Chapter 3

At first, I thought I was coming back to pack. However, now, everything in the house made me want to throw up, and I couldn't bear to stay there for one second longer. I just wanted to get out of this house of lies as quickly as I could.

"Stop spouting nonsense!" Ariana shouted at Ivan in a fluster, shoving him back into the room before turning around anxiously to look at me.

There was an exhausted yet faux calm look on her face as she began explaining herself to me.

"He's a little cuckoo in the head. You can't believe everything he says. You're the one I love, and I will only marry you."

She said it with such confidence, but moments from the past six years we spent together suddenly began flashing in my mind like a movie reel.

She had suddenly been very interested in visiting all sorts of upscale, overseas art exhibitions, often appearing at private exhibitions that were only open to top private collectors. She'd even liked and commented on all of Ivan's works and thoughts on his own work on social media.

Now that I thought of it, everything fell into place, and I realized how stupid I'd been to miss everything.

Yet, Ariana was still babbling nonstop, trying to salvage the situation.

Just then, a ruthless idea popped into my head and began manifesting in my chest.

Since she had embarrassed and humiliated me like this, I was going to make sure that she was going to have the most unforgettable "wedding" of her entire life!

I nodded gently at her while my thoughts raced. I spoke in a light tone. "I believe you."

Ariana's frown dissipated at once, and she looked completely relieved. She ran up to me and hugged me tightly, exclaiming eagerly, "Thank you for your understanding, Zack. You're the only person who knows me so well!"

…

A few days later, after learning that the wedding was going to proceed as planned, Ivan came looking for me while Ariana wasn't around. He began jeering at me.

"You're such a lapdog! Ari obviously doesn't even like you, and yet, you're still clinging to her like this!"

I looked at him calmly and smiled, saying, "So what if she doesn't like me? She's the one who agreed to marry me after all. And as long as I'm still here, you will forever be the 'other man' who has to hide in the shadows for the rest of your life!"

Ivan paled first before turning purple with rage. He glared fiercely at me and said, "This wedding will never happen! Just watch and see, Zack Norman!"

I looked at his angry silhouette as he stormed off before reorganizing the evidence I'd gathered so far. He could go ahead and make as big a fuss as he wanted to. It was all part of my plan, after all.

The wedding happened a week after the engagement party, just as planned.

As a newly emerging entrepreneur in the jewelry industry, Ariana was determined to carve out a niche for herself in the fiercely competitive market. Naturally, she had to take advantage of her wedding as an opportunity to socialize.

She planned the wedding as meticulously as she could, inviting numerous industry veterans and prominent figures from investment companies, hoping to expand her network and broaden the business empire for her jewelry brand.

The soft melody of our wedding soundtrack echoed gently in the hall. I wore my pressed and pristine wedding suit as I sat in the changing room, waiting for time to pass. When I checked the clock, there was still precisely one more hour till the wedding.

I took off my wedding suit without any hesitation and changed into my everyday clothes.

Then, with the help of my best friend, Jason Flemington, I got into a waiting car that took me straight to the airport.

Jason sighed in relief in the car. He exclaimed happily, "Thank goodness the plan's going smoothly so far! I thought you were going to turn into a lovestruck idiot again and get cold feet for the escape plan."

I chuckled happily and said, "Why would I do that? Mom and Dad always taught me that I had to love myself first before I loved anyone else. Ariana has already betrayed me once. How could I possibly stay with her anymore?"

"You're right. You're such a smart and brilliant person after all, Zack. It's her loss for losing someone like you!"

Jason wouldn't stop mumbling under his breath while cussing Ariana out, and I felt the warmth spreading in my chest watching him grumble on my behalf.

Back when my uncle, Dmitri Norman, learned that Ariana's ex-boyfriend had returned, he told me, "Ariana is not the kind who'd cheat on you. You've been with her for six years, and her career's so successful now. It would be a pity for you to leave her over that man!"

Everyone thought that Ariana was only in love with me, and everything she did with other men was just for show, and thus not a big deal.

Only Jason was the one who truly felt indignant on my behalf.

After bidding goodbye to him at the airport, I hopped onto the plane heading toward the south, and four hours later, landed in Seafare City.

I'd only just switched my phone back on when I immediately got a phone call from Jason. He was shouting at the top of his lungs.

"You should have seen how interesting the wedding turned out to be, Zack! I'm sorry you missed everything. You were right—that Ivan was nothing but a lunatic!"