The next morning, Peter was just about to head home. He was starving.
Wearing a cap, he drove to the supermarket. As he reached for his phone to text Optimus and Odlan to hang out, a notification popped up.
"Today: The sudden wedding of attorney Enimsya and young judge Eduardo Manosel."
Peter's hand froze. Then another message arrived—from his mother.
"Come to your stepbrother's wedding. I'll be waiting for you and Zunafets."
Peter exhaled sharply, closed his phone, paid at the cashier, and walked to his car.
Sitting in the driver's seat, he pulled out a small box from his pocket. Inside was a diamond ring. He clenched his jaw and muttered,
"She spent the night with me, and today she's marrying my stepbrother—my enemy. What a nightmare."
For the past month, Peter and Enimsya had been in an undefined relationship. They acted like a couple, and Peter had planned to propose to her.
He gripped the wheel tightly and stepped on the gas.
Meanwhile, Zunafets was already dressed in a suit.
Peter arrived home, showered quickly, and put on a white button-up shirt, slightly unbuttoned at the top, a backward cap, black jeans, and sneakers.
Together, they left for the wedding.
At the venue, they sat not far from their mother. The bride and groom were welcomed with applause.
Peter didn't stay for long. He walked out to the parking lot, lighting a cigarette and leaning against his car.
Not long after, Zunafets joined him.
"Are you sulking?" Zunafets teased.
Peter remained silent.
Zunafets raised an eyebrow. "What were you guys, anyway? You just liked her, right?"
Peter pulled out the ring box and opened it.
"If it was just a crush, I wouldn't have bought this diamond ring." His voice was cold.
Zunafets' eyes widened. "Wait, you were going to propose? Since when did you two even have a thing?!"
Peter sighed. "We've been... together, sort of. No label, but we acted like a real couple. For a whole month. Until today."
Zunafets ran a hand through his hair. "Damn. But did you even tell her you were planning to propose?"
Peter nodded. "Yeah. She was happy about it. But it was just a plan at the time... and today, it's all over. I got played."
Zunafets patted his brother's shoulder as Peter exhaled smoke.
After a moment, Peter and Zunafets returned inside.
Peter took out his phone and sent a message to Enimsya.
"Meet me."
That evening, they met in private.
Enimsya looked at him, regret in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Peter. You deserve someone better."
Peter silently took out the ring box and opened it.
"Tell me, can a woman's finger still fit in here?" he asked softly.
Enimsya's eyes widened. "You actually bought it?"
Peter gave a bitter chuckle. "A few days ago. I found your lost ring in my car, so I used that to get the perfect size. I wanted to surprise you. I wanted to propose. But I was too late."
Peter sighed and closed the box. "But it's fine. Enjoy your new life. If you're happy, then I'm happy."
He took out one half of the ring set and handed it to her.
"Keep this. I don't want to pawn it, so just take it."
Enimsya hesitated, then slowly accepted it. "Peter... I can't..."
Peter's expression darkened. His voice trembled.
"Did you even think about my feelings today? Because I sure as hell didn't expect this 'surprise' wedding like some sick birthday prank."
His eyes were red, but he refused to cry.
Enimsya wiped away her tears.
Peter took a deep breath, then said in a low, dangerous tone, "If Eduardo ever hurts you... I'll end him."
Then he turned and walked away. Leaving everything behind.
That night, Peter entered the illegal betting arena with a calm demeanor, though his mind was in turmoil. He was still wearing the white shirt from the wedding earlier, sleeves rolled up, and the top buttons left undone.
His eyes were sharp, filled with restrained emotions.
From across the room, Celya Vioren noticed him and was shocked.
"Peter? What are you doing here… and why are you still wearing that?" she asked, approaching him.
Peter simply smirked, pulling out a large stack of cash and placing it on the betting table.
"Tonight, I'm playing big." His voice was casual, but there was a cold edge to it.
Other players turned their heads, surprised by Peter's boldness in placing such a high bet.
Celya grabbed his arm. "Peter, this isn't like you. What's going on?"
Peter gently pulled away. "I just want to play. That's all."
Celya's eyes scanned his face, noticing something different. There was sadness hidden behind his sharp gaze.
Without another word, the game began. That night, Peter played fearlessly—as if money no longer mattered to him.
The crowd roared as the engines revved up. Peter sat behind the wheel of his sleek black sports car, gripping the steering wheel tightly. His mind was still a mess, but tonight, he needed the thrill—he needed the distraction.
Celya stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, still watching him with concern. What the hell is he thinking?
A loud BANG!—the race signal fired, and the cars shot forward like bullets.
Peter's car surged ahead, his reflexes sharp despite everything on his mind. He maneuvered through the sharp turns effortlessly, dodging reckless drivers who were desperate to win.
The city streets blurred past him, neon lights reflecting off his windshield. He could hear the roar of engines, the screech of tires, and the cheers of the spectators.
At one point, a rival car tried to cut him off. Peter smirked, downshifted, and pushed his car into a dangerous drift, overtaking with ease.
Celya bit her lip as she watched. He's pushing himself too hard…
As they neared the final stretch, Peter was in second place, just behind a red car driven by a well-known racer named Denzel.
"Come on, Peter…" Celya muttered under her breath.
Peter narrowed his eyes, gripping the wheel tighter. He wasn't about to lose.
With one last calculated move, he took the final turn at an impossible speed, barely scraping past the red car and crossing the finish line—first.
