Chapter 2. A change

London, England

Lilly Bradley

This morning at breakfast, my father had given us some big news: he had been invited to take an important position as head of surgery at a major hospital in New York City. My mother, a cardiologist at the same hospital where they both work, was thrilled about the opportunity. If he accepted, they would move after my wedding to Oliver. They thought about selling the house and seizing the chance to live in another country. My sister and I were completely independent, so they were really excited about the idea of living on another continent.

"What’s my fiancée thinking about?" Oliver placed a cold latte on my desk. I smiled at him as he pulled the chair’s backrest and sat down next to me.

"My parents are moving after our wedding." Oliver took a sip of his black coffee and looked at me, surprised.

"Wow, and where are they moving to?" he asked, glancing back at his phone.

"New York." He raised his eyebrows in surprise and paused what he was doing.

"That’s quite a move. What are they going to do in the United States? Feed the homeless?" His attempt at a joke annoyed me.

"A new position at one of the city's most important hospitals. It’s a great opportunity; I’d take it." I paused. "Of course, if I had my father’s experience and a passion for medicine." I took a sip of my latte, made a face of displeasure, and looked at Oliver, who was once again focused on his phone. "It’s bitter." He shrugged as if to say, "Well, it’s the hundredth time I forgot to add sugar to your latte." "When you ask for a black coffee, I make it just the way you like it." He twisted his lips.

"I know, that’s why I love how you put effort into what I like." He winked at me. "You’ll be the perfect wife."

"I’m not going to be perfect," I leaned toward him and narrowed my eyes. "You know that, right?" He put his phone down screen-side down, leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest, and his dark eyes met mine.

"Lilly, I know no one is perfect, but with you, I’ve hit the jackpot. You know how to wash, iron, cook, knit, even embroider, paint, play the piano, speak five languages, you graduated with honors from one of the most prestigious universities in the world, you like to stay in shape, you can tell jokes better than I can, not to mention the sex is great, and you have good genes, so you’ll give me lots of healthy kids. And by the way, my family adores you. Even my sister, who hated every girlfriend I brought home, always said they were gold diggers who just wanted to be part of our family. But with you, it was different; they were blown away that night, and to this day, they always say you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to our family." I was silent, listening to every word, feeling uneasy about what he was saying until…

"Wait, is that the only reason you want to marry me?"

"Not just that. Today my father told me that when we get married in two weeks, he’ll make me a partner in the company. Isn’t that great? I’ll earn more and be able to live the luxurious life they have." I let out a long sigh.

"And what about your plans to become independent? To start your own business and not depend on your family’s name and company?" Oliver twisted his lips, and I saw irritation appear.

"Look, if I do well, you’ll do well."

"Okay, then, if you know I can wash, iron, cook, knit, even embroider, paint, play the piano, and speak five languages, why in these three years and with that brain you carry around twenty-four hours a day, do you always forget that my latte needs one sugar?"

"For God’s sake, Lilly, it’s just sugar," he complained. "When we get married, everything will be different. I’ll get it tattooed on me if necessary that you take one sugar in that damn latte." He stood up abruptly, pushing the chair back. "Did you even hear what I said? I’ll be a partner," he said, shaking his head slowly without breaking eye contact. "Sometimes you should stop thinking about yourself." Then he disappeared from the office.

"In the end," I murmured. Then I recapped that Oliver was more restless than before, defensive, answering me reluctantly, and I assumed it was because our wedding date was approaching... "Prenuptial nerves."

At noon, Leah waited for me at a café two blocks from the company where I worked with Oliver. It was his family's business, and I was part of the administration team.

"Tell him I said he should stick it where the sun doesn't shine. It's been three years, Lilly, and he still doesn't remember you take one sugar in your latte? It's not a big deal for you, but for me, he's a spoiled mama's boy who should know more about you, like, for example, that you hate eating alone." I raised my eyebrows.

"That's not true," I complained.

"Please, you've been working for them for two years, and that's two years of lunches together, just to be clear," she raised both hands, "I love eating with my sister, but if I can't, you hold out until you get home to eat."

"We don't always have lunch together."

"If you have seminars, no. If you have a meal with your in-laws, no. But yes, the rest of the time, we have lunch together." She smiled triumphantly at my silence.

"Idiot," I said in a playful tone.

"But that's how you love me, witch." She then tilted her head. "Can I be honest?" I cut my meat and put a piece in my mouth, then nodded, savoring how juicy it was. "Don't you think Oliver has changed in the last few months since you got engaged?" I frowned, knowing there had been a change in him, but I wasn't sure since when. I finished eating.

"Well, I tell you everything. Besides being my only sister, you're my best friend."

"And you're mine," she said before taking a bite of her food.

"And I'll be as honest as always," I took a sip of my water and chose my words carefully. "I know Oliver has changed. I know he recently started to...," I didn't know how to say it without feeling ridiculous, "seem more..."

"Despotic?" she asked. I shook my head quickly.

"That's not the word. It's more like he's feeling pressured by our engagement."

"It must be because you're seeing his true colors," she murmured ironically.

"Stop, I'm serious."

"So am I," she put her fork down next to her plate, then looked at me intently, ready to tell me what she'd been holding back. "But before you got engaged, he was sweet, kind, you could talk to him without that tic of trying to impress with his family's wealth, reminding you that you're marrying a man with an important last name. And as his father said, 'It's their money, not his.' He charmed our parents, but not me. And now that you've noticed, I had already seen it."

"You know something. Tell me," I asked my sister, and she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Aiden? My boss, remember?" I nodded, recalling the man with the disheveled tie at the pub where she celebrated her birthday last year. She had introduced us, and when it was his turn to meet Oliver, he had tensed up, and the greeting was brief. I hadn't thought much of it. "A couple of weeks ago, he saw him at a dating place."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"A dating place? Like those brothels where they pick women to have sex with?"

"Yes, those. He said the first time he thought he saw him was a few days before my birthday last year. That's why he tensed up when I introduced them, but his indifference made him doubt."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I almost raised my voice, but I had to calm down; there were people around us.

"Because it wasn't certain it was him until a few weeks ago when he saw him again and confirmed it was indeed him the first time. This time, they met on the stairs, and he told him not to say anything. He confessed it to me yesterday before leaving when he asked if the engagement was true, but I didn't know how to bring it up until I processed it." We fell silent. I looked down at my half-finished plate, unable to imagine Oliver having sex with other women. It abruptly killed my appetite.

"I need to get tested," I looked up at her.

"Tested?" She then formed an "O" with her lips. "You better be healthy, or I'll punch him in the face and shove my heel up his ass."