After returning to the bedroom, Heather found herself slipping into a daze, her mind foggy as she drifted into a heavy sleep.

At one point, she sensed Mitchell had returned. She could feel his gaze lingering on her for what seemed like an eternity while she lay still. A short time later, his phone rang sharply, and after a few more rings, he hesitated for a moment before getting up and leaving.

The next morning, Mitchell didn't even bother to come back.

Vanessa pushed a plate of breakfast in front of Heather, her expression filled with motherly affection. "Mitchell said something came up at the company, so he had to leave in a rush this morning. If you don't mind, stay with me here at the manor. It might be less boring."

Heather froze for a moment, looking at Vanessa's calm face. If it weren't for hearing her conversation with Mitchell last night—regarding her knowing about his affair—Heather might have actually believed Vanessa was just being caring.

But now, both of them felt like nothing more than liars in Heather's eyes… leaving her alone, the only one kept in the dark, tricked and manipulated by everyone around her.

She chuckled bitterly to herself, but kept a composed, almost indifferent look on her face. With less than a week until her departure, Heather had no intention of complicating matters any further.

"Yesterday, the wedding planners contacted me about a few things that needed to be confirmed. Mitchell and I have been preparing for this wedding for so long, and we both want everything to go perfectly. I'll come back and spend time with you another day, Mrs. Bennett."

Vanessa smiled in the perfect, reassuring way and didn't stop her. Heather had known this wasn't about Vanessa's concern but more about keeping her from suspecting anything.

After breakfast, Heather left the Bennetts' manor and headed to the wedding planning company.

She hadn't lied—she truly had business with the planners today. Last week, when she asked them to replace the bride with Bethany, Heather had promised to send over the necessary materials for the wedding.

This week, Mitchell had been glued to her side, and she had managed to gather some information. Mitchell had no defenses against her. His phone and computer were both unlocked with her birthday as the password.

While Mitchell showered, Heather took the opportunity to go through his phone and computer. It was then that she found out—Mitchell had not only gotten a marriage certificate with Bethany, but they had also gotten their wedding photos taken and even gone a honeymoon trip.

The half month he claimed to be on a business trip? He had spent it with Bethany on their honeymoon.

Heather forwarded the wedding photos and the intimate pictures of the two to the planners, along with all the other details they needed to make changes.

Once all of this was done, Heather felt a strange emptiness inside her, though it wasn't as painful as she had imagined it would be.

After leaving the wedding planners, she remembered the results of her recent checkup might be ready, so she drove to the hospital.

As she parked, she noticed Mitchell's car was in the parking lot as well. Before she could even reach the place to collect her results, she spotted Mitchell and Bethany walking out of the obstetrics and gynecology department.

The two were smiling, and Mitchell was carefully holding Bethany's lower back, looking like a loving couple who was expecting.

The numbness in her heart, which she thought had long set in, flared painfully at the sight.

Bethany looked up, noticed Heather standing there, and deliberately leaned closer to Mitchell before speaking, "Ms. Longstaff, what a surprise to see you here. Are you here for a checkup because you're pregnant too?"

Hearing her name, Mitchell immediately withdrew his hand and looked up, his face tightening with sudden panic. His hands hovered in the air as if unsure where to place them. Soon, a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Heather, what are you doing at the hospital?"

"I'm here to pick up my test results," Heather replied coldly, locking eyes with Bethany, who was clearly provoking her.

Mitchell hurriedly moved closer to Heather, his face full of urgency as he tried to explain.

"Heather, I ran into Bethany on my way to the office. She got hurt, and since she was a student we helped out in the past, I decided to bring her to the hospital. That's when we found out she's pregnant, so... I just brought her here for a checkup."

Heather took a deep breath, the sharp pain in her chest easing slightly.

"I see. Ms. Caldwell, you were so concerned about keeping up the fake marriage for your mother's sake a few months ago, and now you're already pregnant. Congratulations."

Bethany gave Mitchell a loving glance, causing him to break out into a nervous sweat.

"Thanks, Ms. Longstaff. I'm already two months pregnant, and it's twins. Last night, the father wasn't exactly gentle with me, but nothing too serious happened. He couldn't make it today, so luckily Mr. Bennett was here to help..."

"Since you're fine, I'll leave now. Heather, did you get your report? Let me take you home." Mitchell cut off Bethany's rambling and quickly grabbed Heather's hand.

Heather pulled her gaze away from Bethany, her face calm as she shook her head.

As if afraid of them being in the same space together, Mitchell hurriedly pulled her away.

