Chapter 4

Back on the top floor, the makeup artist, Tamara Winn, touched up my makeup.

I had barely settled into my seat when word came from downstairs that Mr. and Mrs. Bennett were about to bring out the family heirloom necklace.

My fingers froze, and I immediately got to my feet.

On our engagement day, Julian had held out the jewelry box to me with a smile and said, "This necklace has been passed down to the daughters-in-law of my family for generations. And on our wedding day, I'll put it around your neck myself."

I remembered those words for a long time, so I knew exactly what that necklace meant.

By the time I reached the private room, Mrs. Bennett had already opened the jewelry box. The necklace inside shimmered under the lights.

Quite a few of the elders had gathered around.

Someone said with a laugh that the heirloom necklace was meant for Julian's wife, while someone else remarked that this wedding was getting more entertaining by the minute.

I interrupted them from the doorway, "Mrs. Bennett, that necklace isn't a prop for some game, so I suggest you think carefully before taking it out."

The private room fell silent.

Julian turned to look at me, his expression stiffening.

He probably knew that they could still pass off everything that had happened earlier as harmless wedding-day fun, but that necklace was different. It was the Bennett family heirloom that symbolized their acceptance of a woman as their daughter-in-law, after all.

Julian was just about to speak when Nicola took a step back, her eyes instantly reddening.

"Mrs. Bennett, please don't give the necklace to me. I know my position here is awkward. I've already taken Amber's place in far too many parts of the wedding rituals today, so I won't touch anything else that belongs to her."

The moment she stepped back, everyone's sympathy shifted toward her.

"Nicola was just dragged into all this. She didn't ask for any of it."

"She's the one who's gone through all the rituals so far. It would look pretty bad if she suddenly stopped now."

"Exactly. She's only trying it on. It's not like she won't give it back."

Mrs. Bennett looked hesitantly at me. "Amber, how about we let Nicola wear it for now? Once the reception is over, I'll personally hand it over to you."

I didn't look at her. Instead, my eyes stayed on Julian as I asked, "Is that what you think too?"

He was silent for two seconds before finally replying, "Nicola is only wearing it for today. She's already gone through all the rituals with me. If she skips this one, what will people think of her?"

I stared at him, my voice growing hoarse. "And what about me?"

"Amber, do you really have to make an issue out of this today?" he snapped in a low voice, sounding fed up with me.

I let out a small laugh, bitterness filling my eyes. "Julian, on the day we got engaged, you told me that this necklace would only ever be worn by the woman you recognized as your wife."

He looked at me, his lips parting slightly. But in the end, he said nothing.

The next moment, Nicola reached for the jewelry box. Choking back a sob, she then said, "Forget it. I won't put it on. Please don't let me come between you all."

She claimed she didn't want the necklace, yet her tears fell just at the right moment.

Julian immediately turned to look at her. "Who said you had to take it off?"

With that, he took the necklace from Mrs. Bennett and walked over to Nicola. Then, he stepped behind her and fastened the necklace around her neck.

Every relative and friend in the room was watching, and the necklace that should have rested against my neck now lay around another woman's.

Nicola raised a hand to touch it, her eyes still red as she asked, "Julian, are you sure I can wear this?"

Julian gently reassured her, "You've gone through all the rituals with me, so don't overthink it now."

His words made my chest tighten painfully.

All the seven years we had spent together apparently meant less than the spectacle of a single wedding day.

I looked at him and asked softly, "Julian, do our seven years together really mean nothing to you?"

Julian seemed to have finally reached the end of his patience, for his expression darkened completely.

"Amber Pearson, can you stop acting crazy for once? Everyone is having a good time today, and you just have to ruin everything."

I listened quietly until he finished. Then, I took off my veil and draped it over the back of a nearby chair. Next, I gently placed the wedding cash gift I had been holding back on the table before unclasping the couple bracelet from my wrist.

When Julian saw the bracelet, his expression finally changed. "Amber, what are you trying to do?"

Instead of answering, I simply placed the bracelet beside the money and pushed them both toward the center of the table.

"You said we had to see this game through to the end, right? So, please carry on."

Nicola clutched the necklace, her tears falling even faster. "Amber, please don't be like this. I'm willing to take off the necklace."

She reached for the clasp, but Julian immediately grabbed her hand.

"You don't need to take it off. Since we've started playing this game, we might as well see it through to the end."

After hearing him say that, I felt the last of my hope disappear. I turned and walked away.

I didn't go back downstairs before the banquet that evening.

It wasn't until then that the hotel manager, Tyler Rivera, knocked on the top floor's lounge door and handed Julian a gold-embossed invitation with both hands.

"Mr. Bennett, this is an invitation from Ms. Pearson downstairs."

Julian took it and opened it. The moment he saw what was written inside, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The groom was Larry, and the bride was… me.