The man paused briefly and turned to look at Navia.

Their eyes met.

In the reflection of his dark gaze, Navia could see herself clearly. For some reason, she thought she caught a hint of expectation in his eyes.

"Why would you ask that?" he asked softly. "Do I seem familiar to you?"

Navia instinctively shook her head.

"This is the first time I've met you," she admitted. "Though I've heard your name plenty of times."

"Is that so?"

Something shifted in his expression, his eyes darkening slightly. Even his tone cooled.

"It's getting late," he said. "I'll have someone drive you home."

He was injured and clearly needed rest, so Navia didn't want to disturb him any longer.

"It's fine," she replied. "The police are still downstairs. I'll be okay."

With that, she turned and left.

The moment the door closed, Leonel Crawford slowly rose from the hospital bed and walked to the window, his eyes following Navia's figure until she disappeared completely from sight.

A few minutes later, a man dressed in black hurried into the room.

It was Jason Cole, Leonel's most trusted aide.

"Sir, I had the vehicle inspected immediately," Jason reported. "The tire was definitely tampered with. We should know who did it very soon-"

Leonel was still holding a copy of the hospital paperwork.

Because everything had happened so urgently, Navia had signed her name in the emergency contact section when admitting him.

His gaze lingered on her signature.

His fingertips brushed lightly across the handwriting as the faintest smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"There's no need to investigate," he said calmly. "I did it myself."

Jason froze.

"What?"

Then realization dawned on him.

"Since your return and takeover of the Crawford family business, the other branches have been targeting you nonstop," Jason said carefully. "By getting into a car accident now, you've made the old chairman suspicious of them. It limits their ability to move against you while protecting yourself at the same time."

Leonel lowered his gaze slightly.

"No," he said in a calm voice. "It serves three purposes."

Jason frowned. "There's a third?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Leonel's lips, unreadable and cold.

"You'll find out soon enough."

He folded the document with unhurried precision before slipping it into his pocket.

-

Navia returned to the Harrison family villa.

The mansion felt cold and empty.

Silent.

Her mother, Evelyn Harrison, had once been the chairwoman of the Harrison Group. But after a devastating car accident years ago, she had fallen into a coma and never woken up.

Her father, Daniel Harrison, was now acting CEO.

At least, publicly, he claimed to be busy with work and social obligations.

In reality, he had long been living with his mistress and illegitimate daughter behind closed doors.

The family still looked complete from the outside.

But in truth, it had already fallen apart.

Thinking about everything that had happened that night, Navia rushed into the bathroom and splashed cold water against her face again and again.

She stared at herself in the mirror.

Long dark hair framed delicate features and porcelain skin. Her beauty was undeniable.

But tonight, her face was deathly pale.

Tomorrow was supposed to be her wedding day.

Once upon a time, she had been genuinely excited about her future with Liam Crawford.

Now, after discovering his true nature, the thought of marrying him made her physically sick.

Taking a deep breath, Navia opened the anonymous text message again.

[Who are you?!]

If it weren't for that message, she never would have uncovered Liam and Linda's affair.

But who sent it?

And what did they want?

Navia gripped her phone tightly, but no reply came.

Just as she was about to give up, her phone suddenly rang.

A distorted mechanical voice came through the line, impossible to identify as male or female.

"So," the voice said, "you saw everything."

"Yes," Navia replied coldly. "I saw all of it."

"Quite the surprise, wasn't it?"

She let out a self-mocking laugh.

"Yeah. One hell of a surprise. So who are you? What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

The mysterious caller ignored the question.

"If you don't cancel tomorrow morning's wedding immediately," the voice said calmly, "it'll be too late."

Navia narrowed her eyes.

So this person's goal was simply to ruin her marriage to Liam?

She knew she wouldn't get any real answers.

After a moment of silence, she took a deep breath.

"Cancel the wedding?" she repeated softly. "You don't need to worry about that. I'll be there tomorrow morning."

The caller sounded shocked.

"Are you crazy?"

"Maybe I am," Navia replied with a faint smile. "You'll probably be there too, won't you? Whatever your real goal is..." Her eyes turned icy cold. "Just watch carefully."

Then she hung up.

-

Navia didn't sleep all night.

