Chapter 4

Before Theo could say a word, Eleanor Brook stepped forward and slapped Joanna hard across the face.

"What are you doing, Mom?" Theo shouted, furious.

Eleanor's face was cold. "What am I doing? I'm waking this woman up!"

She sized Joanna up with clear disgust, her voice sharp and cruel. "You're just an orphan. If you want to marry up and become someone important, you'd better learn to swallow your pride!

"I watched Sharon grow up. She's been heartbroken because of you for so long. All she wants is a wedding. Is that really something to cry about?"

Sharon smirked and added, "Yeah, don't let her fool you, Theo. Marrying you is a dream come true for so many women. She'd never give you up that easily.

"She's just using your feelings for her to force your hand. That's all this is."

Theo had felt bad when Joanna got slapped, but after he heard that, his face darkened, and his eyes turned cold.

"You're really trying to guilt me like this?" he asked harshly. "What happened to you? You used to be so sweet and innocent. When did you turn into someone so fake and calculating?"

Joanna almost laughed out loud. The logic of these people was ridiculous.

But more than that, her heart was turning to ice.

Even a fool could see Sharon was stirring things up on purpose, but Theo couldn't. Or maybe he just didn't want to see it.

No. He probably knew. He just chose to believe Sharon completely.

Joanna hated how blind she used to be. She had missed all the signs, all the favoritism. She actually believed Theo only saw Sharon as a sister.

In her past life, Sharon's death had been anything but undeserved.

Grinding her teeth, Joanna slapped Theo across the face and spat, "I was so wrong about you!"

All the hate she'd been trying to hold back since the moment she woke up was now burning in her eyes. It was a sharp, wild look that unsettled Theo.

He didn't like this version of her. She was supposed to love him, not look at him like that.

Eleanor snapped, "How dare you hit my son!"

Then Sharon lunged at her. She yanked Joanna's hair with one hand and slapped her face with the other.

"You touched Theo? You low-class trash! I'll kill you!" she screamed.

Joanna tried to fight back, but Sharon's flunkies were quick—they pinned Joanna down before she could move.

She was helpless as Sharon slapped her again and again. Her cheeks swelled, and her head spun from the hits.

No one stepped in to help. In fact, many guests pulled out their phones to record the whole thing.

Some even clapped, laughing and shouting, "Nice hit!"

Theo just stood there, cold and silent. He didn't move until Sharon kicked Joanna in the stomach, making her cry out in pain. Only then did he finally look panicked and shout, "That's enough!"

Sharon fixed her dress calmly, not a hair out of place. She looked up at Theo and said sweetly, "Sorry. I just couldn't stand watching her lay a hand on you. No one touches you in front of me and gets away with it. I'll protect you, even if it means ruining her."

Her eyes were full of love, raw and intense.

But that love only made Theo more uncomfortable. It burned straight through him. He turned away and hurried to Joanna, wanting to help her up.

Joanna's stomach throbbed painfully. She stared at Theo's outstretched hand with cold eyes, then looked away and pushed herself up on her own.

Theo's face twisted in frustration. But seeing her torn scalp and the blood trickling down from her temple made his heart ache.

"If you hadn't thrown a fit, none of this would've happened," he said.

Joanna felt like ice was spreading through her veins.

She'd been beaten to a pulp, and he thought it was her own fault for not behaving. This was just like her last life. His way of making her "obedient" had always been brutal.

Joanna didn't say a word. She turned around and started to leave.

Theo watched her back, and a strange panic rushed through him. For some reason, it felt like she was really going to disappear from his life for good.

He quickly ordered his assistant, "Take her to the villa. Make sure she's well taken care of."

Joanna froze. She knew exactly what that meant.

Theo wasn't going to let her go. Even if he had already chosen Sharon, he still wanted to keep Joanna around.

Men like him never thought they had enough women. He wanted both—Sharon as his wife, and her as his hidden lover.

Joanna tried to run, but her heavy wedding dress held her back.

Theo stood there with cold eyes as his people pinned her down. "Don't even think about running," he said flatly. "No one in this city would dare help you."

Joanna looked at him, her heart going numb. She wanted to argue and to scream back at him, but she knew it would only make things worse.

So, she forced a bitter, unwilling look on her face and let them drag her into the car.

Inside, she turned to look helplessly back at the hotel.

There, under the bright lights, Theo and Sharon stood side by side.

They kissed, surrounded by cheers and applause.

And as the officiant led them through their vows, they promised each other forever.