He finally broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I once made a promise to a woman, that on her 26th birthday, the day she married me, I would make her the most beautiful and unique bride in the world, but…"
Miles didn't say anything further, his face showing a hint of sarcasm.
Chloe gave a slight laugh, but continued. "So, the bride is getting married, but the groom isn't you?"
Chloe fell silent. Most dramatic lives revolved around a perfect heroine.
"Jacob is my cousin. My parents died when I was young, and I managed to attend college thanks to their savings. That's where I met Beverly. We dated throughout college and were even engaged. Knowing her dreams, I became a stylist to transform her from a shy and ordinary girl into a beautiful woman. I thought we would always be together…"
"But once a woman becomes beautiful…"
He stopped again. Chloe could guess where he was going with this, and she understood his sentiment.
"Jacob later became my mentor's apprentice, but ended up betraying him, sinking his studio into hardship. At first, I couldn't understand why. It wasn't until later that I found out it was all for…"
Beverly. Chloe couldn't help but scoff internally.
"Jacob's family is wealthier than mine, and he's been undermining me in secret. Look at him now, his career is booming, and me…"
Katie, who had been quietly standing by the side, showed a clear look of pity and mixed emotions.
"But you, you'll be even better than him."
Chloe picked up a dress, gave him a faint smile, and led Katie into the fitting room. Miles was left standing, Chloe's words and confident smile echoing in his mind. For some reason, the frustration that had been building up for years suddenly seemed to dissipate.
That was right! How could he be worse than Jacob? Opportunity was right in front of him. All he had to do was believe in himself and gave it his all.
"…Miles?"
Just as he was taking a deep breath, ready to focus on the task at hand and set new goals, a familiar yet uncertain voice sounded beside him.
He turned to spot Beverly. Seeing the beautiful woman in front of him, Miles's expression changed.
"You…"
He started to speak, but quickly realized where they were and fell silent.
Beverly hadn't expected to see Miles here. She thought the man looked familiar, so she called out tentatively. To her surprise, it really was him. Her expression quickly turned awkward. After a moment, she tentatively ran a hand through her hair and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Just browsing around."
"Oh…"
Beverly looked uncomfortable, and Miles guessed she might be feeling guilty. So he asked, "Beverly, are you really going to marry Jacob? Or is he forcing you?"
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