At dawn, she changed into her wedding dress.

Because of her mother's condition, the wedding had been kept simple. There was no lavish ceremony or extravagant celebration-only invited guests and a handful of media outlets covering the event live.

Soon, the car arrived at the outdoor wedding venue on the outskirts of the city.

At the end of the red carpet stood her father, Daniel Harrison.

Beside him was Linda, dressed in a bridesmaid gown.

And next to her stood Liam Crawford in a tailored white suit.

Liam was undeniably handsome.

Elegant. Charming. Perfect.

He walked toward Navia and extended his hand, his eyes filled with affection.

"Navia," he said softly, "you're here."

If she hadn't heard the conversation between him and Linda with her own ears the night before, she might truly have been deceived by him.

The more loving and devoted he appeared in front of others, the more horrifying it became to remember the cold calculations he hid behind that mask.

Navia ignored the hand he offered and walked straight down the red carpet alone.

Liam paused in surprise, assuming she was merely nervous, then smiled and followed after her.

Soon, the two stood before the officiant.

Around them, cameras streamed the ceremony live.

"Liam Crawford," the officiant began, "do you take this woman to be your lawful wife, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health?"

Liam looked at Navia tenderly.

"I do."

The officiant then turned toward Navia.

"And do you, Navia Harrison, take this man to be your lawful husband, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health?"

Navia lifted her chin.

Every word fell sharp and clear.

"I do not."

Silence.

Navia stood there in her white wedding gown, graceful and poised like a swan, her slender neck lifted proudly.

Yet the words she had spoken struck the crowd like thunder.

Liam's expression froze.

"Navia..." he said stiffly. "You misspoke just now, didn't you?"

"No," she replied calmly. "I didn't."

"And all of you heard me correctly too."

Her gaze swept across the crowd.

"The man I planned to marry was supposed to love me, protect me, and take responsibility for me."

Her voice turned colder with every word.

"Not a lying hypocrite who pretends to be one person in public while hiding his true face behind closed doors."

Without even looking at Liam, Navia turned toward the cameras surrounding the ceremony.

"So today, in front of everyone, I have an announcement to make."

She took a steady breath.

"I, Navia Harrison, am officially ending my engagement to Liam Crawford."

The instant those words fell, Liam's face darkened completely.

Not only because Navia had humiliated him without mercy-

But because this was happening live, in front of nearly every influential family connected to the Crawfords.

The entire city was watching.

"Ending the engagement?" Liam snapped, his handsome face twisting with fury. "Have you lost your mind?!"

Beside him, Linda covered her mouth dramatically.

"Oh my God, Navia," she exclaimed. "This is a wedding between the Harrison and Crawford families! This isn't the time to throw a tantrum!"

Daniel Harrison's face also changed instantly.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?!" he shouted furiously. "Calling off the engagement in public-are you trying to humiliate this family to death?!"

Navia looked at him steadily.

"Dad, I know you're angry. But I've already made my decision. I will never marry Liam Crawford because-"

SLAP!

Daniel's hand struck her hard across the face.

A burning red mark instantly appeared on Navia's cheek.

***

"Enough!" Daniel Harrison roared. "Stop acting like a spoiled brat. Whether you want to or not, this wedding is happening!"

Linda's eyes sparkled with barely concealed satisfaction, though her voice sounded full of fake concern.

"Dad, don't be angry," she said softly. "Maybe Navia's just acting impulsively..."

"And you're still defending her?" Daniel snapped. "It's because Evelyn spoiled her rotten growing up that she turned into such a useless disappointment! If she had even half your maturity and obedience, she wouldn't be humiliating this family today!"

Members of the Crawford family also began mocking her openly.

"Come on, Miss Harrison. We'll pretend we didn't hear what you just said."

"If you still care about your family's reputation, you'll cooperate and finish the ceremony."

"You're marrying into the Crawford family now. Stop acting like some untouchable princess."

"Keep making a scene and you'll regret it."

Every gaze directed at Navia carried either contempt or ridicule, as though she were foolish for resisting.

Her heart turned completely cold.

She had expected the Crawford family's reaction.

But she never imagined her own father would stand against her too-especially while Linda kept fueling the fire from the sidelines.

To them, Navia wasn't exposing betrayal.

