I Simped for the Wrong Girl

There are two things Sienna Crawford can't shake off. One is her Malamute. The other is me. But I still won her favor by being her simp. The day before our wedding, she was hospitalized after a reckless drive for her first love. I rush to the hospital in a panic, only to find that the scar that should be on her chest is missing. My face goes pale, and I ask, "Where is the scar from her heart surgery?" "Don't jinx my daughter! She's never had such a dreadful surgery!" Just like that, I realize I've been in love with the wrong person for the past three years. On the day Sienna is discharged from the hospital, she calls off our wedding for the sake of her first love. Everyone is eager to see me make a fool of myself, expecting me to lose my mind. Instead, I calmly reply, "Fine." Little do they know that I have never loved her. The person I loved died many years ago. Chapter 1 Malachi's POV When I agreed to end the engagement, my fiancee, Sienna Crawford, looked taken aback. Her expression turned grim. She said, "I know you're dying to marry me. It's not entirely out of the question. Just give credit for the artwork to Ryan Chase, and I might still agree to marry you." I simply stared at her and said, "Don't bother. Just answer one question, and I'll help you." Sienna's gloomy expression immediately brightened, and she smiled mockingly. "You want to know if I ever loved you? Malachi Fallon, don't you think you're being naive?" I couldn't care less about who she loved or who she wanted to marry. After all, I had only loved one person, and she died in a car accident trying to save my life. After her death, her heart was donated to someone else. That was how I ended up by Sienna's side. I had gone from being the enviable heir of the Fallon family to a pathetic simp whom everyone around Sienna despised and looked down on. But for me, as long as I could hear my lover's heartbeat again, it would all be worth it, even if I had to go through hell and back. "That's not my question," I said. This was my last chance to confirm the truth. I steadied myself and asked, enunciating every word. "Sienna, I want to ask you something. Have you ever undergone a heart transplant?" Sienna frowned. "What? My heart is perfectly healthy. Why would I ever need such a surgery?" Sure enough, I had gotten the wrong person. My eyes filled with disappointment. I looked down and said, "I'll call off the wedding. I won't participate in the competition either, and I'll give Ryan credit for the artwork. Finally, I wish you both happiness." As soon as I finished speaking, both Sienna and her friends looked stunned. Then, one mocking remark came after another. "Damn, I never thought the high and mighty scion of the Fallon family could be this pathetic! He'll agree to anything just to win back Sienna's heart!" "He's the ultimate simp! Sienna has him wrapped around her little finger. She wants to call off the wedding, and he agrees. He even gives up his career for her. What a devoted lover! Too bad her heart will always belong to Ryan!" "Enough! Everyone, stop," Sienna said, interrupting the others. It was the first time she had ever stopped them from mocking and humiliating me. She stared at me, her expression grim. "Malachi, have you no self-respect? You just do whatever I say. You never even fight for yourself! I'm calling off the wedding, and you don't even get angry?" I lowered my head slightly and laughed bitterly. There was nothing to fight for when I had gotten the wrong person. "Nothing matters anymore," I said. "Not at this point." Perhaps my dejected expression had affected Sienna somehow, because her eyes widened. For some reason, she seemed irritated. She suddenly grabbed my hand and said, "Malachi, you—" Chapter 2 Malachi's POV "Sienna." Ryan, who had been quietly watching the drama unfold, suddenly spoke up. He looked at Sienna with a dejected expression and asked, "Should we step out of the hospital room and give you and your fiance some time alone to talk things through?" "He's not my fiance!" she snapped and instinctively shoved me away. I lost my footing and fell backward, my lower back slamming into the table behind me. A glass of water toppled off the table and shattered on the floor. A shard grazed Ryan's ankle, and he sucked in a sharp breath. Before he could even say a word, Sienna's expression shifted instantly. She crouched down to check his wound, then helped him to his feet. "Let's go see a doctor." I clutched my lower back, unable to move for a moment because of the pain. Inside the hospital room, one of their friends tried to win their favor by grabbing a basin of dirty water and emptying it over my face. "Malachi, don't think you can act all high and mighty in front of Ryan just because you gave him credit for your work! To both Sienna and us, you're nothing but a lapdog!" "Look at how frantic Sienna got just because Ryan got slightly injured. I bet you've never gotten that kind of treatment after all these years of groveling at her feet. Do yourself a favor and leave while you still can. Otherwise, you'll only end up humiliating yourself!" Laughter filled the hospital room. Every remark was meant to ridicule and belittle me. I wiped the dirty water from my face, my voice perfectly calm as I said, "I won't get in their way. After all, I've never liked Sienna to begin with." My words stunned everyone in the room. Just as they were about to mock me, the door opened, and Sienna walked in. When she saw the mess on the floor and me drenched from head to toe, she frowned. "What are you all doing?" she asked unhappily. No