For a brief moment, Shane paused, then a grin spread across his face. "Today is supposed to be Cole and your big day. Yet, you're asking me to marry you. Tell me, what's in it for me?"

"Wouldn't you like to help me shake up the Bennett family?" Evelyn responded.

The past between Shane and that family was never simple. People once called his mother Hank Bennett's mistress, and she had left the country while carrying him. She raised him alone until he turned eighteen, and then she chose to end her life.

Only after Shane built a name for himself overseas did the Bennetts bring him back. Cole, his half-brother, never hid his disdain for him, and the tension between them had always been impossible to ignore. Even within the family, Shane stood apart.

A faint edge crept into Shane's expression as he studied her. "So this is you trying to make use of me?"

A small smile touched Evelyn's lips. "That's not how I see it. We both get something out of this."

When he didn't respond right away, she stepped back as if she had already made up her mind. "If it doesn't interest you, then we'll leave it at that."

She turned to walk away, but before she could take more than a step, the Ferrari backed up and stopped right beside her again.

In the next instant, Shane pushed the door open, stepped out, and lifted her to his chest.

Caught off guard, Evelyn reached up and grabbed onto his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

Looking down at her, Shane let out a low chuckle, amusement clear in his eyes. "I'm taking you to your wedding. Let's go make things interesting for the Bennetts."

Not long after, his striking red Ferrari came to a stop outside the lawn where the ceremony was set to take place.

Standing by the entrance, the guards looked toward Shane's car with clear disapproval. "Shane, this is Cole's wedding today. Your name isn't on the list. You can't enter."

A knowing smile tugged at Shane's lips as he glanced at Evelyn. "Keep a firm hold."

Without thinking, Evelyn tightened her grip on the seatbelt, and right after that, the Ferrari's engine roared to life.

Caught off guard by the sudden burst of sound, the guards who had been standing in their way flinched and hurriedly stepped aside.

In the blink of an eye, the car surged forward like a streak of red, heading straight for a wedding display.

A loud crash followed as the wedding display was knocked aside.

Screams broke out all at once.

The unexpected scene threw the guests into confusion, and people scrambled to their feet, all eyes turning toward the entrance in shock.

With precise control, the Ferrari spun into a sharp drift and came to a stop at an angle right before the flower arch.

Once the people present recognized who sat inside, murmurs quickly spread through the venue.

"Has Shane lost his mind? What is he doing here?"

"Look at the passenger seat. Isn't that the bride? Why is she with Hank's illegitimate son?"

A hushed voice cut through the noise nearby. "Watch what you're saying. When he returned, he stirred up enough trouble already. If he hears you call him that, you're asking for trouble."

Sharon Bennett, Cole's mother, was rattled by the sudden crash. Her face turned pale when she recognized the person behind the wheel. "This is Cole's wedding. Who gave you the right to come here and make a scene?"

Leaning casually against the car door, Evelyn rested her chin in her palm and looked toward the stage with a faint smile. "Things have changed. The man I'm marrying now is Shane."

Her words sent the entire venue into chaos.

"Has she lost her mind? She really thinks she can just switch grooms and end up with Shane?"

"She's barely acknowledged by the Fowler family. They didn't even bother showing up today. They're off celebrating their adopted daughter instead. If that girl hadn't already been promised to someone else, Evelyn wouldn't even be standing here."

"Shane's never cared about women. He probably only brought her here out of sympathy. Look at her, acting all high and mighty!"

Sharon's voice rose sharply as she pointed at Evelyn. "What makes you think Shane would ever choose you?"

Turning his attention to Shane, Hank spoke with clear authority. "This is Cole's wedding. You've made your point. That's enough."

With one arm resting lazily along the car door, Shane didn't look bothered at all. "I don't see anything wrong with what's happening."

Shock rippled through the crowd, and a wave of gasps followed.

What Shane said made it clear enough. He wasn't denying anything, which meant Evelyn hadn't been bluffing. A man like him was actually stepping in to marry her.

The color drained from Sharon's face, and her vision blurred. "Hank! He's clearly doing this to sabotage Cole's wedding. That—"

Before she could go on, Shane cast her a cold look, and the rest of her words caught in her throat. Heat rushed to her face, and she fell silent.

