Chapter 2

Liam stood there, looking at me across the aisle, his brows deeply furrowed.

“Stella, Ryan is a girl; I’ve always kept this from you.”

“I was just afraid you’d misunderstand.”

He sighed, his tone like he was coaxing a child.

“If you’re jealous, take it out on me at home, whatever you want.”

“But you sued them.”

“Today, they publicly unbuttoned their shirt in front of everyone, just to prove their innocence.”

He paused, his voice dropping low.

“How can they ever show their face in public again?”

Someone in the gallery chimed in.

“This is really too much. Couldn’t she have talked it out? Why go to court?”

“A young woman like that, how will they ever marry now?”

“Liam isn’t having it easy either, wife on one side, best friend on the other, how can you expect him to choose?”

He seemed not to hear those words.

He just looked at me, his gaze full of weariness.

“Stella, I don’t blame you.”

“But you owe Ryan an explanation.”

“Apologize, and we can put this behind us, okay?”

His tone was so gentle.

So gentle that it made me feel like I was the unreasonable one.

But then I remembered.

That night, when I was pinned to the sofa, desperately screaming for help.

There were footsteps outside the door.

They paused.

Then walked away.

I had always thought it was someone unrelated.

Now, looking at Liam’s face.

I suddenly remembered the rhythm of those footsteps.

It was very familiar.

I didn’t answer him.

I stared at him.

“Liam.”

“That night, you passed by the lounge door, didn’t you?”

Liam’s expression froze for a moment.

“Stella, what are you talking about?”

He frowned, his tone confused.

“That day at the wedding, I was busy greeting guests in the main hall the whole time. How could I have been near the lounge?”

“Are you… mistaken?”

He said it so smoothly.

So smoothly, it was like he had rehearsed it.

“I’m not mistaken.”

I stared straight at him.

“Your footsteps, I wouldn’t mistake them.”

Liam was silent for two seconds.

Then he sighed, turning to Judge Hayes.

“Judge, may I say a few words?”

“Regarding my wife’s… condition.”

Judge Hayes nodded.

Liam paused, as if choosing his words carefully.

“Stella… she’s been under a lot of stress these past six months.”

“She started having insomnia before the wedding, and her emotions haven’t been very stable.”

He looked at me, his eyes full of concern.

“I didn’t want to say anything, for fear of hurting her pride.”

“But in her current state…”

“I’m afraid something serious might happen to her.”

I was stunned.

“Last October, I took her to see a doctor.”

Liam pulled a piece of paper from his pocket.

“This is the diagnosis from that time.”

He handed it to Judge Hayes.

“The doctor said she has an anxiety disorder, and…”

He lowered his voice, but just enough for those nearby to hear.

“…a tendency toward paranoid personality traits, prone to delusions.”

The gallery instantly erupted.

“I knew it, how could a normal person sue a woman…?”

“No wonder Liam’s been protecting her; he was afraid she’d have an episode.”

“A mental illness, that makes sense then.”

I felt cold all over.

“I don’t!”

I violently pulled away from his hand as he tried to steady me.

“Liam, what are you talking about? I never saw any doctor!”

Liam didn’t get angry.

He just sighed, his gaze growing even gentler.

Judge Hayes took the paper and glanced at it.

His brows furrowed.

I snatched it.

Black and white.

“Anxiety disorder with paranoid personality traits, medication and psychological counseling recommended.”

The signature was from St. Jude’s Medical Center, the most reputable mental hospital in this city.

I stared at the paper.

My mind buzzed.

October 12th last year…

I had indeed gone to St. Jude’s Medical Center that day.

But not for a psychiatric visit.

It was to accompany my dad for his pre-op checkup, and I had a routine physical myself.

I had never seen a psychiatrist.

This diagnosis was fake.

But how could I prove it?