one had expected her to come back, let alone get angry on behalf of a simp like me. It took a while before someone finally laughed awkwardly and tried to explain, "Sienna, we were just joking around with this simp—" "Is this your idea of a joke?" Sienna cut him off, her expression turning grim. "Even if he's a simp, he's my simp. No one gets to bully him. Anyone who laid a hand on him, slap yourself. Don't make me do it myself." This time, I was the one who was stunned. Since when had Sienna grown a conscience and started treating me so well? As slaps resounded one after another, Sienna took off her scarf, draped it around my shoulders, and led me away. I followed her out of the hospital room, confused. Just then, her phone rang again. It was Ryan calling. "Sienna, where did you go? I feel a bit uneasy being alone in the hospital. Could you come back and keep me company?" His deep, gentle voice came through the phone. Sienna's expression turned hesitant as she asked, "Malachi, can you see the doctor by yourself?" I looked down at my drenched clothes and scraped palms, then suddenly laughed. "Of course." When she heard my answer, she sighed in relief, as if she had just received a reprieve. She said, "Go back on your own first." I nodded. "Okay." Chapter 3 Malachi's POV I didn't see a doctor. Instead, I went home. I contacted the private investigator who had helped me track down the heart recipient. He said, "I'm truly sorry, Mr. Fallon. We made a mistake back then. Besides Sienna, her best friend, Yvonne Weston, was also involved in the car accident that day. But after the heart surgery, her entire family moved to Niverton. They haven't returned in years." The voice on the other end of the line was filled with remorse. I remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. "I understand. Please keep looking into her exact whereabouts. Once you find her, book me a flight immediately. I want to see her as soon as possible." I had been frail since childhood, and after everything that happened today, I fell ill. I lost consciousness at home, and in my daze, I felt a warm hand gently stroking my forehead. It reminded me so much of my lover, Serena Campbell. Whenever I fell ill, she would always stay by my side, tending to me with the utmost care. She often stayed awake all night and gently coaxed me into taking my medicine and going to sleep. Just thinking of her brought tears streaming down my cheeks. I grabbed that hand and held it tightly, murmuring her name, "Serena…" The next second, a sharp pain shot through my wrist. I opened my eyes and met Sienna's furious gaze. "Malachi, who is that woman you were calling for?" I looked down in disappointment. "Someone I used to know… I was dreaming about my childhood." A trace of suspicion still lingered in her eyes, but she chose to believe my words. She knew nothing about my past relationships, nor did she know why I had pursued her in the first place. But she had witnessed every bit of my devotion over the years. And she was convinced that a simp like me could never possibly have feelings for anyone else. I asked, "Why are you at my house?" Sienna's expression faltered for a moment. "You gave me the code to your door lock a while back. I called you so many times, but you didn't answer, so I came over myself. Both our families are getting together tonight. I was hoping you would—" "Don't worry. I know what to do." I knew exactly why she had rushed over to give me a tiny shred of kindness. She wanted me to play along with her act tonight. For years, I had gotten the wrong person and refused to let go. In a way, I had been the one pestering her. This time, I would make it up to her. I forced myself to get dressed despite how weak I felt. I put on a decent suit and tied my tie. After that, I looked considerably more presentable. Sienna left ahead of me and waited downstairs in her car. When I opened the car door, an odd smell mixed with the scent of perfume flooded my nostrils. The stench made my stomach turn. Ryan was sitting in the passenger seat, grinning at me. "Sienna said this is such an important occasion, and she wanted to bring the person she loves with her. I hope you don't mind, Mr. Fallon." I asked coldly, "Isn't this a gathering between our two families?" Sienna glanced at me and said awkwardly, "A lot of people are going today, and Ryan hasn't been back in the country long. He wants to attend gatherings with people in our circle and meet more people. And besides, my parents like you a lot. You can put in a good word for Ryan." I looked at the two of them sitting in the front seats, acting like lovebirds. I remained unbothered and said, "Okay." Chapter 4 Malachi's POV Only Sienna could do something as absurd as having her fiance put in a good word for the man she secretly cherished at a family dinner. This proved once again that she could never be the woman I loved. When I arrived at the banquet, I realized it wasn't a gathering of our two families. Instead, the Crawford family was using my family's name to host a business reception. Over the years, they had used the Fallon name to cultivate relationships with numerous business partners and made a fortune in just a few years. The reason they had asked me to attend was to use me as a figurehead, lending their family an air of prestige and authority. That way, no matter what happened to them, Fallon Group would be there to bail them out. Amid the noise, Ryan looked at me with a hint of smugness. "Malachi, isn't it boring sitting there all by yourself? Why don't you join us for a game of Truth or Dare?" Before I could