In My Lonesomeness

Dana was so furious, her face went pale. Her voice shook as she snarled, "What kind of spell did Julian cast on you? How can you love him this much? I'm telling you right now. Either me or him will stay in this family! Choose!"

But Evelyn still held Julian's hand tight. "Julian is the only one I have ever loved. He's the only one I want!"

Her open declaration of love humiliated me openly, even though I was her original husband.

Julian looked at me smugly, as if he had taken the most precious thing in the world from me. However, I felt nothing at all.

Evelyn left with an arm around Julian's waist.

Dana had never expected her daughter to go this far for a man. She collapsed from anger right there on the spot.

-

While Dana was being treated, Evelyn refused to answer any of my calls.

Claire stood nearby with her eyes lowered. "Stop calling. She won't answer."

I opened my mouth, wanting to say something. In the end, I stayed silent.

By the time I pulled myself together, Claire was leaning against the wall, watching me with a dark look in her eyes. "Do you still have hope for her?"

I clenched my fists. "That's none of your business."

She shoved me against the wall and leaned in close to my face. "How is it none of my business? You're about to marry me. How can you still be thinking about another woman? Do you want to turn me into the laughingstock of the whole city?"

I let out a quiet laugh and tossed the question back at her. "Have you ever heard of a younger brother marrying his older sister?"

That casual line seemed to bring Claire back to her senses. She let go of me and frowned.

"I know you're still mad about what happened five years ago, but I did it for the Shaw family too. Can't you try to understand me?"

But how was I supposed to give her any more of my understanding?

Five years ago, Claire came to me, her foster brother, when the Shaw family ran into financial trouble. She said that if I agreed to a marriage arrangement with Evelyn, the Shaw family would survive the crisis. She also said that if I stayed by Evelyn's side for five years, she would marry me.

I had fallen for Claire the first time I saw her, so when she made that promise, I agreed without hesitation.

That was, until a month ago.

After I secured a major project from Evelyn for the Shaw family, I went to find Claire and shared the good news. But outside the door, I overheard her talking to her best friend.

"The five-year promise is almost up. You're not actually going to marry your foster brother, are you? Another woman has already had him for years. Aren't you afraid people will laugh if word gets out? The Shaw family had only just got back on its feet. You should marry a man who can help the family. What good would it do to marry your foster brother?"

My heart pounded so hard, I did not dare make a sound. I bet my last shred of hope on Claire.

Yet she only puffed out a mouthful of smoke and said, "I only said I would marry him back then to trick him into agreeing to the marriage arrangement. How could I possibly marry him for real?"

At that moment, the last bit of hope that kept me alive shattered.

In her eyes, I had never been anything more than a tool she could use to get what she wanted.