She was simply embarrassing the family.

"Fine," Navia said softly.

"Fine. Fine."

She slowly looked around at every face surrounding her, memorizing each expression.

Then she took a deep breath.

"If all of you are so desperate to watch me make a fool of myself..." A smile suddenly appeared on her lips-beautiful, heartbreaking, and strangely calm. "Then open your eyes and watch this."

A small remote appeared in her hand.

She pressed the button.

The next second-

"Ah... Liam, you're amazing... If you keep this up, won't you be too exhausted for your wedding night tomorrow?"

"Still worried about my wedding night, baby? Guess I haven't worked you hard enough yet..."

The giant screen behind the ceremony had originally been prepared to display childhood photos and romantic memories of Liam and Navia growing up together.

Instead-

An explicit video suddenly filled the screen.

The faces of the groom, Liam Crawford, and the bridesmaid, Linda, were unmistakably clear.

Their tangled bodies.

Their intimate sounds.

Broadcast through the wedding speakers for every guest to hear.

And worst of all-

The ceremony was being streamed live.

The surrounding media reporters froze in shock, completely blindsided by the disaster unfolding before them. Even though someone rushed to cut the broadcast, fragments of the footage had already gone out to the public.

The guests exploded into chaos.

Every pair of eyes turned toward Liam and Linda simultaneously.

Linda's face turned deathly pale.

Unable to handle the shock, she let out a scream before collapsing unconscious onto the ground.

Liam completely lost control.

He lunged toward Navia like a madman.

"Navia Harrison, you bitch!" he roared. "You ruined me!"

At that moment, the fake tenderness vanished completely.

The handsome, devoted fiancé mask shattered, revealing something ugly and vicious beneath.

Navia grabbed a flower vase from one of the nearby tables and smashed it directly into his face with all her strength.

CRASH!

"AAAGH!"

Liam screamed as blood poured down his forehead. He collapsed to the ground clutching his head.

The entire wedding descended into complete chaos.

"Why won't the video shut off?! Turn it off now!"

"Did they cut the livestream yet?! Don't let any clips leak online!"

"My son! Are you okay?!" Liam's mother shrieked hysterically. "Navia Harrison, you vicious woman! Someone grab her right now! She has to pay for this!"

"Linda! Linda, wake up! My poor daughter... how could you do something so stupid..."

Dark storm clouds rolled overhead.

Even the sky itself seemed to know this wedding was doomed.

Ignoring everyone's furious stares, Navia lifted the hem of her wedding dress and walked away from the ceremony.

Only after leaving did she realize one major problem.

The wedding venue was far outside the city.

There were no taxis.

She stood by the roadside as luxury cars passed one after another without slowing down.

No one intended to help her.

After all, she had publicly humiliated the Crawford family and dragged her half-sister into scandal as well. At a time like this, the smartest choice was to stay far away from her.

Navia almost wanted to laugh.

At least her mother was unconscious in the hospital and couldn't witness any of this.

Back when Navia had still been the beloved heiress of the Harrison family, countless people had rushed to flatter and please her.

But now that she was in trouble?

Not a single person offered help.

All those so-called friendships had vanished the instant she became inconvenient.

Rain suddenly poured from the sky.

Within moments, the storm became torrential.

Navia walked alone down the empty road, soaked to the bone.

Her high heels slipped repeatedly against the wet pavement until she twisted her ankle.

A sharp pain shot through her leg.

Finally, exhausted, she collapsed onto the ground.

Her once-pristine white wedding dress was stained with mud.

Like a swan with broken wings, dragged down from the sky.

Navia wrapped her arms around her knees and lowered her head, forcing herself not to cry as rainwater washed over her face.

Impulsive?

Maybe.

Pathetic?

Absolutely.

Did she regret it?

Not even a little.

If she had to choose again, she would still destroy them without hesitation.

No one was allowed to steal what belonged to the Harrison family.

And she, Navia Harrison, was not some weak girl who could be trampled on.

Just then-

A car horn sounded faintly behind her.

Beep. Beep.

Navia thought she was imagining it.

But when she turned around, she saw a black Bentley parked behind her.

And then-

A tall figure stepped out into the rain.

