Chapter 1

Warren Gardner grew up with Shailey Ralston under the same roof. She was once his brother's fiancée and his beloved sister-in-law-to-be.

After his brother's tragic passing, she gradually became someone he cherished dearly in his heart. He thought it was only a matter of time before she would marry him—until that day.

Shailey held another man's hand and told him, "I'm getting married. From now on, I'll only be your sister-in-law!"

—

"Mr. Keaton, I've decided. I'm going to Euriva."

On the other end of the phone, David Keaton beamed. "You should have made this decision a long time ago! With your talent, you'd have become an internationally renowned photographer by now."

Warren chuckled politely. "Thank you for your praise, Mr. Keaton."

"So, when are you coming?"

Warren thought for a moment before replying, "Probably in half a month. I need to wrap things up over here."

"That works too. After your brother's death, your sister-in-law has been looking after you. She's been really good to you; you should take your time to say a proper goodbye."

After hanging up, Warren looked ahead at the woman trying on a wedding dress. A man stood beside her, smiling warmly.

He let out a wry laugh.

Yes, Shailey had been exceptionally good to him. She was attentive in every possible way.

Shailey was an orphan. Owing to the childhood engagement, the Gardner family had taken her in after her family's misfortune.

Unfortunately, his brother passed away at a young age, and the engagement could no longer be fulfilled.

Over the years, they had grown up together, spending most of their time in each other's company.

He used to be teased by his family. They would say things like, "How can a man be so attached to his sister-in-law? If outsiders see this, they'll misunderstand."

Shailey would ask, "Misunderstand what?"

"Misunderstand that you two are the actual couple!"

Shailey would smile gently, just like now, and softly replied, "Then let them misunderstand that."

At that time, Warren was startled and flustered. But when he met her tender, affectionate eyes, his cheeks flushed.

People lived for moments.

For Warren, that moment was the sweetest of his life.

He kept waiting for Shailey to pierce the layer of pretense between them. By then, he would propose and host the grandest wedding to marry her.

But he waited and waited until her gaze shifted to another man.

Jacob Stratton was her secretary.

Shailey had brought several résumés up to Warren once and said, "Warren, help me choose one."

He was a bit hesitant. "I'm not good at this. You should let HR handle it."

But Shailey insisted, "My secretary will likely interact with you often in the future. You should choose someone you like so you'll feel comfortable dealing with them."

As such, he personally selected Jacob to be her secretary.

Little did he know, he wasn't just appointing a secretary—he was unwittingly selecting his own love rival.

"Warren!"

Not far away, Jacob called out to him with excitement. "Come help me. Does this suit match Shailey's wedding dress? She can't decide; she thinks anything I wear looks fine."

Warren sighed. "It's your suit. If you think it's fine, it'll be fine."

Jacob, ever the good-natured one, said, "Warren, you know I don't come from an elite background. I fear that my sense of style isn't sophisticated enough. I don't want to end up embarrassing your sister-in-law. But you're different—you're a top-notch photographer with an impeccable sense of aesthetics!"

"I only know photography and a bit of composition. I'm not good at picking outfits."

Jacob's enthusiasm waned slightly, and his tone took on a hint of disappointment. "Warren, are you still hesitant to accept me?"

Warren's lips parted to argue, but nothing rolled off his tongue.

It wasn't that he couldn't accept him.

He just couldn't wrap his head around it. Why had Shailey, with whom he was once inseparable, suddenly fallen for someone else?

"Shay." Jacob turned to her. "Can you talk to Warren? I feel like he's still upset with me about what happened last time."

She replied, "I'm sure that's not the case."

"It's my fault for falsely accusing him back then. Why don't we postpone the wedding for now? We'll hold it off until he forgives me, then reschedule it."

Shailey frowned slightly. "We can't delay the wedding just because he's unhappy."

"But he's your brother-in-law and your closest family. I want his blessing."

After a moment's thought, she turned and strode toward Warren.

Her tone was somewhat distant as she began, "Are you still upset about what happened last time?"

Warren looked away. "I'm not."

"I don't think you can blame Jacob for misunderstanding when you hugged me out of nowhere. No brother-in-law does that! Warren, you're a grown-up now. You need to respect boundaries."

Warren's eyes reddened as he took in her slightly reproachful expression.

