When I was twelve weeks pregnant, Clayton Briggs ruined our wedding eighteen times in a row because of his cousin.

The first time, he claimed his cousin had just arrived from the countryside and didn’t know the way, so he needed to go get her. I stood there in my bridal gown and said sorry to all the guests in the hall for him.

The second time, the wedding song was only halfway through when he answered a call from his cousin claiming her heart felt uncomfortable. He walked out without even looking at me.

The nineteenth time, we finally reached the part where we were about to exchange rings.

However, in the dressing room, I caught sight of him and his cousin fully undressed, locked together, and gasping.

“Celestine Grimes is just a means to give you a child.”

“After the baby is born, I’ll abandon her and marry you properly with a lavish style.”

On what should have been the happiest day, I plainly heard about this ten-year scam!

So the love and care Clayton had shown me during those ten years were only because Verity Tanner’s heart illness stopped her from bearing children!

I stumbled away from the wedding venue and called my father.

“Dad, I’m not getting married anymore. I want to keep the baby and remove the father.”

1

“Dad, I’m not getting married anymore. I want to keep the child and remove the father.”

I spoke through tears.

On the other end of the line, my father scolded me, “You persisted all the way to the nineteenth wedding, and only now you decide to keep the child and remove the father?”

I leaned against the hotel hallway wall, yet no sound came from my throat.

Dad understood that for the sake of his cousin, Clayton had already left me, three months pregnant, alone at the wedding venue eighteen times.

The first occasion, he claimed Verity had come from the countryside and was unfamiliar with the roads. A girl was pulling a suitcase and sobbing at the station, so he went to pick her up.

That day, dressed in my bridal gown, I stood in the hotel lobby, my makeup washed away by tears and redone, yet I still did not see him return.

The second time, halfway through the ceremony, Verity called, saying her heart felt uncomfortable and she was unable to breathe.

Without leaving any explanation, Clayton turned and departed. I had truly believed Verity’s illness was serious and had worried about her for an entire day.

Afterward, over and over, Verity’s heart discomfort, poor mood, and nightmares all served to call Clayton away from the wedding.

It was not that I had never wanted to make a fuss, but I endured everything.

Because Clayton had a kind of unquestioned right with me.

Ten years earlier, when my job stress suddenly intensified, I suffered abrupt memory loss.

Each morning when I awoke, my memory had been wiped clean. I did not know who I was, did not recognize my parents, and did not understand why the world functioned this way.

Even my own parents could not withstand it.

They stood beside my bed with eyes full of tears, watching me look at them repeatedly with unfamiliar eyes, and finally, they could only break down and turn away.

Only Clayton, who had been my boyfriend then, did not leave.

During that time, every morning when I opened my eyes, Clayton smiled and told me, “Celestine, I am your husband.”

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

He patiently told me everyone’s names and explained my job and my habits.

He said he was my boyfriend and that he loved me deeply.

He stayed with me while I ate, walked, and went through rehabilitation, guiding me back into society again and again.

For a full twenty-one days, I fell in love with him repeatedly.

So afterward, regardless of what he did, I was willing to give him opportunities.

Clayton also seriously explained why Verity was in his life.

He said Verity’s mother had died saving him back then; it was a lifelong debt he carried.

And Verity’s heart was weak, and she was lonely and without support, so he could not turn his back on her.

I understood his situation, so I continued to endure.

But after it happened too many times, I was already drained, because I truly longed for our wedding, and anticipation fades after being broken again and again.

Even if I was slow to notice, I could see that Verity’s feelings toward Clayton were not simple.

However, whenever I brought it up, Clayton strongly insisted they were impossible, only brother and sister.

He made vows in front of me and knelt down.

A man over 1.8 meters tall, eyes red, begging me not to walk away.

My heart weakened.

I intended to give him three final chances.

Twenty-one days of amnesia would cancel out twenty-one weddings.

I even reassured myself that it could not really be that exactly twenty-one weddings would all collapse, could it?

And the nineteenth wedding did start off surprisingly well.

But midway, when I went to the dressing room to retouch my makeup, I heard faint gasps from within. Verity spoke while crying.

“Brother, I don’t want you marrying someone else… I know it’s wrong, yet I truly can’t control my feelings.”

“I can’t have children for you. These nineteen times, stopping your wedding happened because I was too greedy.”

My eyes narrowed, and then I heard Clayton’s familiar voice.

“Are you stupid? This has nothing to do with you. And why envy Celestine? She’s merely a tool to continue the bloodline. After the child is born, she won’t matter. I’ll leave her and marry you properly in a grand ceremony.”

Verity gently asked, “Do you love me then?”

Clayton almost instantly responded, “You are the person I love most. Apart from you, there is no other.”

