At five o'clock, Lilly came to meet Mark.
"I am taking you to meet my mother," Mark said.
But Lilly didn't look happy, so he asked, "Is everything alright?"
"Mark, I don't think I can continue this relationship."
She couldn't meet his eyes.
"Don't tell me you like Jonathan Long," Mark said playfully.
"I'm not joking. I can't marry you."
Mark immediately understood from her tone.
"Can I ask why?"
"I don't think we'll be happy together."
"Bullshit. I don't believe that."
"I'm telling the truth. I'm breaking up with you."
Lilly turned to leave, but Mark stopped her.
"You can't do this to me. I love you."
Lilly kept looking down.
"At least I deserve to know the truth."
His anger rose.
"Fine. If this will make you happy, I'm ready. I can do anything for your happiness."
Lilly finally looked at him.
"Yesterday, your mother asked about a girl."
"Yes. How do you know?"
"That girl was my sister."
"What about it? I already rejected the proposal."
"Because of that, I can't marry you."
"Dr. Lilly Harrison, are you joking with me?"
"What should I do to make you understand? I can't marry you."
"Why? Why can't you tell them that you want to marry me?"
"My sister likes you."
She paused.
"I'm sorry. I can't betray her."
Mark laughed bitterly.
"What do you think of me? I don't even know who she is. How can she like me?"
"Can you marry my sister?"
"No!"
He turned to leave.
Tears rolled down Lilly's cheeks.
"Please. You said you could do anything for me."
"Give me one reason why I should."
"They have done so much for me. I can't do this to their daughter."
"So you think I'm something you can sacrifice? Please, Miss Lilly, if you can't give me a valid reason, then there's nothing more to discuss."
"I was orphaned, and as I grew up, people constantly reminded me of it. Whenever someone tried to bully me, Sara always fought for me. When I couldn't say what I wanted, she always spoke for me."
"For me, that's not enough reason. And if she is so good, why not tell her about us? She would understand."
"When we were young, on Christmas night, I accidentally burned her. Uncle and Aunty had to rush her to the hospital. I hid all night in a cabinet, crying, thinking they would disown me."
Mark listened silently.
"Mrs. Smith came to stay that night, but she didn't even notice whether I was home or not. The next day, when Uncle and Aunty returned, I was ready to leave, but they hugged me tightly and said, 'It's okay. She's okay.' I started crying."
"They took me to the hospital to see Sara. I was terrified that she would no longer want me as her sister. But when I entered the room, she was so happy to see me. Even after that, she always treated me as her real sister. After that incident, I decided to become a doctor so I could take care of her."
After a pause, Lilly asked softly, "Now tell me, how can I do this to her?"
"I understand, but even if you want me to marry her, I can't."
"She is really good. You will be very happy with her."
"Lilly," he said angrily, "don't you think forcing me to marry her would actually be betraying her?"
"If you ever loved me, please do me this favor."
"Even if I married her, I would never love her. Isn't it better if she is with someone who truly loves her? And how would she feel if she found out that the woman I love is actually her sister?"
"She will never find out."
"What about you? Could you bear to see me with her?"
Lilly lowered her eyes.
"I'm marrying someone else."
Mark felt like his heart stopped beating. "So you already prepared for this?"
"I am sorry."
"Whom are you marrying?"
"Caden Gray."
"The industrialist?"
"Yes."
"I am sorry, but I don't think I can do this."
"Mark—"
He left her there alone.
When Mark reached his apartment, he started crying loudly and sat on the floor.
Meanwhile, Lilly reached home.
"Aunty, I want to marry Caden Gray."
"But why have you suddenly changed your decision?" her aunty asked.
"Nothing. I thought I have to marry anyway, so why not now?"
"Okay, I will talk to Aunt Raven."
Lilly went back to her room, crying herself to sleep.
The next morning, Sara said, "Lilly, wake up."
Half-asleep, Lilly replied, "Yes?"
"I heard you're marrying Caden Gray."
"Yes."
"Why? What about the guy you told me about last time?"
"I was joking," Lilly said and went back to sleep.
Sara looked surprised. "I don't believe this. Tell me the truth."
"Okay. He doesn't want to marry me."
"What a jerk."
"Hm."
"But why aren't you getting ready for the hospital?"
"I am on leave."
"Great, now you can rest."
Sara got ready to go out. Her mother asked, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to work with Jonathan."
"Why suddenly?"
"Jonathan asked me at the party, so I said yes."
At the hospital, Mark was distracted. He took out his phone and looked at their last conversation. He wanted to call her but put the phone back.
He went to see her, but the receptionist told him she was on leave for three days.
Thinking about her marrying someone else made his heart sink.
That evening, as the sun was setting, Mark walked aimlessly on the road. Suddenly, he bumped into someone.
"I'm sorry," he said, looking up.
Sara stared at him for a moment. "It's okay."
She walked past him, wondering why he was near their neighborhood.
At home, Sara saw Lilly still in her room.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked.
"Nothing."
"I can tell. Do you like that man so much?"
"It's not about him."
"Then why are you in your room all day?"
"Because I'm on leave. I want to rest."
Lilly wanted to call Mark, but every time she picked up her phone, she put it back after seeing his last seen.
Sara's mother came in.
"Lilly, do you want to meet Caden Gray tomorrow?"
"No, aunty."
"How can you marry someone without knowing him? At least meet him."
"Yes, let's go tomorrow. I'll go with you," Sara said.
"Okay."
After their mother left, Lilly said, "Sorry, I forgot. How are you?"
"Look at yourself first. I'm fine. You look ill."
Sara thought, How am I supposed to tell her whom I saw outside?
That night, Mark sat alone in the park. His mother called.
"Mark, where have you been?"
"Nothing, Mom."
"You said you would introduce me to your girlfriend. When are you coming?"
"We broke up."
"What? How?"
"Mother…" He couldn't continue.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'll call you later."
He hung up and returned home, unable to sleep as tears rolled down his face.
The next day, Caden Gray cleared his schedule to meet Lilly.
When he arrived at the hotel, Lilly was there with Sara.
"I'm sorry, I'm late."
"It's okay."
"What would you like to eat?"
"You can order. I have work, so I have to go," Sara said, leaving.
"Mac and cheese," Lilly said.
Caden ordered.
They spoke briefly.
"Why do you want to marry me?" Caden asked.
"Because you seem like a decent and good man."
"And you?"
"Because you are beautiful," he said, then chuckled. "I'm joking. I thought it would be good since you are a doctor and I am a hospital owner."
Lilly found that slightly offensive.
Then she saw Mark in the hotel. Tears filled her eyes.
Mark saw Lilly with another man, and his heart broke.
The next morning at the hospital, Mark asked Lilly to talk privately.
"You were with Caden," he said.
"Yes."
"I'm not even marrying your sister. Why are you in such a hurry to marry someone else?"
"Because I want to."
"I don't understand you. Why are you doing this to yourself?"
"These things don't matter now. We are already broken up."
"You know I can't watch you hurt like this. Is this really worth it?"
"It is. You don't need to worry about me anymore."
"Do you really want me to marry your sister?"
Lilly said nothing, but her eyes gave the answer.
"Okay. I will do it—for you. No need to torture yourself like this."
"Thank you."
"Just don't rush into marrying someone else. I can't see you like this."