Chapter 7 A Photo
The room was decorated with red and white balloons floating near the ceiling. A small cake sat neatly in the center of a round table, its candles flickering softly in the dim light. Streamers hung from the walls, and the faint scent of roses filled the air.
Her eyes flicked around the room, landing on several familiar faces and some friends she hadn’t seen in months. They were all smiling at her, whispering and giggling among themselves.
Victor turned toward her with excitement glowing in his eyes. “Surprise!”
Janet’s expression didn’t change. Her eyes flicked around the room. The cheap balloons, the crowded space, the smell of frosting and cheap wine — and settled back on Victor with a blank, almost bored look.
Before she could even catch her breath, Victor caught her hands in his.
His palms were warm, gentle, trembling slightly.
“These past few years with you have been the best time of my life,” he said earnestly, his voice soft and full of emotion.
“You’re incredible, Janet. And I finally want to be with you forever. ”
Janet blinked, her lips parting in shock as Victor suddenly dropped to one knee and pulled out a small velvet box. Gasps and excited murmurs filled the room.
Her heart started pounding. ‘He’s proposing?’
Victor opened the box to reveal a small silver ring, his eyes full of hope and love.
Inside Janet’s mind, thoughts began racing. ‘I’ve imagined this scene so many times. My boyfriend, the man I love, proposing to me… I thought I’d feel happy, that I’d finally be able to call him my husband, start a family, live the life I dreamed of.’
Her hands trembled slightly. ‘Every time I imagined this moment, I hated Alexander even more.’ Her expression darkened for a fraction of a second.
‘If it wasn’t for him, for that damn contract, I wouldn’t have been forced into pretending to be his girlfriend at those luxurious parties for money.
I could’ve been with Victor openly. I could’ve been his wife by now.
I wouldn’t have to smile beside a cold, merciless man who treated me like property. ’
Her heart clenched. ‘That damn contract… Alexander Graves… he ruined my life!’
And yet… standing here, with Victor on one knee, all she felt was a strange emptiness.
Victor’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Janet?” he said softly, still smiling up at her.
The crowd began clapping and cheering, their voices echoing through the small room.
“Say yes!”
“Marry him!”
“Do it, Janet!”
The noise filled the room, echoing against the walls.
But Janet didn’t move. She stared at Victor blankly, her lips parting slightly, her chest tightening with confusion. Her fingers twitched in his grip.
Her lips trembled as she opened her mouth. “I… I don’t want to—”
The words slipped out before she realized, barely louder than a whisper. The sound of her own voice startled her. Her eyes widened, panic flashing across her face. ‘What did I just say?’
She quickly stopped herself, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. ‘How can I say something like that?’ she thought desperately. ‘This is what I wanted all along, isn’t it? To marry Victor? To be free from Alexander?’
She shook her head quickly, trying to steady herself. ‘No… it must be the stress. I must be tired. All those sleepless nights because of Alexander’s mess… that must be it.’
Janet forced a smile — brittle and lifeless — as Victor’s hopeful eyes met hers.
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice barely audible but enough to ignite cheers around the room.
Victor didn’t notice the change in Janet’s expression as he continued to smile, his eyes glowing with excitement. He carefully took her hand, sliding the ring toward her finger.
It was then that Janet finally noticed the ring properly — a thin silver band with a tiny diamond no bigger than a drop of water. Her lips parted slightly, disappointment flickering in her eyes.
‘So small…’
Her thoughts drifted away without meaning to. She remembered the countless auctions she had attended with Alexander — the glittering chandeliers, the luxurious atmosphere, the envious gazes from women around the room.
‘Every time we went together to those events, he would buy so many rings, sets, even anklets. Those diamonds were so large and brilliant that people could see them from across the hall. Those nights always caused whispers. So many people used to stare at me, green with envy, thinking those jewels were for me because I was the one who always attended those parties with him.’
She remembered one particular evening vividly. Allen had questioned Alexander, asking whom he was buying the jewelry for.
Without any hesitation, Alexander had replied, “For my wife. Who else would I buy them for?”
There had been no embarrassment in his tone, no hesitation. His eyes had been calm, steady, even warm. And that shocked her because he was never kind to anyone. Yet, when he mentioned his wife—who didn’t even exist then—there was a strange, devoted warmth in his tone that Janet could never forget.
Now, as she looked at Victor’s ring, so small, dull, ordinary, something inside her twisted in discomfort.