"That's enough," Hank said as he cut her off, his tone heavy while he faced Shane. "You should leave."

A faint smile appeared on Shane's lips, but there was no warmth behind it. "Seems like working with Crown Company doesn't interest you anymore."

That single remark was enough to choke off Hank's anger, leaving him unable to respond.

Since his return, Shane had taken control of the Bennett Group and pushed it to the top in Slomery without relying on anyone.

No one in that circle could afford to cross him now.

Hank clenched his jaw before speaking again. "Since you're already here, then the ceremony will proceed."

"What?" Sharon turned to him in disbelief. "You're just going to let this happen?"

When Hank avoided her eyes, her expression twisted with anger. The moment she looked at Evelyn again, her gaze sharpened with resentment. She couldn't accept that Evelyn refused to resign herself to her fate and instead chose to stand here with Shane, making a spectacle of them all.

"Evelyn, don't even think about going through with this!" Sharon shouted at her.

Sharon had already figured out that Cole had left, and she counted on Evelyn's usual compliance. She planned to pin everything on her once she arrived.

What she never expected was for Evelyn to stand her ground and turn the situation against them in front of everyone.

A faint tilt of her head accompanied Evelyn's calm smile. "Why not call Cole and ask him yourself? If he's willing to come back, he can still take his place as the groom."

With a sharp edge in her voice, Sharon lashed out. "Evelyn, you must've been seeing Shane behind Cole's back for a while now. That's why you're in such a rush to replace him with Shane, isn't that right?"

"If you won't call him, then I will." Without sparing her a glance, Evelyn took out her phone and dialed Cole's number.

She put him on speaker, and his irritated voice rang across the silent venue the moment the call connected.

"I already told you, I'm staying with Kendra. I'm not marrying you today. If you keep calling, I'll block you!"

A cold laugh slipped from Evelyn. "Cole, whether you show up or not, this wedding isn't getting canceled."

Taking it as an attempt to corner him, Cole responded in a mocking tone, "Who else would even marry you if it's not me? Go ahead and find someone else. I'd actually appreciate it if you did."

The line went dead, and an odd silence settled over the entire venue.

Overcome with anger, Sharon struggled to breathe before collapsing where she stood.

Meanwhile, a bright smile spread across Evelyn's face. "Thank you, everyone, for attending my wedding with Shane."

As her words lingered, the Ferrari's engine roared, signaling their exit.

Seated beside him, Evelyn turned to Shane. "I appreciate this. You can drop me off here."

Shane kept driving, his hands steady on the wheel. "We're not done yet. There's still something left to handle."

Curiosity flickered across Evelyn's face as she turned toward him. "What do you mean?"

A faint grin tugged at Shane's lips as he met her gaze. "We make it official. I become your husband in name and in record."

By the time they stepped out of the City Hall, Evelyn stood there with the document in her hands, staring at it as if it didn't feel real. She had actually married him just like that.

Before she could process it, the paper was taken from her fingers. Evelyn lifted her eyes to him.

Without a word, Shane slipped it away and turned. "Come on."

Confusion crossed her face as she followed. "Where are we going?"

He glanced back at her, his tone calm. "I did you a favor. Now you return it."

Soon enough, the car came to a stop in front of Gilded Spire, a place known across Slomery where the wealthiest gathered.

Evelyn stepped out and looked at him, surprise clear in her eyes. "I didn't expect you to spend time in places like this."

Shane shut the door and spoke plainly. "I had business here. Marrying you set me back."

"Then I suppose I owe you my thanks." A polite smile formed on Evelyn's lips, though it didn't reach her eyes.

Amusement showed in his expression as he looked at her. "Don't mention it."

Evelyn said nothing.

He really didn't miss a chance to push things further.

Once inside, staff greeted them right away, and one man stepped close to Shane to murmur something in a low voice. A slight crease formed between Shane's brows.

He turned to look at Evelyn, his tone steady. "That dress isn't exactly suited for this place. I'll have someone bring you a change."

"Alright." A small nod came from Evelyn.

After Shane walked off, a staff member guided her toward the casino on the first floor. "Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Bennett asked me to let you know that you're free to play as much as you like. Any winnings belong to you, and if there are losses, he'll take care of them."

