Part 2Till Death Do Us Marry

Evelyn Lewis hadn't heard from me in three days. In the past, whenever Adrian and I had any friction, I would never swallow my anger; I would always stir things up, leaving her no peace. More importantly, our anniversary was tomorrow. Every year, I would prepare a unique surprise for her. But now, she hadn’t even received a single demanding call from me, which inexplicably irritated her.

The villa’s guards were all former special forces, battle-hardened veterans. The assistant saying Adrian faked her orders to disband security was simply preposterous! Adrian was innocent and kind; he couldn’t even watch bloody scenes in movies, let alone joke about human lives. Why, then, did Owen have to be so mad? To frame Adrian, he would actually stake his own life! She looked at the anniversary cake that had just arrived on the table, and with a bang, swept it to the floor: “Owen Miller, when will you stop being so crazy!”

My soul floated in mid-air, hearing those words. That heart, which had long stopped beating, felt as if another hole had been carved into it. I was no madman. I simply couldn’t forgive betrayal.

We met during a life-or-death kidnapping; I was undercover, she was the target I protected. I took a knife for her, and she promised me a future free of darkness. She said she’d give me a home once I took off my uniform. Our relationship, forged in the crucible of blood and fire, was already inseparable.

It wasn't until that mission ended, and I retired due to injury, that she brought news. She was entering a business marriage with Adrian Harris, the scion of the influential Harris Group. Evelyn said it was her fastest move to clear obstacles in the business world. And Adrian was the most sensible, most harmless man she had ever met. She said it was merely a transaction; the person she loved was still me.

That’s when our paths began to diverge. She never understood my vigilance: “It’s not that I don’t love you. It’s just Adrian is genuinely innocent; he hasn’t seen as much darkness as you have. As the stronger one, why can’t you protect him a little more?” She continued, “Besides, you’re not a police officer anymore. Why do you always treat everyone like a criminal? Your hostility is too heavy. Are you truly more suited to be the master of the Lewis household than Adrian?”

I would always coldly retort: “It has nothing to do with strength. It’s just that in my world, Owen Miller’s world, there’s no room for betrayal and lies!” With that, I would kick out the psychologist she’d hired to “guide” me. In our last argument, she even accidentally shattered the portrait of my father, who died in the line of duty. She saw my reddened eyes, froze for a moment, then grabbed my hand: “Owen, look at yourself now. Is it worth it, for someone who has already passed away?” She sighed. “Adrian is just a naive young man, who innocently said a few offensive things about your father.” She looked at me, her gaze filled with disappointment. “Your gun isn’t aimed at the real enemy. Instead, because of a few idle words, you want to harm a vulnerable person who needs protection. You’re too prejudiced.”

I laughed through my tears then: “Me, prejudiced?” I demanded. “Then is Adrian Harris, who said my father deserved his death, not prejudiced?” She fell silent. She pulled the trembling Adrian close, protecting him: “Knowing there’s danger and still rushing forward, in a sense, yes… it’s not very rational.” But she forgot. My father had bravely charged forward precisely to protect the peace of the land she stood on!

That day, I refused Evelyn’s demand that I apologize to Adrian. Even when she threatened to freeze all my accounts, I didn’t back down. She sneered: “The biggest regret of my life is meeting a man like you, a persistent shadow who only brings trouble.”