Cole clicked his tongue a few times. “You have no choice, Jace. You’ll just have to put up with it for now. Evelyn’s heart belongs to me.”

Evelyn let out a smug little laugh. Admiring her freshly done nails, she gave me a sidelong glance.

“What’s he got to complain about? He’s head over heels in love with me. Giving him one day a week is already more than he deserves.”

Her words twisted something deep in my chest. That Evelyn felt so unfamiliar, I almost couldn’t recognize her.

Years ago, she had loved me so much. When I was bedridden with a fever of 104 degrees Farenheit that refused to break, she abandoned all her work to stay by my side day and night. She even traveled to a renowned church in the neighboring city, praying for my health on her knees day and night until her knees were raw with blood.

I had been so heartbroken that I could barely speak, lecturing her for being foolish. However, she cupped my face tenderly in her hands and said, “As long as you’re safe and healthy, even if it costs me my life, it’s worth it.”

Those memories were still vivid. Yet now, reality was unrecognizable.

I swallowed the storm rising in my chest and met Evelyn’s glimmering eyes. Lifting my hand, I showed the wedding band on my finger and tried to keep my tone steady.

“You’ve got the wrong person. And besides, I’m already married.”

The room instantly fell silent. Everyone exchanged looks, their eyes darting around until laughter suddenly erupted.

Evelyn raised her brows slightly, glancing at my ring with complete indifference.

“Married? To who? Some middle-aged woman? Look at how shabby you are. That ring has to be from the bargain bin at a dollar store. What? You think flashing it will jog my memory?”

Before I could react, she shot up from the couch and yanked the ring off my finger. I was exhausted from days of work and didn’t manage to dodge in time.

Cole stepped forward, examining the ring closely before bursting into laughter.

“Evelyn, doesn’t this look just like the rings of Eternal Hearts your sister bid on in France three years ago? Don’t tell me the wife Jace’s talking about is your sister, Valerie Gates?”

He shot me a mocking glance while tossing the ring in his hand up into the air.

The room grew even rowdier. To them, the idea was absurd. After all, Valerie was the Gates family’s heir.

She was ruthless and decisive, the kind of ice queen in business no one dared to cross. Yet, three years ago, she suddenly married in secret. She loved her mysterious husband so fiercely that some might call it an obsession.

For years, no matter how hard the media dug, no one had uncovered even a trace of that man or their daughter.

“Jace, don’t tell me you’re claiming to be the mystery man everyone’s been trying to unmask for three years?”

Cole tossed the ring high in the air and caught it, landing back in his palm. Under the glow of the lights, it sparkled with a dazzling brilliance.

“I’m not gonna lie, though. The craftsmanship is impressive for a fake. Which factory did you get this knockoff from?”

Their constant jeers wore thin on me.

“Put my ring down. It’s real–”

Before I could finish, Evelyn slapped me hard across the face. Pain stung as heat spread across my cheek.

“Jace, have you lost your mind? How dare you spread lies about Val? Everyone knows she’s obsessed with her husband. Not even I have seen his face, and you dare to pretend to be him? Who gave you the nerve?”

I licked my dry lips and slowly turned back to meet Evelyn’s eyes.

Maybe my gaze was too chilling, because Evelyn flinched.

Cole immediately stepped forward, shielding her behind him. He jabbed a finger at me and cursed, “Jace, how can you be so heartless? Evelyn has promised to give you one day a week, and it’s fine if you don’t appreciate it. Fine. But now you’re even pretending to be her brother-in-law? Everyone in this city knows Evelyn’s sister has a mysterious husband whom she won’t tolerate anyone crossing. Are you trying to drag Evelyn down with you? How cruel can you be!”

His words made me pause.

Back then, Cole never missed a chance to undermine me, always trying to push me down. He even went out of his way to badmouth me in front of Evelyn, hoping to split us up.

However, she never believed him. In fact, she punished him harshly once for spreading lies. Yet now, the woman who once defended me the most was standing at Cole’s side.

She grabbed his hand and flung a wad of cash straight at my face.

“Enough. Stop pretending. For old time’s sake, I won’t press charges. Look at you, so pitiful. This money should last you a month.”

The sharp edges of the bills cut across my face, leaving thin trails of blood. I ignored it and lifted my eyes to stare at Evelyn. For a brief moment, guilt and panic flashed across her face.

Seeing that, I let out a cold laugh and bent down.

Now, Evelyn’s panic vanished, replaced once again with mockery.

“I thought you had some pride left…”

Her voice trailed off when she saw me pick something out from the scattered bills. Her eyes froze because in my hand, glinting among the red notes, was a ring.