After collecting the results, they quickly left the hospital.

Heather felt like a puppet on strings, letting Mitchell guide her out.

She had once told him—if he betrayed her, she would make sure he would never find her again.

She intended to keep that promise. Plus, there was one last gift waiting for Mitchell on the wedding day.

On the way back, Mitchell's phone kept flashing.

While Heather wasn't paying attention, Mitchell took the chance to check the messages. They were from Bethany.

[Mitchell, what do you think we should name our baby? Can you come over later and help me pick one?]

Mitchell quickly typed a warning in response.

[We'll talk about names later. Don't say anything in front of Heather that could give us away. If she finds out about us, you won't want to deal with the consequences!]

Even though Mitchell said that, Heather could still tell from his relaxed demeanor that he didn't seem bothered by Bethany's pregnancy. After all, Mitchell had told her long ago that he liked children.

Heather noticed her phone light up as well. She glanced down to see a friend request from Bethany. She knew it was meant to provoke her, but she accepted it anyway.

As soon as the request was accepted, Bethany's message came through.

[Heather, aren't you curious who the father of my child is? I can't believe you're that clueless—don't you see how close Mitchell and I are?]

It seemed like Bethany was waiting for Heather to ask, but after this message, there was a long pause before another one came through.

Heather stared at the message but didn't respond. She already knew the answer and had made her decision to leave, so there was no need for her to lash out and ask questions.

When no reply came, Bethany couldn't hold back any longer and sent another message. This time, it was a photo of Mitchell and Bethany's marriage certificate. Heather had already seen it, and now, seeing it again, she felt no shock or pain. The feeling had long passed.

[Heather, I got a marriage certificate with Mitchell. No matter what, I'm his legal wife. It doesn't matter that you're getting married soon. As long as I don't agree to a divorce, you'll always be beneath me.

[And now that I'm carrying his child—two of them, actually—we'll never be able to separate. You still don't know how much he loves me, do you? He makes time for me every day. He's even told a lot of people about us.

[Don't you feel pathetic when others talk about how good Mitchell is to you? They're just mocking you. Do you remember the dress I wore to the charity gala? Mitchell spent a fortune having it made just for me. Did you ever get that kind of treatment? You can't even imagine how much he loves me.

[A woman like you—so boring and predictable—he could never love. What he likes is someone like me, someone who's free and confident in the bedroom.]

Bethany sent more photos of herself and Mitchell in bed.

Looking at her smug, high-and-mighty attitude, Heather couldn't help but feel a deep, bitter sense of mockery in her heart.

"What are you staring at so seriously?" Mitchell suddenly asked, snapping Heather out of her complicated emotions.

Heather quickly turned off her phone, shook her head, and didn't say anything more.

Mitchell noticed her calm expression, but it only made the unease in his chest grow stronger, like something was slipping out of his control. He took Heather's hand in his, pressing it firmly against his leg.

Heather wanted to pull away but couldn't. She just let him do it, leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes to pretend she was sleeping.

When Mitchell felt the softness of her hand and realized she wasn't struggling anymore, he sighed, the anxiety in his heart finally easing.

In the following days, Mitchell used the excuse of work to stay away from home, both during the day and at night. Heather didn't actively search for his whereabouts, but Bethany made sure to send her updates.

Mitchell had lied about being busy with work. In reality, he was spending time with Bethany. They went shopping for baby supplies together, preparing for their two unborn children, whose genders they still didn't know.

Bethany sent photos of Mitchell carefully choosing names for the babies, and another of him resting his head on her belly...

[Heather, Mitchell has been here with me. He must've told you he's busy with work, huh? It's such a shame you can't see for yourself how much he cares about me and our babies. Do you think, on your wedding day, he'll run away with me and the kids?]

Heather didn't respond to her taunts.

On the wedding day, someone was indeed going to run away, but it wouldn't be Mitchell. It would be her.

During the days Mitchell was away, Heather found a bit of peace.

She took the opportunity to remove everything that belonged to her from their home.

Heather had secretly bought a small apartment in Kennethville, a place where she could temporarily store her belongings. As she cleared out the house, the memories she shared with Mitchell slowly vanished.

The night before the wedding, Mitchell unexpectedly returned home, holding a photo that looked familiar to Heather.

At that moment, she was finishing up packing the last of her things. When Mitchell walked in and saw the now-empty house, he almost thought he had walked into the wrong door.

But when he saw Heather sitting in the living room, covered in dust and looking like a little kitten, a sense of relief washed over him.

"How did you get yourself so messy? And what happened to all the stuff?" he asked.