When Shailey still loved him, she clung to him all the time.

Even in public, she would grumble and pull him close if he tried to put some distance between them.

She followed him on his trips to rural areas for his photography projects.

She accompanied him abroad to Azoria to capture wildlife migrations.

She had told him she'd always stand by his side. No matter where he went, all he had to do was turn around. She promised she'd always be there.

The day he won an international photography award, his natural reaction was to give her a hug. He wanted to share the joy with her. But Jacob, who had walked in without knocking, witnessed their moment.

From that moment onward, Shailey became distant, her warmth replaced by a chilling coldness, and she began to avoid him whenever she could.

Warren took a deep breath and articulated slowly, "I'm sorry. I overstepped my boundaries last time and caused Mr. Stratton to misunderstand. I will be more cautious and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Shailey offered a slight nod. "As long as you know where you went wrong."

He hummed quietly in response. "You two carry on. I'm not feeling well; I'll head off for now."

As he left the bridal shop, tears betrayed him and streamed down his face.

He wiped them away hastily with the back of his hand. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his phone and booked a flight.

In two weeks, he would board that plane, leaving this place behind forever—leaving Shailey behind forever.

Chapter 2

Warren stayed out until the wee hours of the day before returning home.

It only took a split second for him to make that impulsive decision, but the past 20-odd years had been anything but a dream. The feelings he had nurtured were undeniably real, and he wasn't sure he could let go without glancing back.

He decided to limit his interactions with Shailey over the next two weeks to avoid second-guessing himself.

When he returned to the family villa, the whole house was shrouded in darkness.

Warren dragged his exhausted body toward his bedroom without turning on the lights.

But a voice in the living room called out to him just then.

"Warren Gardner."

He turned and noticed someone sitting on the couch.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Stratton?"

Jacob was wearing black silk pajamas.

He was all too familiar with it—Shailey had an identical set, except hers was red.

It was a couples' set.

Jacob's lips pulled into a slight grin. "Shay bought this for me. What do you think? Does it suit me?"

As he straightened up, faint red marks peeked out from under his shirt. Against the black fabric, they appeared even more suggestive.

He grazed a finger over the hickey on his neck and winced, letting out a low groan. He deliberately exclaimed, "Your sister-in-law might not have an eye for picking wedding dresses, but her taste in sleepwear is impeccable. She even claimed that my abs are the sexiest she's ever seen."

Warren stood on the staircase and watched his act with cold eyes. The corner of his lips hooked up into a sneer. "Tone it down, Jacob."

"Tone what down?"

"Your vulgarity."

Jacob burst out laughing. "But this is exactly what Shay likes. The minute I get home, she can't wait till I finish my shower. That's when..."

"Stop right there," Warren interrupted. "I don't want to know."

"It doesn't matter whether you want to know or not. The fact is that she is obsessed with my body. So what if you've had feelings for her for over 20 years? People ultimately choose the ones they connect with in bed."

At that point, Warren couldn't be bothered to entertain his nonsense any further. He turned to leave. "Keep up your little act if you wish. I don't have the time to watch you."

But Jacob wasn't satisfied. He caught up to Warren with a few strides and called out, "I don't think you can see the marks she left from so far away, can you? Don't go, Warren. Come and take a closer look..."

As he spoke, Jacob grabbed Warren by his arm.

An overwhelming wave of nausea rose from the pit of his stomach. He subconsciously pulled away. "Don't touch me!"

Not far away, Shailey emerged from the bedroom. "What are the two of you babbling about at this hour?"

Before Warren could respond, he noticed the sly smile on Jacob's face.

In the next second, it morphed into an expression of terror.

Jacob yelled out in panic as he tumbled down the stairs.

"Jacob!"

Shailey set down her glass of milk and rushed over to him. She cradled him tightly in her arms, prodding, "Are you okay?"

Jacob lay weakly in her arms and murmured, "I'm alright. Don't blame Warren, he didn't do it on purpose."

She lifted her head to look at Warren. Disappointment spilled from her eyes.

"Warren Gardner, no matter how upset you are with Jacob, you shouldn't have pushed him down the stairs! Don't you know how dangerous that was?"

When she turned back to Jacob, her tone softened immensely with concern.

