Chapter 3

However, Celeste didn't give me a chance to finish my sentence. She covered my mouth, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes. "Haven't you asked enough questions tonight?"

But then she quickly regained her gentle composure. "Tomorrow is our big day. You should head back and get some proper rest."

A fine, creeping fear welled up inside me. I nodded hurriedly before leaving.

When I returned home, Edgar, George, and Roger—all unable to sleep—rushed toward me the moment they saw me.

"Well? Did you find out who Celeste's true love is?"

I shook my head silently.

Defeat and despair immediately crossed their eyes.

Even Roger, a grown man, began to cry. "I don't want to die. How about we just make a run for it?"

"Run?" Edgar snapped. "With Celeste's power and influence, no matter how far we run, she'd find us and drag us back."

George steeled himself. "There are only four hours until dawn. If we run, we can at least live a few more days. That's better than dying immediately."

But my tone abruptly shifted, turning resolute. "We can't run. The wedding must happen, and I'll be the one to marry her."

George stared at me in disbelief. "I may dislike you, but haven't you forgotten how brutally you died in your previous life?"

Edgar frowned and said, "If you're still love-struck after all that, I'm starting to wonder whether I was too kind to you before."

The pigeon-egg-sized diamond ring, worth a billion dollars, still lay on the table.

If George put in on, his face would be slashed to pieces before he was thrown into the basement, left to die from infection and rot.

If Roger wore it, he'd be pushed down the stairs and left to die in agony with every bone in his body shattered.

If Edgar slipped it on, he'd be drowned in a bathtub, left to bloat into a grotesque form before being dumped back at our house.

And if I were to wear the ring, I'd face the most agonizing death of all.

As punishment for my insolence as her lover, Celeste stabbed me 20 times, every strike carefully avoiding a fatal blow. Blood slowly seeped from my body as my body warmth steadily faded away.

The sensation of life ebbing away brought me immense terror and despair.

It was so severe that even my three long-time rivals couldn't help but feel a pang of pity when they saw my corpse.

The impeccably polished diamond gleamed brilliantly, yet to us four, it shone like a guillotine blade.

Still, I walked over and slipped it on without hesitation.

"I know it's dangerous," I said. "But this is the only way we can all survive."

Roger stared at me with disbelief. "Have you found out something?"

I knew full well that sharing the truth would make tomorrow's plan more likely to succeed, but if my suspicion turned out to be correct, the reality would be far too bizarre and terrifying.

I couldn't drag them all into this, so I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but now's not the time to tell you yet."

"Tell us what you need us to do," George said gravely.

I lowered my gaze. "I need you to attend the wedding as usual and act as if you know nothing."

Edgar scowled. "After the wedding, Celeste will stab you to death, and you want us to act like everything's fine?"

Already fully on my side, the three of them looked at me with deep concern.

I thought back to all the things they had done to me in the past. They were mostly petty squabbles over small amounts of money, none of which had ever truly endangered my life.

Yet, the woman I loved and trusted had brutally tortured me to death on our wedding night.

I took a deep breath and finally decided to tell them the truth.

"When I went to see Celeste earlier, she suddenly leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. That one gesture made me realize who her true love is. He really is among the four of us, and it's someone we absolutely never expected."