The crowd went wild. Peter had won.
But instead of celebrating, he simply leaned back in his seat, exhaling deeply. The rush was there, but the emptiness in his chest remained.
Peter was still sitting in his car, breathing heavily after that insane race. Suddenly, a knock on the window snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Hey, get out," Optimus' voice rang out.
Peter sighed, then opened the car door and stepped out. Optimus immediately looked at him with a serious expression.
"Are you crazy? You were speeding like you had a death wish," he said, crossing his arms.
Peter just smirked. "I won, didn't I?"
Optimus shook his head. "Win for what, Peter? You're not yourself. You're still thinking about Enimsya, aren't you?"
Peter stayed silent for a moment, then lit a cigarette. He didn't answer right away, just exhaled smoke into the night air.
"I'm just trying to find a way to not think about it," he finally said.
From a distance, Celya watched them. She wanted to approach but hesitated when she saw Peter's expression.
"Listen, Peter," Optimus said again. "You can vent your emotions, but don't destroy yourself. I don't want to hear that you crashed on the track just because your heart is messed up."
Peter chuckled softly. "Relax, I still have plenty of lives."
Optimus scoffed. "You think you're a cat?"
Peter let out a small laugh, but his eyes remained empty. He patted Optimus on the shoulder and said, "Forget it, let's get a drink."
Optimus sighed, then nodded. "Alright, but you're paying."
Peter gave a small smirk. "As always."
They walked towards the bar near the racetrack, while Celya could only watch Peter's back with a complicated expression.
Peter, Optimus, and Odlan sat at the bar, each with a drink in hand. The neon lights flickered, and the atmosphere was lively with music thumping in the background.
"Cheers to surviving another crazy night," Odlan said, raising his glass.
Peter and Optimus clinked their glasses with his.
Odlan looked around and suddenly smirked. "Hey, guys, look at that. There's a gorgeous girl over there, and she's been glancing at our table."
Peter rolled his eyes. "Go talk to her then."
"Nah, I'm just appreciating beauty from a distance," Odlan chuckled, taking a sip of his drink.
Optimus laughed. "You? Afraid to talk to a girl? That's a first."
Peter, feeling the alcohol slowly warming his body, pulled out his phone and snapped a selfie of the three of them—Odlan in the middle, grinning like an idiot, Peter smirking slightly, and Optimus making a peace sign.
"Alright, let's post this," Peter muttered as he uploaded the photo to his Instagram story.
A few minutes later, Enimsya sat on her bed, mindlessly scrolling through her phone.
Her heart suddenly skipped a beat when she saw Odlan's story.
The picture of Peter, smiling casually with a drink in his hand, made her chest tighten. He looked like he was enjoying himself—like nothing had happened.
Her fingers hovered over the screen.
She wanted to look away. She wanted to ignore it.
But instead, she tapped on Peter's profile.
Enimsya stared at her phone screen, her finger hovering over Peter's profile. Her breath hitched slightly. She shouldn't care—she really shouldn't.
Yet, her heart felt heavy seeing Peter looking so relaxed, as if nothing had happened. As if her sudden marriage to Eduardo hadn't shattered someone's heart.
Without realizing it, she opened her gallery. The photos of her and Peter were still there.
Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through memories that now felt painful. Their laughter, their late-night conversations, their time together—it was all still there.
"You look like you're fine..." she whispered softly.
She went back to Instagram, staring at Peter's story with his friends. They were laughing, enjoying the night, as if life carried on as usual.
Enimsya bit her lip, then, without thinking, started typing a message.
"Are you really okay?"
But she hesitated. Her fingers froze.
Meanwhile, at the bar, Peter was laughing with Optimus and Odlan when his phone buzzed on the table.
He glanced at it. A message from Enimsya.
Peter paused for a moment, but instead of replying, he turned off his screen and reached for his drink again.
"Who was that?" Odlan asked curiously.
Peter smirked slightly. "No one important."
Then, he downed his drink in one go.
Eduardo stepped into the bedroom, loosening his tie. His sharp eyes immediately noticed Enimsya sitting on the edge of the bed, her phone still in her hand, screen dimmed.
"You're still awake?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.
Enimsya didn't respond immediately. She simply placed her phone on the nightstand and leaned back against the headboard. Her expression was distant, emotionless.
Eduardo sighed and walked closer. "I know today was sudden for you, but this is our reality now."
She finally looked at him, her gaze cold and unreadable. "Reality?" she echoed.
"Yes," Eduardo said, undoing his watch and placing it on the table. "We are married now, Enimsya. Whether you like it or not, you are my wife."
She let out a small, bitter chuckle. "A wife? That's funny… because I don't feel like one."
Eduardo's jaw clenched slightly. "You agreed to this arrangement. You knew what you were getting into."
"Did I?" she shot back, her voice sharper now. "Or was this decision made for me?"
Eduardo sat on the edge of the bed, watching her carefully. "Listen, I don't expect you to love me right away. But at least… try."
Enimsya looked away, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly.
Eduardo sighed, clearly frustrated but trying to remain composed. "Just rest. Tomorrow, we start fresh."
Without another word, he stood up and walked to the bathroom.
Enimsya finally exhaled deeply, her chest feeling heavy. As soon as she heard the water running, she reached for her phone again.
Her finger hovered over Peter's chat. She wanted to say something, anything.
But in the end, she turned off the screen and placed the phone back down.
Tonight, she would keep her silence.