I stood beyond the door, my body overwhelmed by the shocking truth, not even daring to rush in and confront them.

As the sounds inside grew increasingly passionate, I could only press my hand over my stomach and flee in humiliation.

When my father saw how firm I was about divorcing, he finally agreed and arranged a lawyer for me as well, afraid I would be taken advantage of.

I turned and ran straight to the legal firm to draft the contract.

For once, Clayton stayed at the wedding, and I was the one who ran.

That night, when I arrived home, Clayton saw me and immediately questioned, “Wife, where did you go? Why did you disappear halfway through the wedding?”

I looked at his intentionally gentle expression. The love I had long grown used to and the strong hatred inside me clashed in my stomach, making me feel sick.

I forced myself to answer, “My cousin was unwell. I went to see him.”

Clayton’s expression immediately darkened.

“Cousin? How could a cousin matter more than our wedding? H How could you cancel our ceremony over another person?”

Hearing that, I found it laughable.

“My cousin saved my life. He means a great deal to me. Can’t I visit him?”

At that moment, I was still hoping Clayton would get upset like the times I had been left behind before, expecting him to feel disappointed like a normal fiancé when the wedding failed to happen.

But Clayton was only speechless for a second, then stepped forward and gently embraced me.

“Let it go. Since that’s the reason, we’ll hold it again next week, alright? Wife, I’ll prepare an even grander wedding for you next time.”

I shut my eyes in hopelessness, surprisingly not shocked by his response at all.

Clayton had always acted like this; he never showed anger or blame toward me, always kind and thoughtful.

I once thought it meant he loved me; only now did I understand it meant he did not love me.

Only toward someone not loved could a person hide so flawlessly.

With the one truly loved, all kinds of feelings would surface instead.

I weakly pushed him aside and passed him the simply concealed paper in my hand.

“Today I discovered there is a house in the dowry that hasn’t been settled yet. It needs your signature.”

At that moment, I imagined countless scenes of how I would argue with him if Clayton realized it was a divorce contract.

But Clayton did not even glance at it and casually wrote his name, then said, “Oh, right, Verity’s heart condition isn’t good. She lives alone outside, I’m not very reassured.”

“Can she stay at our place for a while? She’s in the attic now and won’t disturb us.”

My hand remained on the divorce agreement, my fingertips cold. For a brief moment, I could not even respond to what I had heard.

“What did you say?”

Clayton frowned, as if thinking I was making too much of it.

“Don’t worry, wife. I already asked someone to clean it up. The attic is quiet and bright, good for Verity to recover. She won’t disturb us, she’ll stay a few days and then leave.”

In that instant, it felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over me from head to toe.

The attic was where Clayton had proposed to me.

It held a unique meaning for us; we used to spend time there talking and dating in the attic.

I bit down hard on the inside of my mouth. The noises from the dressing room earlier still seemed to ring in my ears. My chest tightened again and again, and even breathing felt hard.

I stared at Clayton, my voice hoarse. “Haven’t you already made up your mind? She has already moved in. Why are you asking me now?”

As soon as the sentence ended, he suddenly reached out and held my hand.

“Wife, don’t put it that way.”

Clayton’s brows drew together slightly, as if he had been wrongly accused. “I brought Verity home today because her heart problem suddenly worsened. It wasn’t safe outside, and I had no time to inform you beforehand.”

“But if you don’t want her to live here, I’ll send her away right away.”

Clayton’s words were calm and thoughtful.

As though, at that moment, all authority to decide had seriously been handed to me.

Yet my heart abruptly grew cold.

After knowing the truth, the reason that had once disappeared because of blind love returned.

I understood that if I shook my head now, if I simply said I was unwilling, tomorrow, every relative and friend would know that I had treated my fiancé’s ill cousin cruelly, that I was petty, harsh, and jealous.

I hadn’t understood it before.

On the evening of the thirteenth ruined wedding, he had also held my hand like this, lifting me to a higher position and giving me the power to decide.

I had been upset and refused to let him go to Verity, and Clayton had quickly agreed.

On the second day, the company circulated a rumor that I was jealous, that I could not even endure my fiancé’s cousin.

At that time, I sat at my workstation every day feeling restless and uneasy.

In the end, Clayton rose and explained before everyone, saying I was not that type of person, that I had never been unable to accept the cousin, that they had misunderstood me.

In private, he comforted me repeatedly, telling me not to dwell on it, saying it was only a misunderstanding.

At that moment, I was deeply touched.

I even felt guilty for misjudging his relationship with Verity.

Only now did I see that perhaps the entire situation had been arranged by him from beginning to end.

So that later I would never again dare to reject his closeness with Verity.

