Chapter 4

"Bullshit!"

I lunged at Lunara like a madwoman, but Jayden grabbed me and held me back with all his strength.

"Whitney! Calm down!" he shouted.

"Calm down? How the hell do you expect me to calm down? That's my father!"

I struggled violently, my nails digging into his arm so hard they nearly broke the skin.

"This was just an accident!" Jayden snapped, his voice filled with barely concealed irritation and anger.

"And besides, Luna meant well. How could we have known he'd react like that?"

He cast a glance at Lunara—protective, almost gentle.

"The public already believes Luna is the eldest daughter of the Sheridan family. If no one from the Sheridan family shows up to the wedding, people will start asking questions. It won't look good for the Ford family."

I pulled my lips into a cold, mocking smile.

"Jayden, are you blind or just stupid? You know exactly what Lunara is! She was never part of the Sheridan family. She's just a scheming little mistress who slept with you!"

His face darkened completely. Without warning, he raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face.

My head snapped to the side, and my ears were ringing.

"Even if you're the one I'm legally marrying, Luna's the only woman I'll ever acknowledge as my wife! Show her some respect."

That sentence—like a dull blade—ripped through my already broken heart, sawing at it repeatedly.

What hurt was not just the slap, but the absolute hatred that erupted from the betrayal.

Five years together, and this was how he repaid me?

"You don't need to come to the wedding in a few days," he said casually, but the warning in his tone was unmistakable. "Just stay here in the hospital and accompany your father."

Then, without another glance at me, he waved to the group of bodyguards waiting at the end of the hallway.

"Keep a close eye on her. Don't let her leave the hospital—not even one step."

The bodyguards immediately surrounded me like a human wall, closing in on me.

I stared hard in the direction Jayden and Lunara went.

He thought he could trap me in the hospital and waltz off to marry Lunara without a care in the world? In his dreams.

I placed a hand on my belly and pulled out my phone. My voice was low but steady as I made the call.

…

On her wedding day, Lunara stood in front of a mirror, her fingers trailing over the intricate embroidery of her gown, a smile of smug satisfaction on her face.

'So what if Whitney was the real heiress of the Sheridan family? She still ended up with nothing,' she mused.

Meanwhile, Jayden stood at the altar, his expression tight, clearly distracted.

He sent out plenty of invitations. With the Ford family's reputation, the venue should have been overflowing with guests.

But now, with the ceremony about to begin, only a sparse few arrived.

The massive hall looked eerily empty.

Even Lunara noticed something was wrong. She tugged on Jayden's sleeve, her brows furrowed in unease.

"Jayden, why are there so few people here?"

A heavy sense of dread settled over Jayden. He quickly signaled to a nearby server, instructing him to get the Ford family's butler.

However, the one who showed up wasn't the butler. Instead, it was a regular maid.

Jayden's frustration exploded. "Where's the butler? Why didn't he come?"

The maid trembled slightly, her voice soft as she replied, "The butler's busy. He's attending Mr. Charles's wedding and can't spare the time. He said if there's anything you need, you can just let me know."

"My, my father's wedding? What are you talking about? I didn't hear anything about that! Who's he marrying?" His voice rose with panic, and his complexion turned visibly pale.

The maid lowered her head and hesitated, then finally said, "Ms. Whitney Sheridan of the Sheridan family."

Jayden froze. His face twisted in shock and disbelief.

"What! Say that again?"

The maid, frightened by his expression, repeated in a whisper, "Upstairs. Mr. Charles is currently holding a wedding ceremony with Ms. Whitney Sheridan."