The casino floor buzzed with chatter and movement, and heads turned the moment Evelyn stepped in, her wedding dress drawing every eye.

None of it caught her interest. "It's fine. I'll just stay here and wait."

She sent the staff member away, then turned toward the lounge area, planning to sit down, but before she could get far, someone caught her wrist.

A faint frown appeared as she turned to respond, but the words never came when she saw who stood there.

Irritation was clear on Cole's face as he spoke. "Evie, what are you doing here?"

Not far from them, a few voices chimed in with open mockery.

"Cole, looks like Ms. Fowler couldn't stay away. Did she really chase after you in her wedding dress just to find you?"

"Ms. Fowler, Kendra wasn't feeling well, so Cole brought her here to relax. Did you really need to follow him all the way here?"

Kendra stepped closer to Cole and offered Evelyn a soft smile. "Ms. Fowler, showing up here in your wedding dress must be quite troublesome. And Cole, you should've made sure she was taken care of first."

A deep crease formed on Cole's forehead. "Didn't I already tell you to go back home? Cornering me like this isn't going to change anything!"

The situation was so ridiculous that Evelyn almost let out a laugh. He had left her on the roadside without a second thought and skipped their own ceremony, just so he could bring Kendra here to relax.

Only now did it fully sink in for her. She had been fooling herself all along. There had never been a place for her in his heart.

With a swift motion, she pulled her wrist free from his grip. "I didn't come here for you."

Jeffrey Ford let out a scornful laugh. "Come on, Ms. Fowler. There's no need to pretend. You show up dressed like that, and you expect us to believe you're not here for Cole? What else could it be, you came here to gamble?"

Someone chimed in, dripping with mockery, "Ms. Fowler has always been so proper. I doubt she even knows how to do that."

"She's still a Fowler by name, yet she throws away her pride just to chase after him. That's just embarrassing."

Kendra gently tugged at Cole's arm, her expression full of concern. "This is really on me. If I hadn't fallen ill, you wouldn't have had to delay your wedding because of me. I'm fine now. Since Ms. Fowler came all this way to find you, you should go back with her."

Kendra's words seemed to push something in Cole, and his restraint finally snapped. "Evelyn, do you really have to corner me like this in front of everyone? Kendra isn't well! Do you feel better now that you've turned this into a scene? I already said I'll marry you. What does one day even change?"

A reply full of sarcasm was already on Evelyn's lips, but Jeffrey spoke first.

A loud laugh burst from him. "She's scared you'll walk away, Cole! Even her own family wants nothing to do with her. Clinging to you is the only thing she's got left!"

"Once you're married, you might need to keep a lock on yourself, Cole!"

"Is Ms. Fowler planning to keep him on a leash? That'd be something to see!"

Their words set off another round of laughter around them.

Kendra turned to Evelyn with a soft expression. "Ms. Fowler, don't take it to heart. They're only teasing. There's no ill intent."

A frown appeared on Cole's face as he snapped at the group. "Enough."

Without waiting, he grabbed Evelyn's arm and started pulling her toward the exit. "I'll have someone take you back."

She resisted immediately, trying to pull free. "Let go of me!"

His grip tightened, and his voice dropped to a warning tone. "We'll deal with this after I'm done here. Don't make a bigger scene in front of them."

Before they could move any further, someone stepped into their path.

The man stood there in a sharp suit, and Cole recognized him at once as someone connected to the owner of Gilded Spire.

His demeanor shifted right away, and he spoke with caution. "Mr. Gordon, I apologize if we caused any disturbance. I'll take her out—"

Marc Gordon didn't let him finish.

Instead, he turned toward Evelyn and gave a polite nod. "You must be Mrs. Bennett. My boss has asked me to bring you upstairs."

The noise in the room died at once.

Everyone present understood what that meant. Only a few in Slomery ever set foot on the upper floors of the Gilded Spire, yet Evelyn was being taken there by one of the owner's men.

Attention shifted straight to her. No one knew who she was.

Kendra moved closer and held onto Cole's arm. "Cole, didn't he just call Ms. Fowler 'Mrs. Bennett'? Could he have gotten it wrong?"