For Verity, Clayton truly gave everything he had.

Thinking of this, my eyes grew warm instantly, yet my heart hurt with emptiness.

“Do as you please,” I said in a tone of surrender.

No matter whether I agreed or not, she had already settled into the attic and already tainted that place.

In a few days, I would leave this house, so whoever stayed here would no longer concern me.

Clayton clearly breathed out in relief.

“Wife, you’re truly kind.”

“I knew you would understand me.”

I lowered my gaze to the divorce papers on the table, my heart aching.

Twenty-one days of memory clearing.

Nineteen ruined weddings.

I would count the debt as repaid nineteen times.

Clayton.

There were still two times remaining.

Once I returned your favor fully, we would owe each other nothing and have no further ties.

I placed the agreement into my bag, turned, returned to the room, locked the door, and sent the electronic copy I had already prepared to the lawyer.

The lawyer sent a message. [In about seven days, the process will be finished.]

I looked at that sentence for a long while, my heart still tightening.

I blinked hard, holding back the tears.

At night, I lay on the bed, yet I could not shut my eyes.

From upstairs came sounds that could not be overlooked.

Throughout the entire night, Clayton hardly rested properly.

Either Verity claimed she was hungry, or said she was thirsty, or mentioned that her chest felt slightly uncomfortable; excuses came one after another.

Time and again, I heard him rise from the bed, and time and again, his steps moved toward the attic.

In the past, I had always thought Clayton was already attentive enough to me.

When I craved something to eat at midnight, he would put on his coat and head downstairs. Even if he had to travel across half the city, he would return with the snack I wanted.

But when Verity said she was hungry, Clayton immediately went into the kitchen.

“You shouldn’t eat outside food right now. I’ll prepare something light for you. Outside food isn’t healthy.”

Before, when I accidentally hurt my foot, Clayton would calmly soothe me and examine the injury.

However, when Verity knocked her foot, Clayton directly carried her to the couch, carefully rubbed ointment on her, and, because she was scared of pain, he gently coaxed her while doing it.

I lay in bed, my palm tightly covering my stomach, my chest feeling heavy.

So the gap between being loved and not being loved was this clear.

It was very late before Clayton returned to the room.

The mattress sank, and he reached out to draw me into his arms.

“Verity is very sensitive. It’s her first time living in someone else’s home, so she isn’t quite comfortable. Wife, don’t be angry with her.”

I stayed silent and only turned away.

Clayton bent his head and placed his hand over my belly, his tone gentle.

“Wife, are you feeling jealous? Don’t be mad. I’m simply caring for my younger sister. Being angry isn’t good for the baby in your belly.”

“Verity even prepared a small gold lock for the child. She said she wishes the baby to arrive safely. She’s from the countryside and doesn’t earn much; she saved for a long time to buy that gold lock.”

“She also wanted to apologize to you, saying she had troubled you for a long time.”

Clayton spoke with such honesty.

If I had not discovered them cheating today, I might truly have believed Verity was sincere, and I might even have felt glad that the child would have another aunt who cared for her.

I abruptly pushed him away and said in a cold voice, “I don’t want anything from her.”

Clayton was surprised.

“Celestine…”

“My child.”

I stared at him and said slowly, “I will provide her with the best myself.”

Just as Clayton was about to pull me into his arms and continue speaking, Verity’s restrained sobbing suddenly came from the attic.

“Brother… I’m a little afraid…”

Clayton’s face changed instantly. He shoved me aside and rushed out while shouting upstairs, “Don’t be scared, brother is here!”

With a loud sound, I lost my footing from the push, and my back hit the headboard heavily, the pain darkening my sight.

I gripped my stomach, panting heavily. At that instant, I could not decide whether my body ached more or my heart suffered more.

Early the following morning, I saw Clayton wearing an apron in front of the stove, his actions smooth and patient. Verity looked up at him with gentle brows, carefully dabbing away his sweat.

If strangers had seen this moment, they would think they were the true family, and I was simply an extra presence.

I held back the urge to vomit and walked over to take a seat.

When Clayton noticed me, he spoke softly, “Wife, you’re awake? I made seafood. It’s your favorite shrimp and grits. Try some.”

I lowered my gaze to the shrimp and grits inside the bowl, my mind slightly blank.

I clearly remembered that before Clayton and I officially got together, because my stomach was weak, he cooked shrimp and grits for me daily. At that time, I often skipped meals due to work, and he was the one who watched over me and would not let me go hungry.

Was that tenderness only a performance?

Were those ten years of love only an act?

While my mind was still in a mess, Verity took the lead to ladle a bowl of shrimp and grits for me and carefully passed it over.