Her face stiffened. The moment she had dreamt of for years—being proposed to by the man she loved—was finally here, yet there was no happiness in her heart.
Her face twisted slightly in discomfort, her fingers stiff.
Victor, still unaware, grinned from ear to ear, his heart full of joy. “It’s perfect, isn’t it?” he murmured.
He held her hand tenderly, about to slide the ring onto her finger when suddenly—
Her phone rang.
The sharp sound cut through the cheers and music. At once, Janet snatched her hand back from Victor’s grasp. The ring nearly slipped from Victor’s fingers. Everyone around them went quiet, their smiles fading into confusion.
Gasps rippled around the room. Christie’s eyes widened in disbelief, watching as Janet turned away from Victor mid-proposal. But Janet didn’t care. She answered the call without even glancing at the caller ID.
“Hello? Who is this?” she asked quickly.
A man’s urgent voice came through the line.
“Miss Janet Goodwin, this is Hardy from the AIDT hospital. You need to come to the hospital immediately. Your mother’s condition has worsened. We're taking her into emergency surgery right now.”
Janet’s breath caught in her throat. Her entire body went still.
“What?” she whispered, her voice trembling. The blood drained from her face, and panic flashed in her eyes.
Without another word, she spun around and bolted for the door.
“Janet!” Victor called after her, alarmed. Christie quickly followed, exchanging a worried glance with him before the two of them rushed out after her.
***
Mia walked into Max Mall with Hazel beside her, shopping bags swinging lightly from her hands. Hazel’s eyes darted around in wonder, taking in the gleaming floors, the polished storefronts, and the luxury brands surrounding them.
Even though she came from an affluent family, she had never dared to step inside Max Mall before.
This place was on an entirely different level—one that even millionaires like her family couldn’t touch.
Here, wealth wasn’t just displayed—it was lived.
And Hazel knew she probably couldn’t afford even a single item inside.
“I still can’t believe you actually married Alexander Graves,” Hazel said, her tone a mix of disbelief and shock. “When you told me you’d remarried just days after divorcing James, you never mentioned it was him!”
Mia glanced at her, calm and unbothered. “Does it matter? I didn’t think it was important.”
Hazel stopped in her tracks, throwing her arms up dramatically. “Didn’t think it was important?! Mia, you married one of the richest men in the country! The man literally owns half of it!” She placed her hands on her hips, exasperated. “How could you possibly think that wasn’t worth mentioning?”
Mia frowned. “Alright, alright… I’m sorry.”
Hazel sighed, then looped an arm around Mia’s shoulder, pulling her close and kissing her cheek. “Ugh, stop being so adorable. I can’t even stay mad when you act like that.”
Mia couldn’t help but snicker, and Hazel grinned wider, tugging her toward a row of stores. “Now, what else do we need? Let’s hit the jewelry shop — I’ve been dying to see their new collection. Maybe we can get something for you.”
“Something for me?” Mia blinked, surprised.
“Of course,” she said with a bright smile.
Mia nodded thoughtfully. “Actually, I should be the one getting you something. I haven’t given you a proper gift in five years. You deserve something pretty. Maybe we can get matching bracelets?”
Hazel gasped with delight. “Matching bracelets? Your husband is going to be so jealous.” Her eyes sparkled with playful mischief.
Mia raised a brow, her expression confused. “Why would he get jealous over something so small?”
“Are you kidding me?” Hazel said, clutching her chest in disbelief. “That day when he came to the restaurant and dragged you out—you didn’t see the look on his face? I thought he was going to murder everyone in that place, especially Harold!”
Mia froze for a moment, her lashes lowering in thought. “Was he…?” she asked softly.
Hazel leaned closer. “You tell me. What happened after that? What did he do?” she pressed, eyes narrowing suspiciously.
Mia’s thoughts flickered back to that night.
She rubbed her face with a hand in shyness. “Maybe… maybe he would get a little jealous,” she mumbled.
Hazel’s jaw dropped. She gasped, bending forward to peek at Mia’s hidden face. “Oh my God! What did he do? Why are you blushing like that? Tell me everything!”
“Stop it!” Mia laughed, trying to push Hazel away and hide her blushing face. But Hazel was already giggling uncontrollably.
“I can’t believe this,” Hazel said between laughs. “You’re turning into the same Mia I knew five years ago!”