Chapter 5

Nigel had never seen that look on Joyce's face before. She'd always been calm and collected around him, to the point where he'd thought she didn't even know how to get jealous. Back when he was trying to get her attention, someone had mentioned that winning a woman's heart took strategy. Clinging to Joyce all the time would only make her take him for granted, and she would eventually lose interest. So he decided to play hard to get. He avoided Joyce for a few days and hung out with other women around her to see if it would make her jealous. But Joyce was as unbothered as always. She passed him by without even looking his way. It was then that Nigel understood—playing hard to get might work on someone else but not Joyce. They soon slipped back into their usual pattern, with Joyce leading the way while Nigel walked behind. Six years had gone by before he even realized it. Nigel finally saw her jealous side, but it was too late. He grabbed his phone and was about to explain when Jeffrey's voice rang out again from behind Joyce. "Must be a buddy! We guys sometimes save our bros as 'Darling' as a joke!" Since Jeffrey had already spoken up, Nigel didn't bother to correct him. He quietly took his phone back to his room to call the number that had just rung. He expected Meryl's sudden call to be about something important, but she was just asking about random things. "Have you eaten anything yet?" "The weather's been pretty rainy here in Southbay City. How about in Halston City? Is it raining there as well?" "I heard Halston City's been getting chillier lately. Stay bundled up so you don't catch a cold." Nigel answered her questions patiently, waiting for her to get to the heart of it. But she still hadn't gotten to it after all the casual chatter. Fed up, Nigel decided to hang up. "Just tell me what you want already. If not, I'm hanging up." Meryl finally got straight to the point. "I just wanted to ask if you regret anything and want a new bride." "You've been going around in circles just to ask me that?" Nigel was left speechless. Meryl answered with a sincere hum, her voice carrying a subtle trace of vulnerability. "Don't you love your girlfriend a lot?" Nigel almost asked how she knew, but then he remembered how his Instagram had been full of Joyce—from the first time he saw her in college, to his daily pursuit, the thrill of becoming her boyfriend, the effort he put in every day, deciding to marry her, and now, looking for a new bride. He made sure his love for Joyce was known, hoping the whole world could see how deeply he felt for her. So it would be tough for anyone to miss. Nigel shook his head, giving a wry smile. The silence dragged on, making Meryl more and more anxious. She was afraid that any second now, Nigel would say, "Yes, I still love her, so forget about me finding a new bride." Before long, Nigel finally said, "I… don't love her anymore." After a brief pause, he reassured her. "Don't worry. I've decided to marry you, and I won't regret it because of her."