“Sister-in-law, thank you for allowing me to stay here. Last night, I truly caused trouble for my brother. He kept looking after me, and you’re pregnant, yet had to sleep alone. I feel very sorry about that.”

My heart tightened, and the small warmth that had risen because of the shrimp and grits faded instantly.

Every sentence Verity spoke sounded apologetic, yet each word seemed to purposely remind me that last night Clayton chose her over me.

I did not want to answer her.

Yet suddenly her wrist tipped, and the whole bowl of steaming shrimp and grits in her hand spilled in my direction.

I backed away in panic and watched helplessly as the hot porridge scattered over the table and onto the floor.

She cried out as if startled and stumbled backward.

Immediately, Clayton had already hurried over and pulled her close.

“Verity, did you get burned?”

His voice was clearly anxious as he lowered his head and repeatedly examined her hands.

And I, the pregnant woman who should have received more care, did not even get a single glance from him.

My heart dropped.

Verity’s eyes quickly turned red, her voice shaking.

“I’m alright… brother, if sister-in-law is unhappy, I can leave… don’t waste the shrimp and grits you made yourself.”

She glanced at me timidly, as if afraid I would create a scene.

Before I could speak, Clayton had already knitted his brows.

“Celestine.”

His voice held restrained anger and blame. “No matter how upset you are or how much you dislike Verity, you shouldn’t bully her like this.”

My eyes widened, staring at him in shock, yet Clayton kept accusing me.

“The shrimp and grits are so hot. What if it had splashed on Verity’s hand and left a scar? You’re pregnant, so I tolerate you in everything, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat Verity this way.”

Suppressing the pain in my chest, I gritted my teeth and answered, “What nonsense is that? I never did such a thing. I would never stoop to that kind of behavior to bully someone!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Verity quickly shook her head and spoke up for me.

“It wasn’t sister-in-law. My hand slipped, and I didn’t hold the bowl firmly, so it spilled. It’s my fault.”

She stepped forward to take the blame, yet I felt disgusted, as though I had eaten something dirty. I had not done it at all, but after she spoke, it sounded as though she had endured all the injustice.

Clayton’s expression darkened.

“Celestine, are you still trying to put the blame on Verity? She is sensible enough to take responsibility for you, but as her sister-in-law, you shouldn’t treat a patient this way!”

I could not believe he would speak to me that way. A bitter taste rose in my throat, and I was unable to reply for a moment.

In Clayton’s eyes, had I already become the type who would set others up?

“Clayton, you don’t trust me?”

I heard myself ask with difficulty, word by word.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you.”

Clayton’s voice lowered. “It’s just that I clearly know what kind of person Verity is.”

What kind of person was Verity?

And what kind of person was I?

I laughed out of anger and raised my hand to point at the surveillance overhead.

“There’s surveillance at home. If you want to see what really happened, you can check it right now!”

The moment I spoke about the surveillance, my heart trembled.

Since I became pregnant, Clayton had been worried about leaving me alone, so he had installed surveillance in the living room, saying it would make me feel safer.

Now it had become the means for me to defend myself.

As Clayton was about to respond, Verity cried and interrupted.

“Brother, sister-in-law, please stop fighting.”

She wiped her eyes. “It’s my fault. I made my sister-in-law misunderstand. Brother, I’m truly okay. Let’s eat quickly, or the shrimp and grits will get cold.”

Clayton exhaled slowly, seeming to regain control. He looked at me, his tone gentler.

“Sorry, wife. I misunderstood you earlier. I was only panicked because I was worried.”

I watched them perform together so smoothly, and a strong feeling of weakness filled my heart. Finally, I said in a flat tone, “Whatever you want.”

My strange reaction made Clayton hesitate. He reached over and caught my hand, trying to comfort me.

“Wife, didn’t we plan to visit the mall today to buy things for the baby? I’ll go with you.”

I almost refused right away.

But the words stopped at my mouth and went back down.

The divorce papers were not yet officially effective. I could not break things openly with Clayton at this moment.

And I worried that if he found out about the divorce, he would fight me over the child. It was better to be careful.

So I nodded.

Still, a thought remained in my heart that I did not want to face.

Maybe Clayton did not love me.

But he loved the baby.

If it were possible, I still wished that after the child was born, there would be complete love from a father.

But when I finished preparing and stepped outside, I saw Verity also standing by the door.

Before I could say anything, Clayton had already explained, “I was worried Verity would feel bored staying home alone, so I brought her with us.”

I did not respond and simply opened the door and walked out.

Behind me, Clayton seemed unused to my reaction.

The former me, even when upset or jealous, would pull him aside to talk things through, or act soft and seek his comfort.

I had never treated him as invisible like this.