Chapter 8

As the plane landed in the small coastal town, a news notification popped up on my phone about the union of the Grandelle and Valentine families.

The engagement party had been upgraded directly to a wedding ceremony.

Camille Grandelle was in such a hurry to marry Liam Valentine.

Despite the rushed preparations, the wedding was still extravagantly luxurious. The crystal hall, filled with imported flowers, sparkled in the photos.

The comments section was buzzing:

"The groom's looks are out of this world, and the bride is a beauty too. A match made in heaven."

"Congratulations to Ms. Grandelle for finally getting her wish and marrying the handsome man."

"Am I the only one who thinks the bride looks more like she's crying than smiling? It's as if she's being forced into this marriage."

I had fantasized countless times about my wedding with Camille.

It didn’t need to be grand or filled with guests. I always imagined it by the sea—because I had never seen the ocean before.

The girl I loved would walk towards me with a bouquet of white flowers, and together we would embrace our future.

Now, I finally saw the sea of my dreams, but she had become someone else's wife. The person standing beside her would never be me.

Suddenly having a substantial amount of savings, I no longer needed to work tirelessly. I wanted to open a small shop.

After looking at several places, the rent was beyond my budget. Adding the cost of renovations, my funds quickly became tight.

Just as I was worrying, the real estate agent contacted me, saying there was a coffee bookstore by the sea that was being transferred at an unbelievably low price.

A combination of coffee and books—it was exactly the kind of shop I had envisioned.

I rushed over and was pleasantly surprised to find that even the decor perfectly matched my taste, requiring no changes. The two-story building even had a few guest rooms on the second floor, making it ideal for running a bed and breakfast.

The most unbelievable part was the transfer price, which was so low it felt like a scam.

On the day of signing the contract, I was stunned when I saw the owner.

"Chloe Roscente? This is your shop?"

She smiled gracefully. "Yes, I've had it for several years. With so many family businesses, I couldn’t manage this little shop anymore. I wanted to transfer it to someone reliable. Since you’re looking to open a shop, consider it as helping me out. I’ve put a lot of heart into this place, and I wouldn’t trust it with just anyone."

"I’m on vacation and want to stay by the sea for a while. It’s not too much to ask for one of the guest rooms upstairs, is it?"

I looked around at the brand-new furniture, clearly just renovated.

But the whims of a wealthy heiress were always hard to fathom. I nodded and signed the contract without much thought.

Not long after, news of the Grandelle CEO’s pregnancy hit the trending topics.

In the photos, Camille walked out of the hospital with Liam, her face expressionless, while Liam beamed with happiness.

Seeing their news again, my heart remained calm.

Chloe said she would only stay for a few days, but she ended up staying for over half a year.

Often, I would be at the front desk doing accounts while she sat quietly in a corner reading. At mealtime, she would take the initiative to cook, saying it was to cover her rent.

I felt a bit guilty since it was her shop and she had transferred it to me at such a low price. But her cooking was indeed exquisite.

It was almost laughable—I had never eaten a meal cooked by Camille. It had always been me taking care of her.

Every time I asked her if she didn’t need to return to work, she would smile and say, "My sister handles the company. I can work online. Besides, I don’t dare go back."

"My sister has made it clear that it’s embarrassing for me to still be single at this age. If I don’t find a husband soon, she’ll kick me out of the family. So, I’m trying my best."

I caught the hint in her words, and my cheeks flushed slightly.

From that day on, our relationship seemed to grow closer.

Time flew by, and several more months passed. Today, two young boys came into the shop, chatting about gossip:

"Did you hear? The Grandelle CEO gave birth to a boy, and he’s adorable. But her husband—what a shame. It should have been a joyous occasion, but he suddenly had a mental breakdown and was sent to a psychiatric hospital."

"There’s even more shocking news. Mrs. Grandelle had a stroke yesterday. Now she’s paralyzed, her mouth twisted, and she can’t speak. She’ll have to live in a nursing home from now on."

My hand trembled, and hot water spilled onto my skin, causing me to gasp in pain.

Chloe rushed over and ran cold water over the burn, her expression pained as if she were the one hurt.

I forced a smile. "It’s okay. I’m not that delicate."

She gently kissed my fingertips and insisted, "No, you have to be delicate. Otherwise, what’s the point of having me around?"

I smiled awkwardly but didn’t push her away. Some feelings were already understood without words.

Suddenly, a familiar voice filled with anger erupted:

"What are you two doing?!"