Chapter 3

Inside the room, Evelyn and Jason sat side by side. Jason playfully toyed with her fingers, raising an eyebrow.

"I always keep my word. What do you think?" he smirked.

Their friends burst out laughing, then continued fawning, "We just don't understand - if you two want to be together, why did Evelyn have to accept Vaughn's proposal? Isn't all this back-and-forth a hassle?"

Of course, I knew the reason. Because I had taken back Jason's position as the Gray family heir. So Jason was going to extreme lengths to steal the woman I loved.

He might be able to fool our parents with his innocent act and excuses, he might be able to deceive Evelyn, but he couldn't fool me.

But Jason certainly wasn't going to reveal his true motives. He simply put on a meaningful expression and said, "Crashing a wedding - how romantic is that?"

"It'll be so much more dramatic this way, don't you think?"

The room erupted in laughter again. Someone turned to Evelyn and asked, "What about you, Evelyn? Aren't you afraid Vaughn will be angry? Running off with Jason on your wedding day is basically cuckolding him in front of everyone. No man could accept that."

Evelyn leaned into Jason's embrace, looking up at him coyly. "I'll do whatever makes Jason happy," she replied.

Hearing those words, my heart sank. The laughter from inside, celebrating their public display of affection, felt like the cruelest mockery.

I staggered back, my mind foggy, retreating from the scene. All I could think about was the image of Evelyn shyly accepting Jason's ring, and their scheming plans for the wedding day.

The winter wind was frigid, chilling me to the bone as it whipped around me. I closed my eyes, still hearing their final words echoing in my ears:

"Mr. and Mrs. Gray know about this too."

"They agreed to it to fulfill Jason's wishes."

"With the support of your parents, what are you afraid of?"

I finally understood why my parents had been present at Jason's proposal...

It turns out, no one truly loved me. In their hearts, I was just a stepping stone for Jason to trample on his way to happiness.

My parents felt this way, as did our relatives and friends.

I used to think Evelyn was different. But twenty years of feelings, all my devotion and deep love for her, couldn't compare to that simple phrase - "As long as Jason is happy."

So... why not just give them what they want?

A sharp car horn jolted me out of my daze. I realized I had unknowingly wandered into the middle of the road.

I sniffled, forcefully pushing down the dull ache in my chest. Finally, I made a phone call—

"My wedding is in three days."

"Will you come? I need a bride."