Seth Quinn regarded her calmly for a few seconds before speaking, his voice impassive. His words, however, sounded more like a reminder. "Autumn Shelby, we have no relationship anymore."

Autumn Shelby froze, then said urgently, "No, Seth. We may have called off the engagement, but we have more than twenty years of history between us. How can you say it’s all gone, just like that?"

She rushed to grab his hand, but Seth Quinn dodged her. She could feel his distance.

Not the unintentional coldness he’d sometimes shown when they were together, but a deliberate, calculated distance. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

She bit her lip and continued, "Seth, have you forgotten? We’ve known each other since we were children, and I was the only woman by your side as we grew up. We were together for so many years... have you forgotten all of it?"

After they last met at The Tuberose, she had deliberately stayed away for a week to give him space. She wanted him to calm down and have time to reminisce about their past, about all the little moments they’d shared since childhood.

’He might not have loved me enough, but the time we spent together, those beautiful childhood memories—they were all real. He can’t be so heartless as to forget everything completely, can he?’

The thought had barely settled in her mind when Seth Quinn frowned and said, "Sorry. I’ve forgotten it all."

Autumn Shelby’s eyes widened, and she stared at him in disbelief. ’Is he really being this cruel? Does he have to use such words to get back at me for suddenly leaving all those years ago?’

"Seth, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I know you still resent me, maybe even hate me, for leaving. But back then, I was suddenly terrified of marriage. I felt so insecure. A doctor said I had pre-wedding anxiety and that getting away for a bit might help me get over it quickly.

So I went abroad. The only reason I didn’t tell you was because I was afraid you would think I didn’t want to marry you. I didn’t dare."

In truth, Autumn Shelby’s explanation didn’t hold water. She was afraid he’d think she didn’t want to marry him, so she left without a word? Wasn’t she more afraid that by suddenly running off right before their wedding, he’d be furious and even less likely to forgive her?

She’d been gone for more than a year, and now she was back for him. Was she not afraid of being misunderstood now?

But Seth Quinn, naturally, wouldn’t ask about any of that. It was all irrelevant now.

"But now, I’m better. I’m not afraid of marriage anymore. I’m ready. Seth, let’s get back together. Let’s go back to how we were, just being together, quietly. Okay? Let’s get married. We could—we could even go register our marriage tomorrow. I wouldn’t mind at all."

Autumn Shelby watched Seth Quinn, her gaze deep and filled with earnest hope. She imagined him nodding in the very next second and saying, "Alright. Let’s go register our marriage tomorrow."

But Seth Quinn’s next words shattered her daydream.

"I’m not going to marry you, and I’m not going to register a marriage with you tomorrow." Seth Quinn’s expression was stern and serious. "I have another woman now. There’s no chance of us getting back together."

Though his words were blunt, he spoke with great patience—if only for the sake of the bond they’d shared since they were children.

It was all in the past, but the memories were still there. He didn’t want to hurt her too deeply.

When Autumn Shelby heard him say, "I have another woman now," she grew visibly more agitated, her voice dripping with scorn.

"Another woman? You mean that Clara Grant from the other day?"

"Yes. It’s her."

"I don’t believe you. You’re just using her to make me angry, aren’t you? Otherwise, why wouldn’t you date anyone for over a year, but the moment I return, you suddenly have a new woman?"