Chapter 2

When Miranda saw me, her expression was startled, her delicate brows knitting together.

"Are you following me?" Miranda's accusatory question made everyone present exchange subtle glances.

I pulled up the message screen. "This is the address you sent me."

Callum immediately wrapped his arm around Miranda's shoulder and said softly, "Miranda, I was worried it wouldn't be safe for you to go home alone, so I had Dylan come pick you up. I hope I didn't mess things up by trying to help."

Miranda's expression softened.

Looking at Callum's anxious face, she smiled indulgently.

Watching Callum shoot me a provocative look when no one was watching, and seeing Miranda's tacit approval, I felt strangely calm. I simply nodded, my attitude cold and distant.

Perhaps she was used to my hysterical outbursts in the past. My current silence seemed to make Miranda uncomfortable.

For once, she extracted herself from Callum's embrace and explained in a gentler tone, "Dylan, we were just entertaining clients. Everyone here is either a client or an employee."

I handed her the milk I'd grabbed on my way out.

"I know."

Perhaps my arrival had ruined the atmosphere. Soon everyone left in twos and threes.

Miranda called a car for Callum and fussed over him with reminders before finally getting into my car and settling into the passenger seat.

I started the car silently while she dozed off beside me.

Neither of us spoke.

When I parked in the underground garage, I got out first and walked toward the elevator.

At the corner, Miranda suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me into her embrace.

The next second, a car sped past where I'd been standing.

For an instant, my heart pounded wildly.

"Can't you watch where you're going? What if you'd gotten hurt?"

Miranda's voice was urgent as she gripped my hand tightly and positioned me on the inside.

Memories of our passionate early days suddenly surfaced. She used to hold my hand like this, protecting me.

But at some point, such gestures had disappeared. I'd even forgotten I was once cherished this way.

Fortunately, the elevator wasn't far. When she pressed the floor button, I discreetly withdrew my hand.

Miranda glanced at me, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately made no further moves.

But the next morning, she surprisingly offered to drive me to work.

"I'll take you."

I yawned and agreed.

I'd slept poorly last night, drifting in and out, so I could use the extra rest.

However, when I opened the car door, I saw a custom pillow in the passenger seat with a photo of Miranda and Callum making heart shapes together.

This was a blatant declaration of ownership.

I pointed at the pillow. "So you two take couple photos together?"

But what I really wanted to ask about was the photo Miranda had posted on social media the day we filed for divorce—the one of intertwined fingers at a candlelit dinner.

I still remembered the caption: "For the rest of our lives, you and I are each other's one and only."