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I stood in front of the grand gates of Cain's villa, the chill of the situation biting harder than the morning breeze. The butler, stiff and curt, didn't even let me inside.

"Mr. Bassett has made it clear," he said, "whoever dares to impersonate his wife has some nerve. He's known his wife since childhood—they grew up together. How could he ever mistake someone else for her?"

Beside me, my younger cousin Hailey's face flushed with anger, tears welling up in her eyes. "Mary, what is going on here? Why are they accusing you of being an impostor? Wasn't it always decided that you and Cain would marry? Didn't we come here to prepare for your wedding?"

I raised a finger to my lips and hushed her. The truth was, I had returned to Oberis City ahead of my parents to get a head start on the wedding preparations. They were tied up with work and couldn't accompany me, so I thought I'd take care of the arrangements myself—after all, weddings are no small feat.

But things took a turn for the bizarre as soon as I arrived at the wedding planning company. I'd just finished discussing the basic concept with the lead designer when she glanced at a photo of my fiancé on my phone. Her expression soured immediately, like she'd bitten into a green persimmon.

"Miss Schindler, this… this is Mr. Bassett?" she stammered.

"Yes, of course. He's my fiancé," I replied, puzzled.

Her face crumpled further. "But… Mr. Bassett got married three months ago. Our company organized the wedding."

For five years, I'd been back in my countryside home, taking care of my grandmother as a full-time granddaughter while she battled her illness. I hadn't set foot in Oberis City during that time.

When Grandma passed away, my mother summoned me back to fulfill the long-standing engagement between the Bassett family and ours—a union arranged since childhood. With both of us nearing thirty, there was no more time to delay.

The moment I uncovered the truth, I marched straight to the Bassett family's doorstep, demanding answers, only to be met with cold disdain.

The arrogance of the Bassett household and Cain's outright dismissal of me made me scoff. Mistake? You better hope you haven't made a mistake.

With Hailey at my side, I stormed through Oberis City's luxury stores, purchasing everything that caught my eye. Every bill, every receipt, bore the name of the Lith City mayor's daughter—Mary Schindler.

By midday, the entrance of Cain's company was swarmed with representatives from Oberis City's top luxury brands. They came bearing goods, invoices, and demands for payment.

"Mr. Bassett, this is your wife's signature. Surely you can't deny that?"

"Indeed, everyone knows Mrs. Bassett's name. Are you suggesting someone's impersonating her?"

"Mr. Bassett, your wife spent 130,000 dollars at our store. Kindly settle the bill."

"If funds are tight, perhaps Mrs. Bassett could refrain from shopping for a while? Or maybe return the black pearl necklace? Another client's interested—it's worth 80,000 dollars, after all."

"Yes, if you can't afford it, don't let your wife shop recklessly. Buying and not paying is no way to do business!"

"Exactly! We let your wife sign and take it first because, Mr. Bassett, you're such a prominent figure in Oberis. Surely, you wouldn't default on the payment."

The crowd buzzed louder, their frustrations rising with the noon sun. I sat at a nearby café, sipping coffee, watching the chaos unfold. From afar, I could see beads of sweat forming on Cain's brow as he faced the irate brand representatives.

I smiled to myself. Didn't he marry Mary Schindler? Then let him deal with everything that comes with her name.

Just as the scene reached a fever pitch, a woman emerged from the company's entrance. She was draped in designer clothing, her frail frame and teary eyes giving her the air of a delicate damsel. Her voice, soft and wavering, called out to him, "Honey, what is all this about?"

The woman was none other than the so-called Mrs. Bassett—the "Mary" everyone had been talking about.

Her gaze fell on the invoices in the salespeople's hands. She shook her head and said, "This wasn't me! Someone must be pretending to be me!"

The brand representatives were having none of it. "You think we'll believe that? If you say it's not your signature, prove it!"

She lifted her chin and said confidently, "I've lived abroad since I was young. I can read Reindese, but I've never learned to write it. These signatures aren't mine."

Before Cain could step in to stop her, her words quickly sent a ripple of disbelief through the crowd.

"The mayor of Lith City's daughter can't write Reindese?"

"Didn't she recently donate a calligraphy piece at a charity gala? How could she not know how to write?"

"She'll say anything to avoid paying, won't she?"

Cain hurriedly explained, "This is a misunderstanding. Recently, Mary injured her hand and can't write. She is a member of the Schindler family, and the Schindlers highly value calligraphy. She has a beautiful, delicate hand with a fine style, so of course she can write."

"Then let Mrs. Bassett write her name so everyone can see if it matches the signature on the bill," I said, stepping forward from the crowd, smiling as I looked at him. "Mr. Bassett, don't you think that would be the easiest way to clear things up? That way, everyone will be convinced."

"That's right! Lith City's mayor's wife is a well-known calligrapher," someone chimed in. "Their daughter could write at three, and by five, her calligraphy works won multiple national awards. Who doesn't know that?"

His gaze turned icy as he glared at me. "Who are you? What business do you have meddling in the affairs of my family?"

I shrugged, taking a step back. "Just a concerned citizen ensuring fairness. Surely a little truth can't hurt."

Mrs. Bassett clung to his arm, her voice trembling. "Honey, I can't… I can't write." She hesitated, then added, "My right hand is injured—I can't write right now."