Chapter 2 A Wedding Rewritten

Everyone present fell silent, shock written all over their faces.

Dylan's face went pale. He rushed forward to clamp a hand over his mother's mouth, but it was too late.

All I felt was disgust as I looked at the mother-and-son duo.

A voice rang out again in my mind.

"Your awakening was detected. Reward: 100 billion. Mission issued: Humiliate the villains. Reward: Matchmaking with Lumeria's richest man, Gabriel York, at the next table."

I let out a laugh. "Fine. You said it yourself."

I yanked off my veil and flung it straight at Dylan's face. "Dylan, we're done. This wedding is off!"

He tore the veil away and roared, "Summer Rhodes, have you lost your mind? You're carrying my child! If you walk out that door, don't ever come crawling back! I won't take you!"

I shot back, "We'll see who ends up begging."

I turned, my gaze landing on the VIP table. A man sat there in a tailored suit, lazily swirling a glass of red wine.

Gabriel York was Lumeria's wealthiest man and the company's biggest investor.

Lifting the hem of my dress, I walked toward him under everyone's watchful eyes. He looked up, studying me with clear interest.

"Mr. York." I took a deep breath and said loudly, "The banquet's already paid for. Since the groom is trash, would you like to replace him? I've got 100 billion in assets, and I can promise you a lifetime of absolute devotion."

A collective gasp swept through the room.

Dylan pointed at me, shouting, "Summer, have you lost it? Do you even know who Mr. York is? You think he'd want a pregnant woman like you? Stop humiliating yourself!"

Alice spat, "Shameless slut! You're so desperate to marry a rich man that you've gone insane!"

Gabriel set down his glass and stood. At nearly six-three, his presence alone was suffocating.

He didn't spare Dylan a glance. His eyes lowered to me, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"One hundred billion?" His voice was low and steady.

I straightened, meeting his gaze head-on. "That's right. At least that much."

I had no real certainty, but the system had given me the reward, and I was willing to bet on it.

Three seconds passed.

Gabriel reached out, his fingers brushing my bangs into place. "Deal."

He turned to the stunned emcee. "What are you waiting for? Announce that the wedding is continuing. Change the groom's name to Gabriel York."

Dylan lunged at me, trying to grab me, but Gabriel's bodyguards blocked him instantly.

"Summer, are you really going to cheat on me?" Dylan's eyes were bloodshot. "You're carrying my kid! You're making Mr. York raise another man's child? Have you no shame?"

I looked at him.

A child? Please.

My hand rested on my stomach.

Yesterday, I went to a private hospital for a full checkup.

The report was still in my clutch: no gestational sac, normal hormone levels.

The "pregnancy" had been Dylan's doing.

For the past two weeks, the nutritional soup he made me every day had been laced with emetics. On top of that, his cousin—the nurse—had faked the pregnancy tests.

He wanted all my money and planned to nail me to a cross of shame with a fake pregnancy.

But I wasn't revealing that yet.

I slipped my arm through Gabriel's, my resolve firm.

"Dylan, the moment your mother demanded 500,000 for Gideon's house, we were already over. As for the child…" I smiled faintly. "That's my business. None of yours."

Gabriel didn't even look at Dylan. He took my hand and led me down the aisle.

Though stunned, the guests broke into even louder applause. Gabriel's status left them no choice.

By the time the ceremony ended, it had turned into a spectacle of power and prestige.

The Forrests were escorted out by hotel security. Even then, Alice's shrill curses still echoed from outside.

"Let her enjoy it while she can! Once her stomach starts showing, we'll see if Mr. York still wants her!

"She'd better not come crawling back to beg me!"