She leaned forward and gently helped him back onto his feet. "Come on, let's head back to the room. I can check to see if you're hurt."

Jacob's cheeks flushed red as he suggested, "I think we should stop being so intimate with each other in front of Warren. He's been by your side for so long, and now I've suddenly appeared. It's only natural for him to feel possessive of you. It must be hard for him to accept this new norm. We should be more considerate and give him the time to adjust."

Shailey replied coldly, "He'll have to adapt sooner or later."

As she helped Jacob back into the room, he glanced over his shoulder and flashed a victory symbol at Warren.

It was at that moment that Warren felt as though the world he once knew had transformed completely.

Jacob's presence had utterly shattered his world.

He couldn't wrap his head around why Shailey would fall for someone like him.

Was it really as Jacob claimed? Did people deep down yearn for physical compatibility over emotional bonds?

Warren couldn't understand it at all.

But at that point, he didn't see a point to try.

Early the next morning, Warren made his way to the magazine company.

He had been working there as a feature photographer for three years and had built strong bonds with his colleagues.

Thus, chief editor Maxwell Bennett was somewhat taken aback when he handed in his resignation letter. "Is it because of the pay? You can just let me know, and I'll talk to the director right away."

Warren smiled and shook his head. "Thank you so much, Mr. Bennett. But no, it's not because of the pay."

"What is it then?"

"I just have other plans for my life."

Maxwell seemed to catch on and replied with a knowing smile, "Ah, are you getting ready to marry Shailey? That's wonderful. She's taken such good care of you all these years. It's a happy occasion—I won't stop you."

When he began speaking, Warner wanted to clarify things.

Shailey was getting married indeed, but he wasn't the groom.

However, as Maxwell finished speaking, he thought he'd rather not explain any further.

The complicated entanglement between Shailey, Jacob, and himself simply couldn't be summed up in a few words.

Now, all he wanted was to finalize his resignation and leave this place of heartache two weeks from now.

"Wait, Warren, when's the wedding? Don't forget to send me an invitation. I'd love to toast to your happiness!"

Warren forced a polite smile.

As if on cue, the receptionist, Wendy Faudet, knocked on the door excitedly and poked her head in. "Warren, your sister-in-law is here to pick you up! Looks like there's a surprise in store for you!"

Chapter 3

Warren stepped out of the building to find Shailey leaning against her black Cullinan. Her head was hung low in rumination.

Walking closer, he saw the "surprise" Wendy had mentioned.

The car was packed to the brim with dazzling red roses.

Apart from the passenger seat, the entire back row and trunk overflowed with flowers.

Behind him, he could hear some of his female colleagues yammering.

They were hiding behind the office sign, secretly watching what was about to unfold. A lot of playful shoving was going on as they tittered on.

Shailey would sometimes bring him little gifts when she came to pick him up—things like figurines, game merchandise, or his favorite snacks.

The office had long grown used to these visits. However, that didn't stop his coworkers from teasing him at every opportunity. "Every time your sister-in-law shows up, the whole office gets treats! We're lucky to have you, Warren."

In the past, Warren would simply smile and let them joke. He was never stingy with whatever Shailey brought him.

This time around, everyone must be hoping for a share of the roses in the car.

"Shailey," he called out.

Shailey raised her head, but her expression was sour. Her attitude remained cold as she replied, "From now on, don't call me by my name. Call me sister-in-law."

Warren was stunned for a moment. He offered a slight nod. "Got it, sister-in-law."

"I was too harsh on you last night. Don't take it to heart."

"Okay."

"But you're not a kid anymore. Don't go doing dangerous things like pushing someone down the stairs again."

Warren couldn't believe his ears. He scoffed in disbelief, "So, you're just here to tell me off?"

Shailey's expression darkened. "You still don't understand what you've done wrong, do you?"

"Shailey, you've known me for over 20 years. Even if I really wanted to hurt him, I wouldn't do such a stupid thing in my own home!"

His volume rose with frustration, but he quickly regretted it.

It didn't matter anymore. He was leaving soon. There was not much point in explaining.

"Forget it. Just go. Don't disturb me when I'm at work."

When Warren returned to the entrance, the colleagues who had been fooling around were now looking at him with concern. They could clearly sense something amiss.

"Warren, did the two of you get into a fight?"

