Chapter 1

[If I'm doomed to end this life in your hands, I'll accept it. Please set me free if there's a next life.]

After I survived the first wave of absurdity, all that remained was how painfully ridiculous I felt all of this was.

I crumpled the notes into a ball and threw them into the trash along with the wedding ring on my finger before looking up at Shane Evans. "In that case, turn tomorrow's wedding into your baby's sip and see party."

As soon as I finished speaking, the room fell into silence.

Then, there was a snort from the corner of the room, and everyone in the room began laughing.

"Yuna Sutton, stop with the act, will you? Everyone knows you practically begged for this wedding. How could you possibly call it off?" One of Shane's friends laughed so hard as he slapped his thigh, his eyes full of mockery.

"Exactly. You're definitely secretly thrilled Shane is willing to marry you. No need to act anymore," Another bridesmaid chimed in and took a sip from her glass.

I said nothing.

Shane lowered his head and picked the crumpled notes out of the trash one by one. He opened them and read them all.

Then, he looked up at me calmly, as if he had expected this moment all along. "Since you've already found out, I don't need to hide it anymore. The wedding will go on as planned. I'll still give you everything I promised you. Just don't go after Nora."

I laughed until my hands trembled and my chest hurt. They were the ones who had betrayed me, yet his words made me sound like the villain.

So many words were stuck in my throat, but in the end, only one question came out. "When did you two start?"

Was it when they told me it was a mere coincidence when I found out that they always hid from me and went out alone? Or was it when the three of us ate together, and he always took care of Nora's preferences without missing a beat?

Shane was silent for a few seconds before he said, "It was four years ago when the three of us went to the beach together."

I had a fever on that trip and had a terrible headache, so I went back to the hotel early to rest and sleep. I… had left the two of them on the beach to watch the sunset.

"We drank a little after that, and we lost control in the room next to yours. It was just an accident at first. But later... we couldn't help falling in love." After saying that, there was even a trace of relief in his eyes. It was as if he had finally spoken the words he had kept buried for four years.

Seeing my fists clench and my whole body shake, he once again said, "Nora wanted me to keep hiding it from you. She didn't want to destroy your happiness. I was the one who couldn't hold it in anymore. Don't go after her. She feels worse than you do."

I looked at his face and felt all the blood in my body boil. "She feels worse than I do? Shane Evans, I grew up with her! My mother treated her like her own daughter!

"But the reason you two were absent on the day my mother died was because you two were sleeping together in our bridal home. Don't you find that disgusting?!"

I walked forward and shoved him hard, resentment and rage burning inside me.

He didn't move and simply looked at me. "What I did was wrong. If you have any resentment, take it out on me. Don't hurt her."

Hearing that, my eyes turned red as my tears welled up.

In the past, he could not bear to let me suffer even the slightest grief. No matter what happened, he would always stand in front of me to shield me. But now, he stood in front of me to protect another woman.

All the strength suddenly drained from me. I said, "Since you love each other so much, I won't stand in your way. Forget about the marriage tomorrow."

He froze.

The laughter around us died completely as the atmosphere seemed to freeze.

He looked at my face. Two seconds passed before he spoke, and his tone softened. "Stop causing problems. Everything is already arranged. Your makeup session starts at nine tomorrow morning. I'll have the makeup artist arrive on time."

With that, he opened the door and left.

The people around us looked at one another, and no one dared to speak.

Caleb Smith coughed once and followed Shane as he mumbled, "I'll go check on him."

Everyone left one after another, and the door finally closed.

Soon, I was the only person left in the suite. The balloons above me were still swaying, and the whole room was filled with decorations for the groom's arrival tomorrow.

Three hours earlier, Shane had still been smiling as he held me in his arms. He said no matter how many games he needed to play tomorrow, he would bring me home.

But now, standing among these flowers and balloons, all that was left was how ironic everything was.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated, and I looked down.

It was a message from Nora: [Yuna, I'm so sorry! It's all because my company suddenly sent me on a business trip. I already booked my air ticket too.]

[Don't be mad. When I get back, I'll make it up to you with a huge present!]

Her tone was sincere and anxious, followed by several crying emojis.

I stared at the screen for a long time.

In the end, I only replied with one sentence: [Enough with the act. I already know everything.]