Chapter 3

I stared at the photographs scattered across the floor, unsure of what to say.

Cedric, however, seemed delighted. He bent down, picked up a random photograph, and gave me a malicious smile.

"How about this one?"

It was Astrid Hayes, the daughter of the Hayes family. She'd dated countless men over the years and had one of the worst reputations in our social circle.

I glanced at her photograph before nodding. "Okay."

Helena stared at me in disbelief as she stood there.

Meanwhile, Cedric looked even more pleased. "Well, since you're okay with it, why don't we make it a double wedding? You can get married in three days, just like us. We'll arrange everything for you. It'll be a double celebration!"

I smiled. "Sounds good."

Without bothering to look at Helena's furious expression, I took Noelle back to our room.

She gripped my hand tightly and looked up at me. "Dad, are you really going to find me a new mom?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I pulled her into my arms.

Astrid might have a terrible reputation, but the Hayes family was highly respected. Her grandmother, Beatrice Knox, in particular, was a prominent businesswoman with an excellent reputation.

With Beatrice overseeing the family, I figured that even if Astrid never developed feelings for me, the marriage could still give Noelle and me a better future.

I managed a smile and gently pinched Noelle's cheek.

"Do you trust me?"

Noelle nodded firmly. Then, she turned around and threw everything that reminded her of Helena into the trash.

…

The next day, Cedric insisted we accompany him to the bridal boutique for fittings.

Helena tried on one elaborate wedding gown after another, and Cedric seemed to fall even more in love with her with every dress.

Eventually, he couldn't resist walking over, leaning down, and kissing her.

Helena froze for a moment, then instinctively glanced at me.

"Stop it. We're in public."

Cedric laughed, pulled her into his arms, and gave me a challenging look.

"Oh, come on. It's not like we haven't done this in front of Benjamin before. He's used to it by now. Besides, he's my brother. It's not like we have anything to hide from him. Right, Benjamin?"

I lowered my gaze and looked away. "Of course. You two are obviously very happy together, and I'm happy for you."

Helena's expression immediately darkened.

She grabbed Cedric and kissed him fiercely, and the two of them soon became so caught up in each other that they were breathing heavily.

As their kissing grew more passionate, soft moans began filling the room.

The sales associates discreetly stepped away, leaving me sitting there, completely stiff with embarrassment. All I could do was cover Noelle's eyes and ears.

I had no idea how long it took before they finally separated.

Looking thoroughly satisfied, Cedric turned his attention back to me.

"Benjamin, you're getting married tomorrow, too. Aren't you going to pick out a few wedding dresses for your bride?"

I shook my head.

There had been a time when I cared about those things more than anyone.

When Helena and I were getting married, I'd wanted to give her the most spectacular wedding imaginable. I'd taken her to practically every bridal boutique in the city, insisting that she try on gown after gown until we found the perfect one.

But I'd learned something since then. The dress didn't matter nearly as much as the person one was marrying.

Perhaps Helena couldn't stand how little interest I showed, because she lost her temper, pulled out her black card, and slammed it onto the counter.

"Fine! Then, we're going to find the most beautiful wedding dress for your bride in this store. I'll try on every gown you like so you can see how it looks. We won't stop until you're satisfied."

With that, the sales associates surrounded her again and escorted her into the fitting room.

I had no choice but to stand there and wait.

Helena came out in one dress after another, and after a while, they all started looking the same to me.

Finally, she changed into the last gown, a strapless design, and slowly emerged from the fitting room while holding up her skirt.

I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when I noticed Cedric giving one of the sales associates a meaningful look.

I immediately sensed that something was wrong, but I was too late to react.

A foot suddenly shot out from somewhere and stepped hard on the hem of Helena's dress. She lost her balance and stumbled straight toward me.

There was a loud ripping sound as the gown tore open, leaving much of her body exposed.

My mind instantly went blank.