I Married Him Once, Never Again

Chapter 2 The Secret Debt

Three days later was Selene's birthday.

That evening, the private clubhouse was packed with the city's wealthy elite.

Usually, I'd avoid these high-society gatherings, but my family always assumed I was just being timid and socially awkward. They constantly pushed me to network and get my face known in our circle. Since it was my sister's birthday gala, staying home would only spark malicious gossip. Deciding it was easier to just smile and bear it, I attended.

At past parties, I usually just sat quietly by Selene's side and focused on the catering, but tonight, Selene was the star of the show. I retreated to a quiet corner, watching the crowd play drinking games and socialize.

Eventually, the room started to feel incredibly suffocating, so I murmured to Selene that I was stepping out for some fresh air.

But the moment I stepped outside the clubhouse, two drunks intercepted me.

"Well, hey there, beautiful. All by yourself? Let me buy you a drink," one of them slurred, lunging forward to grab my arm.

"Get lost," I snapped.

No matter how hard I yanked, I couldn't break free, especially when the second one moved in, trapping me between them.

"Help! Someone help me! Get your hands off me!"

I screamed for help, but the pedestrians walking past only paused to snap photos with their phones, completely indifferent to my struggle.

Just as the two drunk men were about to take advantage of me, someone suddenly rushed over and kicked them away.

He immediately pulled me behind his back, ordered his bodyguards to ensure the bystanders deleted all the recorded videos, and had the two drunks hauled off to the police station.

Only after everything was handled did he turn around.

I looked up and met that hauntingly familiar face. It was Roderick.

He let go of my wrist and asked softly, "Are you alright?"

I gave a faint nod and took two deliberate steps back, putting distance between us. The skin where his fingers had just been still buzzed with a lingering, ghostly warmth.

During our seven years of marriage in my past life, Roderick had always been distant, restrained, and flawlessly polite. He had never initiated a single moment of unscripted intimacy.

Back then, I simply chalked it up to his upbringing in a premier, old-money family, assuming he was just naturally cold and self-possessed. Looking back now, it wasn't his nature at all. He was simply keeping his distance because his heart belonged to someone else, and he refused to let me get close.

"Thank you," I said.

"Why are you out here alone?" Roderick asked, his brow furrowing slightly. "If anything happened to you on Selene's birthday, she would blame herself for the rest of her life."

In my previous life, Roderick had always formally addressed her as "Ms. Fuller" in public, never by her first name.

I had truly believed they shared no real affection, a delusion I carried for seven long years until that violent storm dragged the truth to light. Yet here he was now, calling her first name so naturally, completely consumed with worry for her peace of mind.

My heart sank slightly. Keeping my voice entirely neutral, I tested the waters. "Mr. Barton, you and my sister seem quite close."

Roderick went quiet for a moment, then nodded. "We are. When we were younger, children from families like ours were prime targets for kidnappings. Selene and I were taken together once. During the rescue, she took a stab meant for me. I've carried the weight of that debt since."

So that was it. No wonder Selene had been so utterly confident when she guaranteed Roderick would never mistreat me. I had been leveraging a blood debt that belonged to my sister.

"I see," I replied, my voice completely devoid of emotion. "Mr. Barton, since you and my sister share such a deep bond, I have a favor to ask. Could you please talk some sense into her? For reasons I don't understand, she is fiercely insistent on setting up a marriage alliance between you and me. But the truth is, I'm already in love with someone."

Roderick froze.

The night breeze brushed past, ruffling the stray hairs across his forehead.

"In love with someone?" he repeated in a low, hollow murmur. He quickly masked his expression, returning to his usual composed, impeccably polite demeanor. "Ms. Fuller, if your heart is already set on someone else, then there is absolutely no need to force this. I will find a proper opportunity to make things clear to Selene. You should head back inside now. Don't make her worry."

I told him I needed to use the restroom first and urged him to go on ahead.

Watching his hurried, eager steps as he rushed back inside to find Selene, I felt a massive weight gone from my chest. I pulled out my phone, sent Selene a quick text saying I was exhausted and heading home, and hailed a cab.

In our past life, a cruel twist of fate tied Roderick and me together in a miserable, resentful marriage. In this life, I wanted nothing more than to wipe the slate clean. We would owe each other nothing, walk our separate paths, and finally find the peace we were meant to have.