Rift in the perfect picture

Chapter 0379

Pete had been in Gowland for a while, and I heard from Silas that he seemed to be doing pretty well.

Following the path his father had laid out for him, he’d entered the world of luxury goods in Gowland. The coveted fashion resources others dreamt of were now the least significant part of his local entertainment company.

Take Gabriela, for example. She had landed countless top–tier luxury endorsements, and I’d lost track of how many times she’d gone viral online.

I thought Pete had finally found his career path, but I hadn’t expected him to get married so soon.

My thoughts were a mess when a phone call suddenly snapped me out of it. It was an international call. “Pete,” I called out with a smile. “Congratulations!”

But on the other end of the line, the silence was as still as the falling snow outside my window.

I caught my reflection in the glass, noticing that my expression had stiffened slightly. Yet, since he couldn’t see me, I didn’t bother forcing it.

Pete sounded different from usual.

“Ari, I’m getting married. Will you come?” he asked calmly.

Going abroad wasn’t like traveling within the country. The round–trip flight alone would take two days, and I’d have to allow another day to attend the wedding. I had just promised Nicholas I wouldn’t leave during the New Year’s Eve holidays.

It was New Year’s Eve right after Pete’s wedding, and I might have to accompany Nicholas to visit Daniel in the hospital. Daniel had taken to seeing me often as if I were already carrying the Hawk family’s grandchild…

Pete pressed on, “You’ll come, right? I even sent an invitation to your friend. I’ve booked round–trip tickets and a hotel for you both. I was worried about your safety on the road, so I arranged for someone to accompany you.”

“Yas has a boyfriend now. It’s hard enough for me to even see her, so I don’t think she’ll be able to come with me.”

“Well,

bring her boyfriend along too. I didn’t say you couldn’t bring a guest.”

I fell silent. I wasn’t sure if Yasmine had the time, but considering the state of things between Pete and me, would it be appropriate for me to attend his wedding? If his future wife found out anything, wouldn’t that just cause unnecessary trouble?

Sensing my hesitation, Pete let out a bitter laugh after a few seconds. “Is Nicholas stopping you from coming? I’m getting married. What’s there for him to worry about?”

His laughter was dry, devoid of any happiness. Instead, it carried that familiar feeling of indifference, of just settling.

Chapter 0379

+25 BONUS

Love often caught people off guard. Finding true love and getting married in just a few months wasn’t something confined to fairy tales, so I thought Pete had found his princess.

Upon hearing his tone, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Pete’s voice grew more urgent. “Ari, don’t you want to see how I’m doing? Won’t you help me make sure that my wife is the right woman for me? Am I really that insignificant to you?”

“The wife Harry found for you must be perfect. I have no reason to worry. As long as she’s good to you, that’s all that matters.”

“Good to me? What’s the point of that? I could hire a nanny to treat me well,” Pete grumbled. “But I don’t like her.

“If

you don’t come, I won’t go through with the wedding. My life’s worthless anyway. I might as well be done with it.”

I was at a loss for words. Feeling helpless, I chided, “Don’t joke about something like that.”

“You know I’m serious. Since I left you, I’ve been barely alive. All I’m asking is for you to come to my wedding, and even that’s too much?”

1 turned around. Leaning against the windowsill, I sighed again. Everything Pete had achieved was due to his compliance.

Once his resolve crumbled, all he had gained

much. That was the case for both him and his fiancée and for Nicholas and me as well.

Islip away too. In famlike his, love didn’t matter

Eventually, I relented. “Fine. I’ll come to your wedding.