Leonel Crawford approached slowly beneath a black umbrella, dressed in a dark overcoat.

The headlights behind him glowed through the heavy rain, blurring the world into something dreamlike and hazy.

Drops of water dampened the edges of his coat, yet his sharp features only appeared colder and more imposing beneath the storm.

He stopped in front of her.

The rain above Navia disappeared beneath the shelter of his umbrella, allowing her to regain a sliver of awareness.

"Uncle Leonel..." she murmured instinctively.

The man lowered his eyes slightly.

"Whose uncle am I?" he asked calmly.

Navia pressed her lips together.

Only then did she remember-

After publicly ending her engagement to Liam, she no longer had the right to call him that.

"...Mr. Crawford," she corrected softly.

Leonel said nothing.

Instead, he extended his hand toward her.

"Get up."

His fingers were long and defined, rough with faint calluses. The warmth of his hand felt almost scorching against her freezing skin.

Navia took his hand awkwardly and struggled back to her feet.

"Get in the car," he said.

She hesitated before asking quietly, "Why are you helping me?"

Leonel's voice remained calm and distant.

"You saved my life," he replied. "Didn't you?"

At that moment, Navia silently thanked herself for rescuing him the night before.

Otherwise, she might really have been left alone to collapse in the middle of nowhere.

She glanced down at her injured ankle and soaked, filthy wedding dress.

"But my clothes are dirty," she said hesitantly. "I might ruin your car."

Leonel handed her the umbrella.

"Hold this."

"Huh?"

Navia instinctively took it.

The next second, before she could react, Leonel bent down and swept her into his arms.

***

Instinctively, Navia wrapped her arms around his neck, her face burning bright red.

Leonel carried her to the car and gently set her down inside.

The interior of the black Bentley was spotless and immaculate, but the moment Navia sat down, rainwater and mud stained a large section of the leather seats.

Guilt immediately flooded her chest.

"I'm sorry," she said awkwardly. "I got your car dirty. I'll pay for the cleaning."

"Is that all you plan on paying for?" the man asked calmly.

Navia blinked in confusion.

"What?"

"The clothes," Leonel replied. "Are you compensating me for those too?"

As he spoke, he removed his overcoat and tossed it onto her lap.

"You can wear it."

Only then did Navia realize what he meant.

Her soaked wedding dress was dripping everywhere, and the coat he had wrapped around her earlier was already ruined.

If she stayed in wet clothes much longer, she would definitely get sick.

But...

Change here?

Inside the car?

Navia hesitated immediately.

The driver, however, seemed experienced enough to raise the privacy divider without being asked.

Even so, Leonel was still sitting beside her.

Too close.

Even though he wasn't looking at her directly, his presence alone felt impossible to ignore.

Powerful. Dangerous. Overwhelming.

Leonel tapped a finger lightly against the armrest.

"You can keep hesitating," he said lazily. "Or you can wait for your family to catch up and drag you back."

That instantly killed Navia's hesitation.

He had already helped her this much. It would be ridiculous to suspect him now.

"...Sorry," she mumbled softly.

Sneaking a quick glance at him, Navia turned her back and carefully began removing her wedding dress.

A few moments later, the soft rustling sounds suddenly stopped.

Then Leonel heard her awkward voice.

"My zipper's stuck..." she said quietly. "Can you help me?"

Only then did he glance toward her.

She wore a strapless wedding gown, exposing smooth pale shoulders that glowed softly beneath the dim car lights.

Her waist was so slender it looked as though it could fit perfectly beneath one hand.

Because the zipper refused to move, she had become increasingly flustered. When she looked back at him nervously, even the tips of her ears were red.

Embarrassed.

Anxious.

Leonel lowered his gaze and reached out.

His fingertips brushed lightly against the smooth skin of her back before sliding the zipper down effortlessly.

"There," he said calmly.

Only then did Navia finally slip out of the wedding dress and wrap herself tightly in Leonel's oversized coat.

The fabric still carried his warmth, along with the crisp scent of cedarwood.

Cold and commanding.

Yet strangely comforting.

Her ruined wedding dress and broken heels were abandoned in the corner of the car.

Navia curled herself into a small ball against the seat, her bare feet tucked beneath her, even her toes tense with embarrassment.