She rushed to block my way before I could leave.

“Still pretending, are you? Any of these bills is worth more than that cheap ring of yours!” Her face twisted, a mix of irritation and something else.

I ignored her, smacking her hand aside with force.

Her arm stiffened midair, her teeth grinding audibly as she yelled, “Fine! You think you’re so tough now, huh? You’re poor and bitter but full of attitude. Three days from now, I’m getting married to Cole. Val will also be back that day, with her mysterious husband. If you’ve got the guts, come!”

The word “wedding” made Cole’s eyes light up. He quickly added, “Or maybe he’s too scared of being exposed. Maybe he won’t even dare show up.”

I had no desire to argue further. Turning away, I strode toward the door, and before I walked out, I left them with one sentence.

“Three days from now, I’ll be there. I hope you’ll be as confident as you are now.”

Stepping out into the night, I finally breathed in fresh air, easing the nausea twisting my stomach.

I pulled out my phone and replayed the video I’d received three years ago. On the screen, Evelyn leaned in Cole’s arms, laughing with smug delight.

“Jace’s so boring. I do love him, but he’ll never give me the excitement I want. Once I’ve had my fun with this fake death, I’ll go back. He’s the type you settle down with. And after this stunt, with his personality, he might even kill himself over me. You all need to keep an eye on him.”

The day she was pronounced dead, I really did think about ending it all. It was her so-called friends who stopped me, holding me back, telling me not to be stupid. Now, I realize their twisted sobs were just them choking back laughter.

I put my phone away and looked up at the yellow glow of the streetlights. Whether Evelyn was dead or alive, in my heart, she had ceased to exist three years ago.

Three days later, I arrived at the wedding as promised. The moment Evelyn saw me step into the venue, the tension on her face instantly faded.

I withdrew my gaze, moving calmly to find my seat, only for someone to stick out a foot and trip me hard. I fell straight into the towering nine-tier wedding cake.

The decorations and frosting came crashing down with me, smearing all over my tailored black suit, making me look utterly pathetic. The wine glass I had been holding slipped from my hand and shattered against the floor. Shards of glass flew everywhere, one cutting into my face, and blood began streaming from my temple.

The hall erupted in shock. Every eye was glued to me.

With my vision blurred by frosting, I struggled to get up. However, before I could even steady myself, someone shoved me to the ground again.

Cole’s furious shout rang out from above.

“Jace, what the hell is your problem? We invited you here out of kindness. Not only did you not bring a gift, but now you’re trying to ruin our wedding? You can’t stand to see us happy. Is that it?”

The wedding had drawn a large crowd, most of them eager to see Valerie make her first public appearance with her mysterious husband. Now, they rushed forward to curry favor with Evelyn instead.

“Unbelievable. Who causes trouble at Evelyn Gates’s wedding? He must have a death wish!”

“Look at that ring on his hand. Doesn’t it look exactly like the ‘Eternal Hearts’ rings Valerie bought at auction three years ago? How dare he wear something like that here?”

“Everyone knows Valerie worships her husband. For him to show up flaunting a fake ring in public… Does he have a death wish?”

Evelyn heard the whispers. Her chest rose and fell with fury, her beautiful eyes practically spitting fire.

“Jace, you’re a curse! I must have been blind to ever fall for you. Wearing that cheap fake ring, are you waiting for Val to show up and deal with you herself?”

She lifted her gown and stomped toward me. Then, without hesitation, she drove her heel into the ring finger of my left hand and ground it down cruelly.

Agony exploded from the base of my finger, shooting straight to my heart. I tried to resist, but Cole barked an order, and several people pinned me down at once. I was trapped, unable to move.

My vision was still clouded with frosting, my body held down tight. In desperation, I shouted, “Valerie is my wife!”

Evelyn threw her head back and laughed like I’d told the biggest joke in the world. She twisted her heel harder, the stiletto tip threatening to snap my finger clean off.

“Still pretending, huh? Wait until Val gets here. She adores her husband. When she sees you pulling this stunt, you’re done for!”

When I saw that she wouldn’t listen, despair filled my chest.

I gritted my teeth, vowing silently, ‘When the time comes, every single one of them will pay.’

Evelyn pressed down even harder until the sharp crack of bone breaking echoed loudly. Pain ripped through me, forcing a muffled groan from my throat.

Then, suddenly, the weight holding me down lifted. Everyone was scrambling to fix their clothes and makeup, eyes shining as they turned toward the entrance.

As the attendants pulled open the grand doors of the hall, Valerie walked in with our daughter, Emma, surrounded by admiration like a star at the center of the universe.