Chapter 5

Ethan used Rose's health as leverage, forcing me to continue playing the role of his loving fiancée to reassure his mother.

"Ava, my dear, among all the girls Ethan knows, you're the one I trust the most. You two must get married smoothly and stay together for life!"

Mrs. Thorne's words exhausted me, but I felt powerless.

For the next month, Ethan treated me with the same meticulous care and tenderness as before, accompanying me to try on wedding dresses and engagement rings.

Looking at the sparkling diamond ring on my finger, I couldn't help but sneer:

"Ethan Thorne, your sincerity isn't worth a thing. Aren't you afraid Scarlett will go crazy if she finds out about all this?"

A flicker of something crossed Ethan's eyes when he heard Scarlett's name. He brushed a strand of hair from my face and said indifferently:

"I'll calm Scarlett down. She won't get jealous like you. You just need to play the part of a happy bride!"

Sometimes, I truly hated Ethan's cruelty, yet occasionally, I would find myself uncontrollably drawn into this vortex of tenderness.

I couldn't tell if Ethan had ever felt a shred of genuine affection for me.

As the wedding day approached, Rose became noticeably more excited. She couldn't sleep at night, whispering to me on the phone:

"I'm old now. My only wish is to see you get married and have children. I'm so happy you found someone you love..."

"I've never seen you look so happy and content. Only Ethan, that boy, makes me feel truly at ease!"

Listening to Rose's rambling, I suddenly couldn't bear to tell her the truth.

It was just a wedding, I thought, a way to fulfill her last wish.

I thought naively, never expecting Scarlett Davis's breakdown and jealousy to be so fierce.

That day, as I left work, someone forcibly dragged me into the underground parking garage.

Scarlett slapped me twice across the face, raging uncontrollably:

"Ava Miller, you're truly shameless. Ethan doesn't love you at all, yet you still cling to him!"

"Do you think by stealing my place, you can become Mrs. Thorne?!"

"I'm telling you, I will never allow anyone to threaten my position. Just you wait, I absolutely won't let you off easy!"

Scarlett's words made my heart clench, and I couldn't help but retort mockingly:

"The one insisting on marrying me is Ethan. If you're so capable, why don't you make his whole family change their minds?"

"Oh, right. Mrs. Thorne doesn't think much of your fickle and untrustworthy nature!"

Scarlett's face turned red with fury, her eyes practically spitting fire. She clenched her fists and said viciously:

"Then just you wait and see!"

The day before the wedding, Scarlett sent me a strange set of numbers. They looked vaguely familiar.

By the time I tried to ask her about them, she had already blocked me.

On the wedding day, I felt something was off, a persistent unease in my heart.

Ethan was still playing the part of the perfect lover, just as before, putting the ring on my finger and kissing my lips in front of everyone.

For a moment, I actually thought we had returned to the past, back to when he still loved me.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated a few times. It was an unknown number, and on the other end, I heard Rose's voice.

Scarlett must have said something to Rose, because I heard Rose's hurried breathing, followed by sounds of them pushing and arguing.

I frowned and said "Hello," but no one replied. I just dismissed it as a minor interruption.

Suddenly, a panic erupted outside the wedding venue. Someone shouted:

"Someone fell from a height!"

My heart pounded erratically. I felt a dizzy spell and ran desperately to check.

Ethan also rushed over. However, the person lying on the ground, in excruciating pain, was Scarlett Davis.

What was going on?!

Ethan, looking distraught, rushed downstairs from the second floor, embracing Scarlett, his eyes bloodshot.

Scarlett cried out:

"Ethan, save me! Ava and her grandma conspired to kill me!"

Hearing Rose's voice, I frantically ran over. I saw her lying at the corner of the staircase, gasping for air, her face pale, with several scratches on her body.

"Ava..."

I strained to hear, but Rose's breathing was faint, almost in shock.

Crying, I shouted for help, calling out to Ethan:

"Ethan Thorne, quickly, call for a car! My grandmother is in critical condition!"

"Ethan Thorne, I beg you, please come and save my grandmother! I promise I'll be obedient forever!"

The only response was Ethan's voice, filled with utter disgust:

"Ava Miller, you and your grandma used schemes to make Scarlett fall and break her leg. I will make you pay for this!"

Ethan carried Scarlett and rushed to the hospital, ordering everyone present not to call an ambulance for me.

Holding my grandmother's gradually cooling body, I suddenly seemed to realize something.

A heartbreaking cry escaped me:

"Rose!"

Ethan's footsteps paused slightly ahead, then he scoffed.

"Ava Miller, your acting is too clumsy. I won't fall for it again!"