respond, the others crowded around me, surrounding me in the middle. The beer bottle spun freely before it pointed straight at me. Ryan then told me to pick a card at random. When I turned it over, there was only one question written on it. "Is the one you love most here?" "Holy shit, is that even a question? The answer is so obvious!" Everyone's gaze shifted to Sienna, who stood nearby. "Exactly! Everyone in this social circle knows that Mr. Fallon is Sienna's biggest simp! She's obviously the one he loves most!" Everyone thought the question was far too easy. However, I slowly shook my head. "No." They were stunned. Even Sienna, who had never paid me the slightest attention, looked visibly upset. For once, I had told the truth. At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. I could finally stop pretending. I put down my glass and turned to leave. I wanted this farce to end already, my absurd mistake of loving the wrong person. Sienna hurried after me. "Malachi, what did you mean by that?" I looked at her irritated expression and was about to reply when she interrupted me, "Are you angry because Ryan tagged along? Or because I didn't take you to the doctor or drive you home that day? Or is it because I lied and told you today's gathering was between our two families?" She refused to believe that I had meant what I said earlier. She simply assumed I was just jealous and throwing a tantrum out of spite. I said softly, "None of that matters to me. It wouldn't make me angry." Sienna became even more convinced I was jealous, and some of her frustration immediately eased. "You're acting like a child. You know I hate it when guys act like this. Don't be angry anymore. I promised I'd go with you to visit your father. I won't go back on my word. Why don't we go tomorrow?" I replied dismissively, "Whatever." There was no telling whether she would see me again tomorrow. I turned to leave, but she called after me. "Don't you want a hug? Didn't you used to love listening to my heartbeat?" I pushed her hand away. "No thanks. I don't want to hear it anymore.” Sienna couldn't quite understand what was happening. But in the past, hearing those words would have been a relief. Now, they only irritated her. She turned and stormed away. She was sure I would chase her. But unfortunately for her, I was long gone. Early the next morning, the private investigator called me. Chapter 5 Malachi's POV "Mr. Fallon, we've found the heart recipient. She owns an art studio in Maviston, Niverton. We've emailed you the specific details, so please check your inbox. We've also booked your flight. It departs at 3:00 pm this afternoon." She really did still love painting. My heart leaped with joy. I began packing my bags, ready to set off for our next encounter. I had no idea whether she, who still loved painting, would ever fall for me again. The next moment, Dad called. "Malachi, the Crawford family is making outrageous demands. They're taking advantage of you—" I gently interrupted him. "Dad, I have nothing to do with that family anymore. You can stop giving them business support." Dad simply sighed. "Okay. Malachi, she may be gone, but you still have me. I will always be here for you. "I know. Thank you, Dad. I'll leave the engagement cancellation to you." As soon as I hung up, someone began pounding urgently on the door. "Bad news! Ms. Crawford has been hospitalized because of her stomach condition!" I opened the door to find Sienna's assistant, Sally Manson, standing there, looking anxious. "How is she?" I asked. "She's in the hospital. She went to eat Fireball Burritos with Mr. Chase, and her stomach started hurting so badly that she passed out…" As Sally spoke, her voice trailed off as she studied my expression. Yet, she only saw how calm and indifferent I looked. She added, "They're just good friends. There's nothing going on between them." I listened in silence, picked up my suitcase, and headed out. She followed beside me, only to realize that I wasn't going to the hospital. "Mr. Fallon, where are you going?" she asked. "Ms. Crawford is still in the hospital. Aren't you going to look after her?" "I'm very busy," I replied indifferently. "Don't come to me about her anymore." "What?" She stared at me in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock. I ignored her. "My father will take care of ending the engagement with the Crawford family. From now on, our families will have no future ties." "But Ms. Crawford is waiting for you at the hospital. It's not as if she has no feelings for you." Disbelief was written all over her face. "Mr. Fallon, are you really going to walk away?" Whether Sienna loved me or not was none of my business. For years, I had poured resources into supporting her and showered her with affection. Even if I had loved the wrong person, we were more than even. I chuckled, "That's right. I'm stepping aside for Ryan. Please tell her I mistook her for someone else. I have always loved another woman. Tell her to take the hint and stop pestering me." The thought of finally meeting the real heart recipient and hearing my beloved's heartbeat once again filled me with eager anticipation. I ignored Sally's conflicted expression and headed straight for the airport. I left for Niverton without the slightest hesitation. … Sally rushed back to the hospital room and stammered, "Ms. Crawford, Mr. Fallon isn't coming to take care of you anymore. He's already left the country. "H-He said he'd spent all these years loving the wrong person. Now he's going to find the one he truly loves. He told you to take the hint and stop pestering him—"