pocket money, Ms. Stewart."

I studied the bracelet and note for a long time. Then, I huffed out a laugh.

"Help me post a letter, Jason."

A month later, Caleb and Selene had their grand wedding. Caleb had reserved the most expensive seaside hotel in Ashville and invited all the elites in the city.

Selene wore a custom luxury wedding dress with the blue diamond on her ring finger. She hooked her arm into Caleb's, who was looking at her with adoration gleaming in his eyes.

"Mr. Caleb Larson, do you take Ms. Selene Gardner to be your lawfully wedded wife or better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, till death do you part?"

Gazing lovingly down at Selene, Caleb's smile widened.

"I do–"

The sound of a gunshot cut him off.

In the chaos, a man with sharp eyes in a button-down had approached Caleb from the back and held a Damascus dagger to his neck.

"So, you're the one who betrayed Quinn?"