Chapter 4When My Fiance Fell in Love With My Sister, I Walked Away

Outside the window, the city lights had come on. On my phone, Vincent’s last message remained from two hours ago.

Clara, however, had sent several more.

【Did you eat the fruit?】

【Are you coming home for dinner?】

【I made your favorite steak.】

I looked at the messages, and my eyes started to sting again. After forcing my emotions down for a long time, I finally replied:

【I’ll be back later.】

Before leaving the office, I booked a flight to Chicago for the next morning.

My fingers trembled badly when the payment went through, but I did not cancel it.

Some places hurt more the longer you stayed.

When I walked out of the office building, I saw Vincent leaning against his car, smoking.

Cigarette butts were scattered at his feet. The red glow of the cigarette lit up his face, and his brows were tightly drawn.

In the five years we had been together, I had only seen him smoke twice.

The first time was when we graduated from college. His parents had pressured him to go back to Virginia, while I wanted to stay in New York with Clara.

Vincent had smoked one cigarette after another back then, just like he was doing now. In the end, he chose me.

Now I did not dare to think about what choice he was making.

Nor did I want to.

When he saw me, he immediately put out the cigarette and walked over.

“You just got back and they’re already making you work overtime. Your company is heartless.”

His tone carried the familiar complaint, but I could no longer hear the old concern in it.

I answered casually, “There was a lot to report.”

He opened the passenger door for me. I bent down and got in, and a faint white rose scent drifted into my nose.

I paused.

It was the same scent Clara wore.

I turned my head toward the gap beside the seat and saw a tube of lip balm stuck there. It was the brand I had given Clara last month.

Vincent returned to the driver’s seat. When he saw the lip balm in my hand, his expression stiffened for a moment.

The car was silent for two seconds.

Then he smiled.

“Your sister probably dropped it when she was in my car today. I’ll bring it back to her later.”

I stared at the lip balm and asked softly, “Was she in your car often while I was gone?”

His hand paused on the seat belt. Then he turned to look at me, something complicated in his eyes.

Soon, he reached out as if to touch my head.

“What, are you jealous of your own sister now?”

I tilted away from his hand.

His hand stopped in the air, and the smile on his face faded a little.

“Nora, weren’t you the one who wanted me to get along with Clara? Sometimes she needed help, so I picked her up when it was convenient.” After a pause, he added, “If you don’t like it, I won’t let her ride in my car again.”

It sounded like he was trying to make it up to me. But I could no longer tell whether he was comforting me or covering for himself.

I closed my eyes.

“I’m tired.”

Vincent said nothing more.

The car drove all the way home. Lights slid across my closed eyelids one after another, and I heard him try to speak several times, only to swallow the words back.

When we got home, Clara had already set the table. Every dish was something I liked.

Garlic butter ribs, red wine-braised beef, cream of mushroom soup, and a small dish of homemade pickles I had eaten since childhood.

The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up.

“You must be starving. Wash your hands and eat.”

I sat in my old seat. Clara sat on my left, and Vincent sat on my right.

For a moment, I almost felt as though we had gone back to the past. Everything was familiar, everything was safe.

But reality reminded me that nothing could go back anymore.

There were so many words stuck in my throat.

I wanted to tell them that I had seen the Instagram post. I wanted to ask them why they had done this to me.

But when the words reached my mouth, I did not dare to say them.

The meal tasted like nothing.

Then Clara lifted her wineglass, as if she had finally found a reason to break the silence.

“To Nora coming home,” she said, and took a sip before forcing a small smile. “And to everything going smoothly for you from now on.”

Her gaze moved to Vincent for a moment before returning to me.

“Also, I hope you and Vincent set a wedding date soon.”