Heather hadn't expected Mitchell to return so suddenly. She froze for a second when she heard his question. But after these past few days, she'd become quite skilled at hiding her emotions and lying smoothly.

"I was just getting rid of some old things. I'll replace them after the wedding," she replied.

Mitchell had clearly misunderstood her, but she didn't bother explaining further.

He then smiled gently and sat next to her, handing her the photo.

"I had this photo restored by a professional. It's our first picture together after we got serious. Take a look—it's just like the old one," he said.

Heather took the newly restored photo in her hands. Underneath a blossoming pear tree, she smiled at the camera, while Mitchell looked at her with a soft expression.

This was their first official photo together, taken after Heather had agreed to be his girlfriend.

But not long ago, this very photo, which had been displayed in Mitchell's office, was torn apart by Bethany's dog.

Because the original was lost, printing a new one wasn't an option.

Of course, Mitchell hadn't told Heather about this incident. Instead, it was Bethany who brought it up, proudly boasting about how Mitchell favored her.

Now, Mitchell had had the photo restored, but no matter how well a photo could be fixed, emotions couldn't be repaired.

Heather spoke in a calm tone, "I suddenly crave the spaghetti you used to make. Let's have dinner together tonight."

After she was rescued, Heather had been starving for days and had devoured two full plates of spaghetti. To make sure she always had something she loved to eat, Mitchell had spent a month learning how to make them at a local restaurant until they tasted just right.

It was her way of putting a final end to the relationship between her and Mitchell.

Mitchell gently ruffled her hair, not thinking twice before agreeing.

But just as the spaghetti was ready and placed on the table, Mitchell's phone rang.

His expression shifted from relaxed to serious, and after hanging up, he looked at Heather with a mixture of guilt and hesitation.

He hadn't spoken yet, but she already knew what he had to say.

"Heather, there's an urgent matter at the company..."

Heather lowered her head and played with the spaghetti using her fork while trying to force a smile, but failing nonetheless.

"Company matters are important. You should go. We'll have plenty of time later."

Mitchell gave her a tight hug and said, "Thank you for understanding."

Heather smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Heather, I might be working late tonight. You don't have to wait for me. I'm really looking forward to seeing you in your wedding dress tomorrow."

Heather, still in his arms, mumbled softly, "I can't wait either..."

She was eager to see his reaction when he realized the bride wasn't who he thought.

Once Mitchell left, Heather received a message from Bethany.

[Heather, even on the night before your wedding, he's here with me. Why are you even trying? Do you really think you can compete with me?]

Bethany had stopped expecting a reply. Still, the harsh words kept coming.

Heather turned the phone's screen off and stared at the spaghetti in front of her, but she had no appetite.

It wasn't just love that could change; even habits and tastes could shift so easily.

She tore the photo Mitchell had brought home in the middle, separating Mitchell from herself.

Afterward, she took a warm bath and quickly fell asleep, letting herself rest for the night.

The next morning, just before 7:00 AM, Heather woke up.

She smiled as she saw the notification for her train departure and the package in transit. She had already packed everything she needed days ago, and the remaining items were only the essentials she would need for the coming days.

Once everything was packed, Heather left the place she had once considered home, without looking back.

-

Meanwhile, Mitchell suddenly woke up in Bethany's bed, his chest tight with unease. His heart raced as the feeling of panic grew stronger.

He glanced at the clock, then quickly got dressed.

The night before, he had received a call from Bethany, crying about a fall she had taken and how much pain she was in. When he arrived, he realized it was just a ploy to get his attention.

But in the end, he couldn't resist staying.

After leaving Bethany's place, Mitchell thought about his wedding with Heather today. A smile spread across his face, and he felt an excited rush.

He couldn't wait to see Heather, so he sent her a message.

[Heather, I'm so excited to see you.]

The reply came quickly.

[Me too. I can't wait for you to see the surprise I've prepared for the opening of the wedding.]

Time passed quickly. At the wedding venue, seats filled up with guests, and Mitchell stood on stage, beaming as he talked about his and Heather's love story.

As romantic music played, colorful balloons floated into the sky, and the bride slowly walked down the aisle, the eyes of everyone in the room following her.

"Heather, I want to spend my life proving to you how much I love and cherish you. Will you be my wife?" Mitchell asked, his voice full of emotion.

With everyone watching, the bride, veiled, nodded.

Mitchell smiled widely and reached to lift her veil.

But when he saw who stood before him, his expression froze. The overwhelming wave of panic swept through him as he realized the woman standing in front of him was Bethany.