Chapter 2

When morning came, Julian greeted Clara with his usual kiss.

"Clare, I missed our wedding anniversary yesterday. Let me make it up to you today, all right?"

"Let’s go to the amusement park. Didn't you say you wanted to go there before?"

Clara had no interest and was about to refuse, but Julian was already preparing for the day without waiting for her answer. He even laid out an outfit for her.

At the amusement park, he was attentive to her every move. The moment she pressed her lips together, he offered her a bottle of water. If her gaze lingered on a stuffed toy for more than a second, he bought it immediately.

Carousel rides, bumper cars, the Ferris wheel—Julian didn’t care how childish the activities were. As long as she enjoyed them, he happily went along.

He held her hand tightly the entire time, barely letting go. Even when she tried to pull away, he only gripped her hand more firmly, as if he were afraid to lose her.

At one point, he tied a balloon to her bag and chuckled. "This way, Clare, you’ll never get lost."

Never get lost.

But the place she was going this time was somewhere he would never be able to find her.

*Julian, you lost me a long time ago,* Clara wanted to tell him.

Their undeniable chemistry and striking looks naturally caught the attention of other visitors. It wasn’t long before murmurs began, and someone pointed them out.

"Look! That’s Mr. Vanguard and Mrs. Vanguard, isn’t it? I can’t believe we’re seeing them in person! They’re so sweet together!"

A young woman let out an excited gasp, practically bouncing on her toes as she grabbed her boyfriend’s arm and dragged him over to Clara.

"Um... could we take a picture with you? We’re huge fans! You’re our favorite couple!"

Seeing the girl’s eager expression, Clara didn’t have the heart to refuse and nodded in agreement.

Julian wasn’t fond of taking photos, but he was willing to cooperate for Clara's sake.

The camera clicked, and the young couple beamed with excitement. "You two are such a perfect match. We’re so envious. Please stay happy forever!"

Julian smiled and gave them a polite nod.

He never noticed that Clara stood silently by his side the entire time, saying nothing. Only she knew the truth—there was no "forever" waiting for them.

During their lunch break, Julian kept glancing at his phone. Each time he caught Clara’s gaze, he quickly apologized in a soft, coaxing tone.

"Clare, I’m sorry. There’s some work I need to handle right away. Go ahead and eat first. I promise I’ll make it up to you in a moment, all right?"

But then, an image of a luxury castle flashed across his phone screen.

He wasn’t working. He was watching a livestream.

Clara’s lips curved into a mocking smile as she quietly opened the livestream on her own phone.

It was Sylvia, an obscure internet influencer Julian had recently signed to the company. Not only had he signed her, but he had also made her the face of "Clara," the jewelry line he claimed was a tribute to his wife.

Everyone had been speculating about Sylvia’s sudden access to such high-profile opportunities. Some whispered that she must have someone powerful backing her.

They were right. That someone was Julian.

At that very moment, Sylvia was standing at the entrance of the amusement park, livestreaming to her audience. She held up her phone with a smug expression, bragging to her viewers.

"Look, everyone! This amusement park was a gift from my boyfriend. Just mention my name for a discount when you visit. Come and have fun!"

Clara’s hand turned ice-cold around her phone. Her grip tightened as a wave of frost seemed to seep through her veins.

*This amusement park... the one he brought me to... was a gift for her?* she thought.

The livestream’s comment section was filled with skepticism.

"Stop lying. How could a small-time influencer like you afford a billionaire’s playground?"

"She’s just trying to grab attention. Without proof, anyone could stand in front of this park and claim it’s theirs."

"You’re insane if you think we’ll believe this. Do you have any idea how many billions it would cost to own a place like that?"

Sylvia bit her lip, looking aggrieved. "I’m not lying! Look, isn’t my name on this?"

She pulled a property deed from her bag, holding it up to the camera. Clear as day, her name was printed on the document in black and white.

The livestream exploded instantly, flooding with comments as viewers reacted with awe and disbelief.

"I take it back. I’ve never seen such a powerful figure in my life."

"An entire amusement park as a gift? This is next-level spoiling! It’s on par with Mr. Vanguard and his undying love for Mrs. Vanguard!"

"They say a man’s love is where his money goes. Why can’t I meet a perfect man like this?"

"That’s because there are only two perfect men in the world: Mr. Vanguard, and this mysterious boyfriend of Sylvia’s. So, who do you think loves their partner more? Vanguard’s devotion to Mrs. Vanguard, or Sylvia’s boyfriend’s love for her? Press 1 for Mr. Vanguard, 2 for Sylvia’s boyfriend!"

The comment section was filled with a cascade of "1"s. After all, Julian's love for Clara was legendary—he didn’t just spend money; he had almost given his life for her.

Just then, a new account named "LovesSylvia" appeared and instantly sent ten thousand luxury virtual gifts to her livestream. The screen lit up with vibrant animations, leaving viewers stunned.

With the flood of gifts, the number of viewers in Sylvia’s livestream skyrocketed from hundreds of thousands to over ten million.

Then, a bold message flashed across the screen: "Of course, I love Sylvia more."

The livestream erupted in chaos.

"The boyfriend just showed up! He’s too rich! Too rich!"

"This is insane! Absolute madness!"

Sylvia smiled with smug satisfaction, her eyes full of spoiled pride. "See? I told you my boyfriend loves me."

Clara’s hand trembled as she clutched her phone. Her gaze lifted just in time to catch Julian's faint smile, the indulgent look in his eyes unmistakable.

He was "LovesSylvia."

It felt as though her heart had been wrenched apart, the pain lingering long after the hand that caused it had let go.