CHAPTER 166: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU BOTH?

It had been ages since she’d fallen into such an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

When she finally awoke, the afternoon sun was already waning.

Only after Drake and Lucas had helped send off all the guests, and Ryan had cleared away the bouquets for her, did she rouse herself fully.

The curtains were still open, and the setting sun cast long shadows across the room.

She sat up abruptly, wincing as a sharp ache shot through her thighs—so sore she could barely lift them.

*Damn Drake.*

Every time, he left her utterly wrecked.

A pang of bitterness twisted in her chest.

The last time they had tangled between the sheets felt like a lifetime ago.

She changed into a sleek black suit in the dressing room, but no matter how she adjusted the collar, the faint bruises along her neck refused to stay hidden.

*How the hell am I supposed to wear a scarf in this heat?*

*Damn Drake.*

She layered on foundation, blending carefully with powder until the marks were less noticeable.

Only then did she exhale in relief and descend the stairs with measured steps.

The guests had all departed, leaving only Lucas, Drake, Beauty, Ryan and a few close friends in the now-quiet house.

As she reached the bottom step, Beauty hurried over, taking her hands with concern.

"Sarah, are you okay?"

"I’m fine.

I can’t believe I slept so long—I’m sorry you all had to clean up after me.

You’re guests yourselves.

Let me make it up to you—dinner’s on me next time."

Her gaze deliberately skirted Drake, fixing anywhere but on him.

Lucas stood, his voice warm but his eyes icy as they flicked toward Beauty.

"After all these years, do you really think we care about that?

We just want you to move forward and be yourself again."

"Sarah, make sure you rest," Beauty added softly.

"And if you need anything, just tell me." Ryan stepped forward with a concerned expression, his gaze lingering momentarily on the faint redness around her neck before he quickly averted his eyes, lips curling into a faint smile.

His fists clenched subtly at his sides.

"Sarah, how about I stay with you tonight?"

Beauty suddenly blinked at Sarah, her rosy lips curving into a playful smile, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief.

She had deliberately said it loud enough for Lucas to hear—knowing full well that if Sarah agreed, he wouldn’t object.

"Sure, but I should check with Lucas first," Sarah replied, arching a brow as she glanced at Lucas, her tone teasing yet deliberate, as if offering them both an opportunity.

Almost instantly, Lucas slid an arm around Nathalie’s shoulders, his lips quirking into a faint smirk as he addressed Beauty.

"Stay wherever you want tonight.

Nathalie, let’s go."

With that, he turned on his heel, guiding Nathaniel away without another glance, leaving Beauty staring at their retreating figures.

A storm of emotions churned inside her, but she forced her expression to remain composed.

"Sarah, I should head out too.

Call me if you need anything."

Drake offered a small smile, the faint marks from Sarah’s nails still visible on his neck, before turning to leave.

Only after Drake had gone did Sarah finally exhale deeply, sinking back onto the couch, her teeth pressing into her lower lip.

"Sarah, are you feeling alright?"

Ryan crouched in front of her, his eyes searching hers carefully, his voice quiet but steady.

"I’m fine.

Thank you for all your hard work.

You’ve been running around taking care of things for days—you must be exhausted.

You should head home and rest early.

There are still some things I’d like to talk to Beauty about."

"Then I’ll take my leave now.

Beauty, please take good care of Sarah.

If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call me anytime—I’ll keep my phone on 24/7."

Ryan’s face flickered with a trace of sorrow as he spoke, then he turned and walked out of the hall.

Watching his retreating figure, Beauty suddenly felt a pang of pity for him.

Love could make a person so vulnerable, she realized.

After their bath, the two women lay in bed.

Sarah picked up the framed photo of her and her mother from the nightstand, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

She had once had a happy family, cherished and adored by her parents.

Yet in the blink of an eye, she had lost everything.

You never knew whether tomorrow or tragedy would arrive first. Now, she felt utterly alone in the world.

"Sarah, don’t be too sad.

No matter what, you still have us.

We’ll all stand by you—I promise."

Beauty reached for a tissue from the nightstand and gently dabbed the tears from Sarah’s face.

Sarah sniffled softly, wiping away the remaining traces of tears.

She leaned her head against Beauty’s shoulder and looked up at her.

"What’s going on between you and Lucas?

There’s something off about you two lately."

The moment Lucas’s name was mentioned, Beauty’s expression darkened.

The memory of last night’s phone call had shattered whatever hope she had left for him.

Whether it was him or Nathalie who was lying, one thing was undeniable—they had been together.

She bit her lip and murmured, "I think it’s really over between us."

The words surprised even herself.

How could something be "over" when it had never truly begun?

"You two were perfectly fine just the other day!

And you just got married—shouldn’t this be the honeymoon phase?

How did it end so soon?

That night you came to me with swollen eyes—was it because of him?"

She had been swamped with work these past few days, too exhausted to spare a thought for anything else.

But today, noticing how oddly the two were acting, it finally dawned on her.

Beauty sighed and leaned her head against a cushion.

"It’s... complicated between us," she said softly.

"But maybe it’s for the best.

At least now I won’t keep clinging to false hope.

Enough about him—what about you and Drake?

Something happened today, didn’t it?"

Sarah’s face instantly flushed crimson.

She pressed her lips together, her teeth clenched tight as the memory of that dizzying, heart-pounding encounter from earlier flashed through her mind.

She wished she could just disappear.

Why was it that every single time, she just couldn’t say no to him?

Even after all these years, she still didn’t know how to resist his warmth and tenderness.

"Sarah, do you still love him?"

Beauty propped her chin in her hand, studying Sarah with a mischievous glint in her eyes, her lips quirking slightly.

Sarah lowered her gaze, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

All these years, it seemed she had never truly forgotten him.

Sometimes, she wondered if the man she loved was just an idealized version of Drake—not the real him at all.