Chapter 2

I turned back. Adrian had already lowered his head to the wedding schedule, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

“Adrian,” I said, my voice tight. “That’s my parents’ photograph.”

His hand paused over the page. He frowned slightly, as though I were making trouble at an inconvenient time.

“Put it away for now. We can bring it back out after the wedding.”

Vanessa held her wineglass and smiled faintly. “You heard him. Put it away. Or were you hoping it would give you an excuse to come back?”

I stood there with something lodged in my chest. I wanted to speak, but my throat began to itch, and I couldn’t stop myself from coughing twice.

Vanessa immediately frowned and took half a step back. “Don’t pretend to be sick to get sympathy before the wedding. That won’t work on this family.”

“Vanessa.” Adrian’s tone sharpened a little, but only a little.

He looked at me with suspicion and warning in his eyes. “If you don’t feel well, go to your room. Don’t stand here coughing.”

His gaze pierced me like ice.

He was probably worried I would act out again and do something to hurt his fiancée.

I looked away, toward the greenhouse outside.

Years ago, Adrian had planted cherry trees for me himself. “If Lily likes them, we’ll plant a whole grove,” he had said.

Now another woman’s presence had covered every trace of that.

“Adrian,” I asked softly, “what flowers does Vanessa like?”

“White roses.” The answer came instantly. Then suspicion entered his eyes. “Why are you asking?”

“I wanted to give you both a wedding gift.”

His expression darkened, and he waved me off. “Don’t bother. She has everything she needs.”

I lowered my head and smiled bitterly.

Right. I had forgotten again.

Why would a wealthy heiress like her need a gift from me?

Neither of us spoke. Silence spread between us.

The night breeze was chilly, and I shivered without thinking. Ever since I’d gotten sick, I had become unusually sensitive to the cold.

“Adrian, I’m a little tired. I’m going back to my room.”

I turned away. I could feel his gaze following me until the guest wing’s door shut between us.

When I woke up the next morning, my memory was blank.

Dr. Harris had told me the lung cancer had spread to my brain. I would start forgetting things.

I had forgotten how, when I was little, Adrian always found a way to grant even my wildest wishes. Once, just because I said I wanted to see a real castle, he bought land in the hills above Bayport and built a replica of a European castle.

I had also forgotten that I had seen firsthand what he was like when he cherished someone.

With him beside her, of course Vanessa would want for nothing.

But all I wanted… was to do one small thing to repay him for raising me.

I had even forgotten every word Vanessa had said to humiliate me the day before. Only when my phone displayed “Two days until departure” and “Today’s to-do list” did I remember what I was supposed to do.

In the end, I removed every trace of myself from the estate.

That afternoon, I took my cough medicine early and went to see Julian Bennett, the man Adrian had chosen for me to marry.

Since I had decided to leave, I shouldn’t waste anyone else’s time.

I told him honestly about my illness and my decision to seek treatment in Iceland.

Surprise flashed in Julian’s eyes, followed by genuine sympathy. “Does Adrian… know?”

I thought carefully, then shook my head. “I don’t think so. And please… don’t tell him.”

Julian promised to keep my secret.

Then I took out a document, handed it to him, and asked him to look it over.

When he opened it, shock spread across his face.