That was when it clicked for Cole. Marc must have mistaken Evelyn for his wife, and that was why she was being treated this way.

As Marc started leading Evelyn upstairs, Cole and his friends tried to follow. They didn't get far. Bodyguards blocked them at the bottom of the stairs.

Panic showed on Cole's face. "That's my fiancée who just went up! Your boss must be expecting me as well."

The guards didn't react. "Sorry, but the boss only asked for Mrs. Bennett. You're not allowed upstairs."

Marc continued ahead and brought Evelyn to the third floor. "Sir, Mrs. Bennett is here."

Evelyn looked toward the table and saw two men playing. One of them had a scar across his face, and she guessed he was the owner of the Gilded Spire.

She walked over and stood beside Shane. He tilted his chin.

Standing nearby, Gavin Reed, Shane's assistant, spoke at once. "Mrs. Bennett, we've prepared a change of clothes for you. Please follow me."

"Alright," Evelyn responded, then followed him to the dressing room.

Even with the door shut behind her, their voices still carried inside.

Leland Barnett took out a cigarette and lit it. "Mr. Bennett, I won't make this hard. Beat me in one round here, and we'll talk about working together."

Shane raised his eyes and looked at him. "So you're trying something else since business didn't work for you."

Leland smirked. "What's wrong? Are you avoiding this because you think you'll lose?"

Silence settled outside for a brief moment.

The door opened, and Evelyn stepped out. A red dress rested on her shoulders, fitted at the waist and outlining her figure.

Tension still filled the space as she moved toward Shane.

At that exact moment, Leland placed his cards down and laughed. "6-7-8 straight. Looks like luck's on my side. If you want to win this, you'll need three of a kind."

His gaze shifted as he spoke, landing on Shane's face-down cards. "Something tells me those aren't big enough, am I right?"

Shane didn't respond. His eyes narrowed, and his finger stayed on the cards without turning them over.

Without warning, a hand reached in and pressed against the cards. After a short pause, it flipped them open.

Three Aces lay on the table.

Evelyn lifted her gaze and smiled at Leland. "Seems like luck's with me too."

Surprise showed in Shane's eyes as he looked at her. He knew these cards weren't Aces before.

Across from them, Leland's expression shifted. His attention stayed on Evelyn. "Let's raise the stakes. If you win, I'll sign the contract on the spot."

"Fine." Evelyn took a seat across from him. "What are we playing?"

With a tap on the table, Leland signaled someone over, and two dice cups were placed in front of them. "We'll keep it simple. Roll the dice. Highest number takes it."

"Let's start," Evelyn said.

"Hold on," Leland added. "We've only talked about what happens if you win. What do I get if you lose?"

Evelyn lowered her gaze, thinking. Before she could answer, Shane spoke beside her. "I'll hand over the development rights to the Eastbay District."

Leland brought his hands together with a clap, his mood lifting. "Now that's what I like to see. The bet's set."

Closing the distance, Evelyn leaned toward Shane until only a breath separated them. "You're not worried I might lose?"

His answer came without pause. "I believe in you."

He caught her scent, and something in his expression shifted. "Even if it happens, it's just one project. I can take that loss."

While they spoke, a mechanical sound rose around them as the glass panels on the third floor began to lower.

Below, the main hall broke into disorder.

The instant Leland confirmed the wager, a voice rang out across the space.

"The Sovereign Game has begun. Once the bet is placed, withdrawal means all winnings go to the other side."

Shock spread through the crowd.

Cole lifted his head, caught off guard. "The Sovereign Game hasn't been used in ten years. Why now?"

Kendra tightened her hold on his arm, confusion clear. "Cole, what is that?"

One of Cole's friends answered, "Every round involves stakes worth billions. Beat Mr. Barnett, and he'll agree to anything. But no one clears it. Over the past decade, only one person tried, and that ended in failure. Whoever started it now must be asking for trouble."

People stretched to see what was happening upstairs.

Moments later, the voice sounded again.

"Verification complete. The opposing stake is the Eastbay District development rights."

Cole stopped where he stood, and his face changed at once.

One of his friends glanced at him and spoke without thinking. "Eastbay District... isn't that tied to your father's illegitimate son?"