"Don't be angry! She came over to make peace with you with all those roses. Why don't you give her a chance?"

"Exactly! Warren, you're taking your blessings for granted. A good woman like her is hard to come by."

Warren's expression remained neutral. He brushed them off softly, "Stop hanging around. Go on, get back to work."

With his outstanding photography skills, he had a rather strong say in the office.

Those below him could only obey his commands. They returned to their desk with their heads hung low.

Being one of his closest colleagues, Wendy decided to pull him aside. "Warren, can I ask your sister-in-law for a bouquet of roses? It's my girlfriend's birthday today—I'd like to give her something special."

Warren sighed, feeling an incoming headache. "I'll buy you one later."

Back at his desk, he still couldn't focus.

After halfheartedly processing a few photos, his phone buzzed.

Three images popped up on the screen.

"Which of these do you think looks best?" A message came in with a blushing emoji.

Jacob sent over pictures of himself in various sleepwear styles, though if he must say, "sleepwear" felt like a stretch.

They were more like provocative lingerie, designed to reveal far more than they covered.

In the next second, those messages were quickly deleted.

"Sorry, Warren. Wrong chat."

In response, Warren turned off his phone and tossed it into his drawer.

They both knew that Jacob did not send them to the wrong person. He had undoubtedly done it on purpose.

It wasn't until after work that Warren took out his phone and powered it back on. To his disappointment, he received no missed calls, text messages, or other notifications—nothing at all.

In the past, Shailey would have flooded him with texts and calls if he went out of reach for over half an hour. On occasions, she would even show up at his workplace.

But today, there was nothing.

All of a sudden, a notification popped up on his phone, highlighting a new post on his social media feed.

When he clicked it, an immediately recognizable scene appeared before his eyes.

It was a black Cullinan filled with bright red roses.

Jacob sat amid the flowers, holding a bunch of roses in one hand while the other rested on Shailey's waist. The two were pressed close together in the picture.

The caption read, "Thank you, my love. This is the best birthday gift I've ever received."

Oh, so it was Jacob's birthday. All those roses in her car were meant for him.

It was time to go home, yet Warren didn't feel like going home.

But his mother called, worried for him. "Warren, why have you been working so late these days? Shay just asked if you needed a ride home."

Getting in her car was the last thing he wanted.

Neither the passenger seat nor the roses were his.

"That's okay, mom. I'll take a cab back."

"Well, alright."

When he got home, the couple was there too.

Jacob was lugging an oversized luggage out of Warren's room. He greeted, "Warren, you're back!"

Warren's temper flared. "Who let you into my room?"

Chapter 4

Hearing the commotion, Shailey slammed down the cup in her hand. "I did. What's the issue?"

"You let him waltz into my room and touch my belongings without the decency to ask me first?"

"Tell me, Warren Gardner, which of your belongings did I not buy for you? Since I bought them, Jacob has every right to touch them."

Warren felt like someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over him.

Jacob interjected gently, as if reprimanding her. "Shay, don't talk to Warren like that. You'll hurt his feelings."

He then turned to Warren and continued, "Warren, I heard from the household staff that Shay has clothes and shoes in your bedroom. You know how girls have mountains of clothes—half of your closet space is filled with her items! That's why I took it upon myself to move them into our bedroom instead."

Shailey used to cling to Warren like a moth to a flame. Since he was young, never once had he gotten a love letter. They were all intercepted by her.

Later, she stored her clothes in his bedroom, claiming he could help her pick a dress and heels before work each morning.

He knew the layout of her wardrobe better than she did, from her clothes to her bags.

Hearing this explanation, Warren stormed upstairs to his room.

The chaos that awaited him nearly convinced him he had been robbed. His clothes, collectible figurines, and photography equipment were scattered across the floor in utter disarray.

Pointing to the mess in a fury, he glared at Jacob. "Is this how you moved the clothes?"

Jacob's eyes reddened instantly. "I'm sorry, Warren. It was an accident..."

"An accident? What, unleashing a typhoon in my room? Your 'accident' must be quite the talent!"

Shailey frowned and scolded him, "Warren Gardner, watch your tone!"

Warren scoffed. "So, I did nothing wrong, but it's still my fault, huh?"

"Jacob is my fiancé, which makes him half your elder brother. You ought to show him some respect."

