Chapter 7

The day before the wedding, the venue was decorated with a sea of pink roses. The wedding dress had also been decided. It was pink and matched with a pink necklace and veil.

Edwin held Euri’s hand as they headed to the hotel for their wedding rehearsal.

When they arrived, Edwin kissed Euri gently on the forehead, but she did not react. She picked up the card in her hand and read it stiffly in a daze. "For poorer or for rich, I, Kiara, will… Kiara?"

Euri paused.

Everyone at the rehearsal was taken aback, and the wedding emcee glanced at the card with a questioning look. "Isn’t the bride’s name Euri? Did someone get the card wrong?"

A staff member dashed forward and snatched the card from Euri’s hand. "I’m so sorry. I gave you the wrong card. It was a printing mistake."

Euri looked up at Edwin and asked, "Is that true?"

Edwin frowned as he clenched the card in his hand. "That’s enough. This is only a rehearsal. You’ll enter into deep sleep tomorrow, anyway. You can treat this as preparation for when you wake up later."

Euri smiled softly. "You’re right. We’re finally getting married. Your wish has finally come true."

It was the first time in many days that Euri smiled, but somehow, it only made Edwin worried. For some reason, he felt like something bad was about to happen. "I promise to give you another wedding when you wake up, Euri."

He held her hand tightly, as if afraid she would run away, but Euri ignored him. She continued numbly with the rehearsal, no longer caring if the cards said Kiara or Euri.

Halfway through the rehearsal, the chandelier upstairs started to crack. It fell in an instant and looked like it was about to fall on Edwin. Euri’s chest tightened at the sight, and she rushed forward instinctively to push him away.

The next second, her parents dashed toward her to push her out of the way. "Look out, Kiara!"

Smash!

The chandelier fell about two feet away from them.

It was a close call, and Euri’s father was shocked and angry. He raised his hand and slapped Euri hard. "How can you not take better care of your body? Tomorrow is the day Kiara will return! Are you trying to make your sister bear the consequences of your doing?"

Euri lowered her head, and her cheek stung from the pain.

Edwin came over quickly to check Euri’s swollen cheek, and his tone turned cold. "You shouldn’t have slapped her, Mr. Scott."

Euri looked at him hopefully, thinking he was speaking on her behalf, but the next second, Edwin said, "Kiara will be marrying me tomorrow. It will be difficult for the swollen cheek to heal in time. She’ll be upset about this."

All Euri could do was laugh in a self‑deprecating manner.

Euri’s father’s face fell while her mother grew anxious. "This can’t do. Euri will find all sorts of ways to hurt herself because she can’t let go of the fact that you’ll be marrying Kiara. You should lock her up until tomorrow."

Her words prompted Euri to look calmly at Edwin. "Do you feel the same way?"

Edwin sighed. "I’ve prepared some sleeping pills for you. All you have to do is take a nap. Once you’re awake, I’ll plan the grandest wedding for you."

After that, Euri’s parents dragged her into the room and placed the bottle of sleeping pills on the table. Euri sat at the edge of the bed and looked at her parents. "Mom, Dad, have you always wanted only one daughter?"

Euri’s mother choked at the question. "What nonsense are you talking about? Even though you’re not as obedient or as sweet as Kiara, you’re still our daughter."

However, Euri could see clearly from her mother’s eyes that she felt sorry that Kiara was not here. She tried her best to be a good daughter and worked hard to be better, but all she really was to her parents was a burden.

It felt like someone punched a big hole in her heart, and it hurt so much that she could hardly breathe. "All right, Mom and Dad. From now on, your wish will come true."

Euri’s mother felt a pang in her heart. "I know you’re jealous that your sister saved Edwin, but without her, you wouldn’t even see him today."

She kept chattering, but Euri only smiled bitterly. "Mom, do you really think Kiara would jump into the sea to save Edwin when she doesn’t know how to swim?"

Euri’s mother immediately stopped talking when she heard this, and her face flushed red. "When it comes to life and death, who knows?"

Her mother might have guessed the truth long ago, but she knew her youngest daughter was in love with Edwin. "Edwin is already yours, Euri. Just let your sister have his gratitude."

She patted Euri’s hand, but Euri’s heart chilled completely. She did not lose her temper or insist that the truth be told. She only nodded gently. "All right."

Euri lowered her head and swallowed the bitter pills without water. The pills slid down her throat like razors, and soon, she started to feel dizzy.

She had no idea how much time passed when Edwin entered the room in his wedding suit, looking handsome and gentle as always. He sat next to Euri in bed as he always did and bent over to kiss her gently on the forehead.

"We’ll be married once you wake up, Euri. You can pick out your favorite wedding dress and ring after that."

A tear fell from Euri’s eye.

No, she would not. They would never get married.