The car moved steadily through the rain.

Now that she had escaped the chaos of the wedding, exhaustion crashed over her all at once.

Her eyelids slowly began to droop.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, a low voice sounded beside her.

"Navia Harrison."

The man had leaned closer without her noticing.

His warm breath brushed against her chilled skin.

Startled, Navia jumped like a frightened rabbit and turned toward him with wide eyes.

"Don't sleep," Leonel said simply as he leaned back again. "You'll catch a cold."

"...Got it."

Navia pinched her own thigh beneath the coat, forcing herself to stay awake.

Right now, she absolutely could not afford to collapse.

Just then, a phone began vibrating inside the coat pocket.

Navia pulled it out instinctively.

Only after seeing the unfamiliar name on the screen did she realize it belonged to Leonel.

Richard Crawford.

Navia's eyes widened slightly.

The old chairman of the Crawford family?

Leonel took the phone from her hand. The moment he saw the caller ID, his brows furrowed faintly before he answered.

"What is it?"

"What, I can't call my own son now?" an elderly voice barked through the speaker.

The old man's booming tone echoed clearly through the quiet car.

Leonel's voice remained cold and detached.

"If there's nothing important, I'm hanging up."

"Hold on," Richard snapped. "I heard you attended Liam's wedding today. How was it?"

The moment Navia heard that, she instinctively glanced toward Leonel awkwardly.

Unfortunately, her eyes met his immediately.

For a split second, she thought she saw amusement flicker in his gaze.

"It was interesting," Leonel replied calmly. "The most entertaining wedding I've ever attended."

Navia nearly choked.

Was he mocking her on purpose?!

"I'm serious," the old man continued. "You usually hate attending family events. Don't tell me seeing everyone else getting married made you start having ideas too? When are you bringing someone home for dinner?"

The atmosphere inside the car instantly cooled.

Leonel clearly had no interest in continuing the conversation.

"If that's all," he said flatly, "then we're done here."

His complete lack of patience only infuriated the old man further.

"You're already twenty-eight," Richard snapped angrily. "Are you still hung up on that woman after all these years?"

"Leonel Crawford, let me make this clear. I don't care if you're running the family now. If you refuse to settle down and handle your responsibilities, the board can replace you at any time. That's the family's decision."

The call ended abruptly.

The silence afterward felt suffocating.

Navia said nothing.

She hadn't met Leonel many times, but she had heard rumors.

Years ago, there had supposedly been a woman he loved deeply.

A woman he had never forgotten.

Now, despite being twenty-eight and at the height of his power, he remained completely unattached and notoriously distant from women.

No wonder Richard Crawford was panicking.

Suddenly, a bold thought surfaced in Navia's mind.

"Mr. Crawford."

Her soft voice broke the silence.

"Mhm?" Leonel responded quietly.

Navia clutched his coat tightly around herself.

Before she could lose her courage, the words blurted out.

"How about..." She swallowed hard. "You marry me instead?"

Silence filled the car.

Then-

SCREECH!

The car suddenly swerved sharply as the driver slammed on the brakes.

Navia, who had been curled in the corner, was thrown forward by the momentum straight toward Leonel.

Meanwhile, Leonel remained perfectly steady.

He wrapped one arm around her waist effortlessly, pulling her securely against his chest before she could fall.

His brows furrowed as he looked toward the front seat.

"Jason," he said coldly, "do you even know how to drive?"

Jason coughed awkwardly.

"Sorry, sir. I almost missed the turn."

At the same time, he glanced into the rearview mirror toward Navia.

After all-

What she had just said was absolutely shocking.

Navia hurriedly pulled herself out of Leonel's arms, still shaken. Her heartbeat was completely out of control.

"Where do you live?" Leonel asked calmly. "I'll take you home."

Navia gathered her courage again.

"You really won't consider it?"

"I'm not interested in jokes," Leonel replied coolly.

"I'm not joking," Navia said immediately. "I'm serious."

Her eyes remained fixed on him.

"You're single. I'm single."

"You need a wife to stop your family from pressuring you into marriage."

"And I need a husband if I want control of the Harrison Group shares."

She took a breath.

"So why don't we help each other?" A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Honestly... we'd make a pretty good match."

***