"Would you like to see this mess for yourself, Shailey?"

She slowly ascended the steps and froze momentarily at the sight of the havoc.

Nevertheless, it was only brief.

The next second, she turned to Jacob with amusement and chuckled. "Let's leave it to the servants to tidy up our bedroom in the future, shall we?"

"But I don't want anyone else touching my clothes. Especially... my pajamas."

He emphasized the word "pajamas", and his gaze turned suggestive.

In response, Shailey nodded helplessly. "Fine, then. I'll do the tidying, okay?"

Jacob questioned in defeat, "Shay, do you think I'm a little clumsy?"

"No worries. With me here. You can afford to be a little clumsy."

Warren screwed his eyes shut.

Never in his life had he ever resented the agonizing limbo of resignation notice periods.

If not for that, he'd already be flying across the ocean, far away from this disgusting, chaotic scene.

"Warren, total up the damage Jacob has done to your clothes and equipment and give me the sum. I'll pay you back for it."

All Warren could do in response was laugh in disbelief.

Even Shailey Ralston had learned how to play the money card.

On him, no less.

Adding fuel to the fire, Jacob playfully nudged him and whispered, "Warren, you can ask for more. With me around, she'll have to pay up no matter the amount."

She fondly chided him, "Turning against your own family now, huh? Are you conspiring with outsiders to empty your wife's wallet?"

Jacob stuck his tongue out at her. "From now on, I'm half a big brother to Warren. Of course, I will take my little brother's side."

Warren let out another sneer.

Turning against family?

Outsiders?

Of course. The two of them were closest to each other now.

In their little world, he was indeed the outsider.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

It was David.

He composed himself before answering the call. "Mr. Keaton?"

David cut to the chase. "Warren, I remember you had a great set of bird photography from before. One of the chief editors here would like to take a look at them. Would you be able to send me the negatives?"

"Sure, hold on for a minute. I'll send them over in a bit."

Warren headed back into his room.

He was used to working with film cameras. By habit, he stored all his negatives in a locked drawer.

Instinctively, he reached for the key to unlock it, only to find the cabinet soaked through.

"Warren, I'm so sorry. I accidentally spilled coffee on it, and I was worried it would stain your cabinet. So I decided to wash the entire thing with water..."

The more Jacob spoke, the colder his heart grew.

He couldn't be bothered responding before swiftly unlocking the drawer.

The moment he pulled it out, his last sliver of hope was utterly crushed.

Rows after rows of film lay soaking in water.

Some had unraveled, while others had changed color. Many were tangled in a chaotic mess. Even the water had turned a murky brown.

Three years' worth of negatives from his photography—all destroyed. Warren trembled with rage, unable to form words.

At some point, Shailey walked in. Upon seeing the ruined drawer, she said indifferently, "Add those films to the total damage. I'll pay for them as well."

Warren finally snapped. "Can he ever afford that? He doesn't understand what these negatives mean to me! But what about you? You do, don't you?"

A slight frown furrowed Shailey's eyebrows. "They're ruined already. Losing your temper won't change anything, will it? Jacob was only trying to help me pack. Spilling the coffee was just an accident."

"Just because it was an 'accident' doesn't make everything okay, does it? Will apologizing make the police let you go if you killed someone with your car?"

"Warren Gardner!" Shailey's tone turned sharp. "Stop being unreasonable! How could you compare your negatives with human lives? The photos may be gone, but you just have to take new ones. Why are you making such a big fuss?"

From the other end of the line, David's voice came through with concern. "Warren, is everything alright? Did something happen at home?"

Warren heaved an agonized sigh. "Mr. Keaton, I... I'm afraid I can't provide the negatives for now. I'll find time to shoot a new set and send them to you."

"That's fine. There's no rush; it'll take at least two weeks for your visa to be processed anyway."

"Got it."

The keyword didn't escape Shailey's ears. "Visa? Are you going abroad?"

Chapter 5

Warren ended the call.

Taking a moment to steady himself, he began silently cleaning up the mess on the floor. "Mr. Keaton's visa has expired," he explained calmly. "He's too old to handle the back-and-forth, so he asked me to help him sort it out."

Shailey raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't he have a daughter living in the country? Why didn't he ask her instead?"

