Chapter 3: The Man She Didn't Choose

The grand ballroom remained silent long after Beatrice announced her decision. The shock on everyone's faces made it seem as though time itself had stopped. No one had expected her to choose Nathaniel Chapman. For years, she had followed George everywhere, openly declaring that she would marry no one else. Her sudden decision shattered every expectation in the room.

George stood frozen where he was.

His confident smile had completely disappeared.

He looked from Nathaniel to Beatrice, searching for any sign that this was some elaborate joke.

"You're lying," he finally said, his voice calm but tense. "You're only saying this to get my attention."

Beatrice met his eyes without flinching.

"No," she answered simply. "I meant every word."

"Impossible."

"Why?" she asked quietly.

"Because you've loved me since we were children," George replied.

"People don't stop loving someone overnight."

Beatrice smiled faintly.

"Sometimes they do."

"Sometimes all it takes is seeing someone's true face."

Her words left George speechless.

For reasons he couldn't explain, they struck him harder than they should have.

It felt almost as though she wasn't speaking about today...

But about something that had already happened.

Mr. Chapman Senior slowly closed the wooden box that had contained the family photographs.

"The matter has been decided," he announced firmly.

"From today onward, Nathaniel and Beatrice are officially engaged."

The guests erupted into applause, though much of it sounded uncertain.

Business leaders whispered among themselves.

"Nathaniel?"

"No one expected that."

"He's the quiet one."

"Maybe that's exactly why she chose him."

Nathaniel stepped toward Beatrice.

"Thank you for trusting me," he said politely.

"I hope I won't disappoint you."

His sincerity caught her off guard.

There was no arrogance.

No assumption that she owed him anything.

Only quiet respect.

Beatrice smiled.

"I believe you won't."

Watching them exchange those few simple words made George's chest tighten.

He had expected Beatrice to beg for his attention.

Instead...

She barely looked at him.

It irritated him more than he wanted to admit.

Across the ballroom, Isabella slowly approached George.

"Georgie," she whispered gently.

"Are you alright?"

George didn't answer immediately.

His eyes never left Beatrice.

"She's pretending," he muttered.

"She has to be."

"She's trying to make me jealous."

Isabella forced a small smile.

"Maybe she's simply accepted reality."

"After all... Nathaniel is a wonderful man too."

George frowned.

"No."

"She belongs with me."

The words escaped before he realized what he had said.

Even Isabella looked surprised.

"I thought you never wanted to marry her," she said carefully.

"I don't..." George answered instinctively.

But the sentence felt incomplete.

He couldn't explain why.

For the rest of the afternoon, guests congratulated Nathaniel one after another.

Unlike George, Nathaniel accepted every greeting with humility.

He never once boasted about becoming Mr. Chapman Senior's successor.

Instead, he quietly thanked everyone for their support.

Several older business partners noticed the difference.

"Nathaniel has his grandfather's temperament," one remarked.

"Steady men build lasting empires."

"Perhaps this family needed someone like him all along."

Meanwhile, Beatrice found herself surrounded by friends and relatives offering congratulations.

Most were genuinely happy for her.

Others were simply curious.

"Why Nathaniel?"

"What happened between you and George?"

"Did you two have a fight?"

Beatrice answered every question with the same calm smile.

"I simply made the choice I believed was right."

No further explanation.

None was necessary.

Later that afternoon, Mr. Chapman Senior invited Beatrice and Nathaniel into his private study.

The elderly man poured tea for both of them before sitting down.

"Nathaniel," he began, "I've watched you your entire life."

"You've never chased power."

"That's precisely why you're worthy of it."

Nathaniel lowered his head respectfully.

"I'll do my best not to disappoint you."

"I know you won't."

Turning toward Beatrice, the old man smiled warmly.

"And you..."

"You've surprised me today."

"May I ask why you changed your mind?"

For a brief moment, Beatrice considered telling him everything.

About dying.

About betrayal.

About waking up in the past with another chance.

But she knew no one would believe such a story.

"Because I finally understood what matters," she answered softly.

"Love without respect only leads to suffering."

Mr. Chapman Senior looked at her thoughtfully.

"Wise words for someone your age."

"Perhaps wisdom comes from painful lessons," she replied.

The old man nodded slowly.

"Perhaps it does."

As evening approached, the guests gradually began leaving the estate.

Nathaniel personally escorted Beatrice toward the mansion entrance.

"May I drive you home?" he asked.

"You don't have to," she replied.

"I'd like to."

His tone remained gentle, without pressure.

Beatrice accepted with a small nod.

"Thank you."

As they walked outside together, George watched them from an upstairs balcony.

His hands tightened around the railing.

Something felt terribly wrong.

The future he had expected was disappearing.

Yet he couldn't understand why it bothered him so much.

Wasn't this what he wanted?

Hadn't he spent years trying to avoid marrying Beatrice?

Then why did watching her leave with another man make him feel as though he had lost something precious?

Inside his mind, strange flashes appeared without warning.

A wedding ceremony.

A woman crying.

A hospital room.

A bottle of medicine falling onto the floor.

George grabbed his head as the painful images vanished just as quickly as they had appeared.

"What... was that?" he whispered.

Down below, Nathaniel opened the passenger door of his car for Beatrice.

"After you," he said politely.

She smiled before getting inside.

It was a simple gesture.

One George had never bothered to do.

Watching the luxury sedan disappear beyond the estate gates, George felt an unfamiliar emptiness settle inside his chest.

For the first time in his life...

He wasn't certain he had won.

And somewhere deep within his heart...

A forgotten memory was beginning to awaken.