Please Let Me Go, My Contracted Ex-Husband.-Chapter 22 - -past

After finally climbing to the sixth floor and opening the door, she kicked off her shoes and collapsed straight onto the sofa, too exhausted to speak.

Every week, she volunteered at the orphanage, helping Marc tend to the children. She considered this place her home, while the Lancaster family felt like nothing more than a formality.

"You may not be preparing anything, but at least keep yourself in good spirits! Look at you now—like a ghost!"

Bonnie's tone softened considerably, despite her annoyance, as she took in Cynthia's weary appearance.

Even though it was a marriage devoid of love and filled with interests, it was still a significant life event. Regardless of how things would end, just the thought of getting married would stir ripples in any woman's heart.

Cynthia lay there with a calm expression, knowing he wouldn't just sit idly by. Hadn't he said as much? He had to maintain his dignity as Wilson, after all. As she had expected, on the eve of the wedding, Jim arrived, bringing a mountain of items—wedding dresses, formal gowns, shoes, and various pieces of jewelry. He hadn't shown up again since then.

Amidst the pile of things, she felt embarrassed to realize he knew her measurements so well. Both the wedding dress and the gown fit her perfectly. The strapless design hugged her white chest just right, accentuating her curves.

As she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, dressed in the pristine white wedding gown, she suddenly recalled the shivers she had felt when his fingers had glided over her skin, causing her face to flush unexpectedly.

Then, the day before their wedding arrived. She wanted to get married from the small apartment he had bought for her, but the Lancaster family obviously disagreed. Such a highly publicized wedding was a golden opportunity for the Lancaster family to promote themselves, so she had no choice but to stay with them.

In this marriage, each party calculated their own interests. The Lancaster family aimed to climb the ladder by allying with Albert Wilson, hoping to gain power and influence in the business world, while she was merely concerned about whom she might hurt in the process. As for that man, she never really knew what he was calculating.

To be honest, living with the Lancaster family made her nervous, fearing that Doreen Lancaster or Grace Lancaster would pull some tricks. However, to her surprise, they were unusually quiet, especially Doreen Lancaster.

Aside from dinner, Doreen stayed in her room most of the time. Later, when she came out to get some water, she saw Doreen Lancaster and Grace Lancaster coming upstairs together. Doreen smiled charmingly at Grace, saying, "Second Sister, this is the new Porsche key that our brother-in-law just gave me. Let's go for a drive together sometime!"

"Sure!"

Grace Lancaster played along with Doreen's bragging, her smug gaze unapologetically sweeping toward Cynthia. Her husband had given her such an expensive gift, while she, as the rightful wife, received nothing. What did that mean?

Cynthia slightly curved her lips downward, lowering her eyes to conceal the derision and disdain in them. No wonder Doreen was acting so docile; it turned out he had already sweetened the deal for her.

And what about Grace Lancaster? With her aggressive and profit-driven nature, she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. What had she gained from him this time?

Regardless of what they had obtained, she really ought to thank him for dealing with these two sisters, allowing her to spend her last night of singlehood in a quiet environment.

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Not wanting to clash with those two women, she turned around, holding her cup, and went back to her room. Seeing her indifference, Doreen Lancaster angrily stomped back to her own room in her high heels, while Grace Lancaster just stared at Cynthia's back, a flicker of hatred crossing her gaze.

Her history with Grace was quite complicated. When she was seven, William S. Lancaster fell for another woman, reportedly a nightclub singer—Cynthia's mother. William was so obsessed that he was willing to abandon his wife and daughter, even risking the entire Lancaster empire for her.

Their mother had never been in good health, and the heartbreak from William S. Lancaster's cruelty and betrayal ultimately pushed her into deep despair, leading to her death from depression a year later. Not long after, William S. Lancaster couldn't wait to marry Cynthia's mother. That year, little Cynthia was only three years old.

From that point on, she harbored a deep hatred for the mother and daughter.

During the darkest days of her grief over her mother's death, it was Vincent who stayed by her side. Although it wasn't exactly companionship—he was merely fulfilling his father's orders to pick her up and drop her off from school each day. Vincent was eight at the time, and since they were of similar ages and attended the same school, Vince's father worried that she might do something foolish due to her sadness, so he had Vincent accompany her.

During that time, Vincent wasn't particularly warm toward her; he acted as if it were a chore he had to complete. However, for her, it was different. Whenever she felt like crying from her sadness and looked up, she would see his thin but upright figure walking silently ahead of her, and it filled her heart with strength.

Two years later, that woman committed suicide. She colluded with the willful Doreen Lancaster, using both soft and hard tactics to force William S. Lancaster to send the little one to the orphanage, finally clearing the toxic atmosphere in her home.

However, she didn't expect that later, Vincent would actually pressure his father, Karl. Karl doted on his precious son and came to persuade William S. Lancaster to bring Cynthia back to the Lancaster family. At that time, the Lancaster family still needed Karl's political backing, and with his eldest daughter, Maureen Lancaster, also advocating for Cynthia, three years later, William S. Lancaster brought her back.

When Cynthia was eight years old, she officially returned to the Lancaster family, and thirteen-year-old Vincent formally declared his protective claim over her. He spoiled her like a princess, doting on and caring for her.

On her end, ever since she had stepped out of her mother's death, he had always remained indifferent to her. No matter how hard she tried, he never paid her any attention. She was first in her studies, first in the arts, first in public speaking—every kind of first she could achieve wouldn't earn her a glance from him.

From Cynthia's eighth to eighteenth year, a long and bitter ten-year wait finally bore fruit. She had him, even if the means she employed were not entirely honorable; in the end, she had secured him.

The hallway lights were dim, casting shadows on Grace Lancaster's face, making her strong features appear somewhat dim and haggard. She glanced in the direction of Cynthia's room and then walked toward her own. As the current head of the Lancaster family, she had to personally oversee the wedding preparations for the next day.

Cynthia's Room.

She had just walked in with a cup when her phone notified her of a new message. Bored, she lay back on the bed to check it. Her expression froze, and her hand shook as the phone slipped from her grasp and fell directly onto her chest, causing a dull pain that she didn't even notice.

The message read: I'm waiting for you at Dock 8! If you don't want to get married, I'll take you away!

Signed: Vince.

Vince! Vince! That was the nickname she had for him during the happiest years of her life. He only allowed her to call him that. Back then, she was innocent and carefree, her heart full of affection for him, flitting around him like a butterfly, always calling out "Vince! Vince!"

Whenever she annoyed him too much, he would pretend to be angry, pulling her into his arms and kissing her fiercely as punishment for her mischief.

Looking back now, it felt... somewhat bittersweet.

She lay stiffly on the bed, a smile on her face that slowly turned to tears, flowing down her cheeks as she thought, *Vincent, is it a bit late to say you want to take me away?*

Two years ago, when she turned eighteen, he had confessed his feelings to his family, only to be met with unanimous opposition. In truth, he didn't even need to confess; everyone knew how he felt but chose to remain silent.

Of course, he was furious. He had protected her for ten years, preparing for their future together. At that time, she was only focused on having a home and someone to love her, so they planned to elope.

He had just graduated from university and landed a government job at the prosecution office. His bright future was about to unfold. Seeing him give all that up for her made her heart ache, but he had solemnly declared that without her, what was the point of living a glorious life?