Warren groaned. "Why don't you call her and ask her yourself?"

"I don't have time for that."

"Then stop asking so many questions."

Warren spent the entire night tidying up his bedroom.

The clothes and shoes Jacob had dirtied and thrown around were now abandoned in a corner of the wardrobe. He didn't plan to take them with him anyway.

He did manage to salvage a few rolls of film, but the soaked negatives were irreparably damaged.

Later, Jacob sent him a text that read, "Today was just a warning."

The message lingered for two minutes before Jacob deleted it. This was just enough time for Warren to see it without leaving evidence.

However, after what previously happened, Warren was prepared.

The moment he received the message, he took a screenshot.

With his lips curled into a smirk, he sent the screenshot back to Jacob.

He didn't receive a response for a while.

Warren found it laughable.

Did Jacob think his petty schemes would succeed time and time again? Did he think he wouldn't catch on?

He must have truly underestimated him.

About ten minutes later, Jacob finally replied.

It said, "What are you getting at?"

Warren shot back, "Nothing much; just a warning of my own. If you dare pull any stunts again, I'll send this screenshot to Shailey."

With that, he turned off his phone.

He didn't care if Jacob deleted his other messages.

In truth, it didn't matter to him how Shailey would react if she saw.

From the day he made the decision to leave, he had resolved not to expect any more from her.

The next morning at breakfast, his mother noticed his pale face. Concerned, she asked, "Warren, did you stay up all night? You look terrible."

He nodded. "Didn't really sleep well. But it's fine, all I need is some rest."

"You need to take care of yourself," said his mother warmly. "With Shay's wedding coming up, you'll have much to do. She grew up in our home after all, and I treat her like my own daughter. Now that she's found someone she loves, we must make sure the wedding is as grand and memorable as possible."

Warren looked up at her. "Has the date been set?"

"Of course. It's next weekend. Didn't Shay tell you? That girl used to share everything with you. Why hasn't she mentioned something as big as her wedding?"

Next weekend...

Warren checked his calendar. It was truly a coincidence—her wedding day was the day he was leaving.

Just then, Shailey and Jacob walked out of the bedroom.

Acting as though nothing had happened, Jacob greeted Warren with a grin. "Warren, Shay and I have discussed this thoroughly—you'll be the chief photographer for our wedding! Make sure you capture our best sides."

"I can't," Warren declined flatly. "I have something else to do that day."

Jacob pouted. "Are you still mad about yesterday? I'm sorry, okay? If you're still upset, I'll... I'll kneel and apologize to you right now..."

He crouched to get on his knees, but Shailey abruptly yanked him back to his feet. "He's not worth you kneeling for."

Their mother tried to diffuse the tension. "Jacob, there's no need for that. Warren treasures his film collection to bits, so it's natural for him to be upset. But kneeling? That's too much."

Jacob sighed pitifully. "I just feel like I mess everything up. I really do owe Warren an apology."

Shailey comforted him, "Just be more careful in the future. Let's eat first. Didn't you say you were starving earlier?"

Jacob tossed her a playful wink. "Only because of you! If you hadn't teased me this early in the morning, I wouldn't be so tired and hungry."

"Fine, blame me. Sit down and eat."

She turned to Warren while spreading jam on a piece of toast. "Warren, you must block out your schedule no matter what. You've got to be our wedding photographer next weekend. Consider it a gesture of goodwill after all these years as a family."

Out of the blue, the doorbell rang.

The housekeeper opened the door to reveal a middle-aged woman with a humble demeanor.

"Hello, who are you looking for?"

The woman smiled politely. "Hello, I'm here for Mr. Warren Gardner. I'm from a charity organization. He contacted us about donating clothes to people in remote mountain areas. We arranged to pick them up today."

Warren sprung to his feet at once. "That's me. Please give me a moment. I'll bring them down."

He scurried upstairs and returned with several large bags filled with clothes, which he handed over to the woman.

She was beyond thankful. "Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Gardner. With the weather turning cold, many people in the mountains don't have enough clothing to survive the winter. Your donation is sure to make a difference."

"No problem. Please make sure they're delivered as soon as possible."

"Of course! You can rest assured..."

"Hang on a minute." Shailey approached in confusion, frowning down at the half-dozen large bags. "Are you donating all your clothes?"