Chapter 4

The wedding planning moved at breakneck speed, as if Mom and Dad were terrified I might change my mind at any moment.

In less than a month, the lavish wedding of one of the city's most powerful families was completely ready.

Mom and Dad were insanely busy, but they were clearly enjoying every minute; they couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces.

I had my own cause for celebration, too. My application for an overseas transfer had finally been approved.

On the morning of the wedding, the whole house was buzzing with excitement and celebration from the crack of dawn.

When the groom's motorcade arrived, everyone rushed outside with huge smiles on their faces.

I took the opportunity to grab my suitcase and head toward the back door. But I never expected to see the two faces I could never forget in this lifetime around the corner in the backyard.

They were Suzanne's biological parents, and Suzanne was arguing with them.

"Suzanne, we're the Klein family's real in-laws! You have no right to stop us from showing up!"

Suzanne glanced around nervously before hissing in a low voice, "Keep your voices down. You two are being way too impatient. Wait until today is over.

"Once all our friends and family see me marrying into a prestigious family and everything is set in stone, then I'll officially acknowledge you two.

"That way, all the wedding gifts and gift money from today will be ours."

Her parents still looked a bit disgruntled. Stanley Pollard, Suzanne's father, said, "Of course we know that. But what kind of parents would we be if we weren't allowed to attend our own daughter's wedding?"

Suzanne's mother, Trudy Williamson, smoothed out her bright colored dress as she chimed in, "Exactly. Don't tell me you're just ashamed of us and think that rich couple is more respectable than us."

Suzanne frowned in annoyance and said in a low voice, "Of course not! The second their biological daughter came back, they kicked me out without a second thought."

She practically spat those words out. "Don't worry. When it's time for the reception, I'll bring the groom back to our place.

"Just have a few hundred tables ready, and I'll bring him back so that he can officially pay his respects to you."

That was enough to finally satisfy Stanley and Trudy. "Fair enough. That way, we can make sure all our relatives know that you married into a distinguished family.

"And our son-in-law will finally know who his real in-laws are. Then it's settled. Your dad and I need to head back and get ready."

I sneered in the shadows. They sure were painfully naive.

It was true that my parents grew our traditional medicine company into an industry giant thanks to our family's legacy in medicine. But next to truly prestigious families, we were basically small fry.

So why would the Kleins, one of the most influential families in the country, honor some old engagement that had seemingly come from nowhere?

It was all for a secret formula left behind by my great-grandfather, a cure for a genetic disease that had plagued their bloodline for generations.

In the memories of my future self, after marrying Martin Klein, he eventually discovered that my parents had cast me aside and left me with no chance of inheriting the family business. And he also learned that I didn't even know the secret formula existed.

He'd had no feelings for me to begin with, so once he learned the truth, he treated me even more coldly. And when I got cancer because of Suzanne, the very first thing Martin did was demand that my parents let him take Suzanne as his new wife.

Now that Suzanne was about to marry into the family, she thought she was going to become a rich man's wife and could finally cut my parents off. Unfortunately for her, nothing in this world came that easily.

My parents' voices sounded from the front yard. "Suzanne, come on! It's time for the family photos!"

Suzanne quickly wiped the disdain off her face. She said, "Okay," in a pleasant voice, then hastily ushered Trudy and Stanley out the back door.

When Suzanne still didn't show up after answering them, Mom and Dad came toward the back and spotted me.

I instinctively panicked and tried to hide my suitcase behind my back. But their heads were so far up in the clouds over this wedding that they didn't even register that I was about to leave.

"Everyone's running around trying to get things done, and you're just slacking off here? We need someone to take photos for the guests. Hurry up and go help out!"

Just then, Suzanne came hurrying over from the backyard. Mom and Dad grabbed my wrist and took me toward the front.

…

When the fireworks were set off, Suzanne got into the car that would take her to the wedding hall. My parents finally had the time to turn around and look for me. But I was already nowhere to be found behind that camera.

And inside that camera was a photo of me, waving goodbye to whoever would eventually see the photo.