He Called Me Overreacting, I Married a Billionaire

Chapter 4

Lillian, crying and carrying on, was taken out of the hotel by my men.

A knock came at the door. It was Samuel.

He had that familiar, coaxing little smile on his face, the one he always used to appease me.

"I know you've been upset these past few days, so I got you your favorite flowers—peonies."

The bouquet was stunning, layers of petals all bunched together, real pretty.

Samuel held them out to me, waiting for me to take them.

But the first thing I noticed was the lipstick stain on his collar. Lillian's.

My stomach turned, and I couldn't help but knock the flowers out of his hands.

Then Lillian burst in, stumbling and falling right into Samuel's arms.

"Samuel, look what your little girlfriend did to me! She's insane! She wrote all these disgusting words all over my body. You said you'd always stand by me, didn't you?"

Samuel looked at Lillian, who was a complete mess, and his voice dripped with impatience.

"Charlotte, what happened to you? How did you become so... so cruel? I've never met a woman as vicious as you in my entire life."

His tone got harsher. "Are you really gonna make me choose?"

I watched him protect Lillian, and it took me back to five years ago when we first met.

The wind blew my hat right into his hands.

He said the first time he saw me, he already knew he wanted to protect me for the rest of his life.

I pushed down the ache in my chest. "Did you ever stop to think about me? About the humiliation and ridicule I'd have to face?

"If she hadn't ruined my proposal over and over, I never would've done this."

Samuel's hands clenched, like he was about to say something.

For a split second, I thought maybe he finally saw me.

But Lillian tugged at his arm. "Samuel, I don't feel so good. Can you take a look at me?"

He scooped her up without a second thought, holding her all gentle-like, like she was something precious.

He turned and walked out without hesitating.

"Charlotte, I think you need some time to cool off."

The door closed, and the room went so quiet it was suffocating.

Then I remembered I still had stuff at Samuel's clinic, so I took a cab over.

The door wasn't shut all the way, and I heard Lillian's voice from inside.

"Come on, Samuel, just say a few sweet things and Charlotte'll come crawling back."

Samuel sounded tired. "Not this time. She seems genuinely upset."

"Please. If she ever found out you only got with her because of a bet, wouldn't she lose it completely?"

"Shut up. Don't you ever bring that up in front of her again."

Lillian's voice suddenly got all soft and sweet.

"Did you forget our deal? How could you actually fall for her?"

"She's just mad. Once she cools down, I'll go find her."

Then came the sound of kissing.

My nails dug into my palms. The pain was nothing compared to the ache in my chest.

So that's how it was. The pier. The promise. All of it was a lie from the start.

I thought someone had finally chosen me for who I was, not for my family, not for my money, not for my mafia father.

But I'd been delusional the whole time, living in a dream that never existed.

I went back to the hotel, checked out at the front desk, and texted the family driver.

Late that night, a black Ferrari pulled up in front of the hotel.

Everyone treated the car with respect.

Because it bore the silver rose crest of the Lane family—power that was untouchable.

The driver opened my door and gave a slight bow.

"Miss Lane, the plane is ready."

Sitting in the car, the night lights of Crestwood City blurred past.

I pulled out my phone. It was a message from Samuel.

Samuel: Charlotte, wait for me. I'll come pick you up the day after tomorrow.

I let out a quiet laugh, then blocked him and every single friend who'd laughed at me.

I was going home, alright.

But not to that apartment in Crestwood City. I was going back to the Lane family estate, where generations of my family had lived.

The plane took off from Crestwood Airfield. I looked down one last time at the city lights below.

Samuel, there's no going back for us.

'I'm done believing in your pathetic promises.'