The wedding venue was in a remote countryside area, and by the time I realized it, there was no one left to help me.

Getting all my strength, I tore at my wedding dress, the heavy fabric scraping my skin and leaving red welts on my hands. Gritting my teeth, I ripped it apart, piece by piece, until I was free from the suffocating weight.

With the dress gone, I could move faster, but the relentless storm still battered me. Before long, I slipped, tumbling into a muddy pit. My legs scraped against rocks and roots, leaving them bloody and raw.

Despite the burning pain, I struggled to my feet, desperately searching for a signal to call an ambulance. Finally, with just half a bar of service, my phone buzzed as countless messages flooded in.

It was all from Jeremy, and each message was filled with anger and accusations about how I had wronged Cassie.

[If there was anything between us, do you think I'd still be with you? You're just a heartless sinner! If something happens to Cassie, I'll never forgive you!]

Ignoring his words, I focused on making the call. But then, a trending video caught my attention.

The video showed Jeremy, disheveled and frantic, clutching an unconscious Cassie while begging for help. He even knelt in desperation, willing to do anything to get her treated. I watched in disbelief as he kissed her forehead tenderly as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

Suddenly, memories from two years ago flooded back. I had burned my hand while making breakfast for him. Out of instinct, I asked him to take me to the hospital. His response? A string of insults, accusing me of faking it for attention. I missed the best time for treatment, and now I carry an ugly scar as a reminder.

It wasn't until later that I found out that day had been Cassie's birthday. His rage wasn't about my burn—it was because he didn't want to miss celebrating with her.

As I watched him on the screen, clutching her like a priceless treasure, a bitter laugh escaped my lips. How blind had I been?

Jeremy called again, his voice seething with fury, accusing me of causing Cassie's PTSD. He demanded I come over immediately to kneel and apologize.

Suppressing the pain in my knees, I coldly replied, "I'm still on my way back."

Just then, a gust of cold wind cut off the weak signal. His voice crackled through the static, "Hello? Are you still there? Should I…come pick you up?"

For a brief moment, I thought I heard a flicker of concern in his voice. But Cassie's soft sobs filled the background, quickly pulling his attention away.

"I know this is all my fault," she whimpered. "That's why Caroline is so angry with me. I never should have come back. I've caused so much trouble…"

Jeremy's tone softened immediately. "Caroline, you were wrong from the start. This is karma. Your punishment. You have no right to complain. It was just a joke, but you had to make it ugly!"

His words sent a chill through my heart. Everything had changed the moment Cassie returned, and all the years we'd spent together now seemed meaningless.

Fighting back the tears, I forced myself to say, "If that's how you feel, let's break up. We haven't registered for the marriage yet, so it's not too late."

Why had he chased after me in the first place, making promises he had no intention of keeping?

Eight years of my life. Was all that time truly worth nothing?

I hung up without hesitation, waiting quietly in the rain for the ambulance to arrive.

As I lay in the ambulance, my phone buzzed again. Another message from Jeremy.

[Caroline, let me tell you something: after me, no one else will want you. After eight years, you're nothing but a worn-out shoe. If it weren't for protection, you'd have been pregnant by now. No man would want you but me!]

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I thought being abandoned at the altar was the worst pain I could endure, but this…this was worse.

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the searing hurt. Around me, the nurses moved quickly, attending to my injuries.

Suddenly, one of the nurses gasped in surprise.

"Miss! When I took your pulse earlier… you're pregnant!"

Her words left me frozen. Pregnant? I sat up immediately, staring down at my stomach in disbelief. Inside me, a tiny life was beginning to grow.

But the truth hit me like a wave. The father of this child didn't want me, and he certainly wouldn't want the baby.

A storm of emotions swirled through my mind—anger, sorrow, regret. I thought about Jeremy's cruel words, about the way he had always put Cassie first, and I made my decision.

With my voice trembling, I whispered, "I don't want this baby."

As soon as I finished speaking, the doctors and nurses were shocked. Even though we were already at the hospital, they kept asking me, "Are you really sure you want to terminate the pregnancy?"

I kept nodding firmly. Since his father doesn't love me and only has eyes for another woman, he certainly won't love him or look forward to his birth either. I can't let him be born only to experience the same neglect and rejection I've gone through.

Lying on the operating table, as if I were ready to die, I still called Jeremy. As soon as the call connected, Jeremy angrily snapped, "Are you regretting it now and looking for forgiveness? Well, it's too late! Cassie is in critical condition, and if anything happens to her, not even ten lives of yours would be enough to make up for it!"

From the other end, I could hear Cassie's heart-wrenching cries, which sounded even more painful than what I was going through with my abortion.

I swallowed my words and told the doctor, "Go ahead now."

"Your child is healthy in all aspects. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"

"No need!" I replied.

After the surgery, I returned home physically and emotionally drained, finding a thick layer of dust on the table. It seemed Jeremy had been spending all his time with Cassie these days.

I opened my phone and saw him in Cassie's posts, filled with pictures of the haughty and aloof young master of the Landers family humbling himself to take care of her. All of our mutual friends were envious. I let out a sneer and saved all the screenshots.

I packed my bags and left without looking back. I found a hotel to stay in for a few days and lived freely and without care before returning to work.

During those days, my family kept calling me, asking if I had managed to win Jeremy back. When I told them I had made up my mind not to go back, my mother cried until she almost fainted, cursing me for being an ungrateful daughter. So, I blocked and deleted her, out of sight, out of mind.

Back at my desk, I noticed strange looks from my colleagues, which was odd since I had always been quite invisible at the company. Before I could say anything, Leiann, a colleague I was close with, rushed over.

"Caroline, did you know? You're trending! Everyone's talking about you. Turns out you're our boss, Jeremy's fiancée! We all thought it was that arrogant Cassie."

Feeling utterly embarrassed, I forced a smile. I learned that someone had dug up the backstory, and it was all over the trending searches, with people criticizing Jeremy for being a fickle playboy. There was even a movement to boycott Landers' business, with people saying they wouldn't spend money on someone with no conscience.

In the past, I would've immediately taken the blame, protecting Jeremy and shielding him from the fallout. But now, I just watched coldly, with no intention of saying anything.

At that moment, Jeremy's assistant came over to tell me that Jeremy wanted to see me about something important. Seeing the expectant looks of my coworkers, I braced myself and went with him.

When Jeremy saw me, he strode toward me with a dark, unreadable expression. "Are you still throwing a tantrum? Do you realize you almost caused someone's death? You're an adult; breaking up and living apart—how childish!"

"Alright, as long as Cassie is okay. Didn't you always want to see that concert? I've already bought tickets for us to go together," he said, taking out a jewelry box from the cabinet in a casual manner.

He opened it, revealing a stunning aquamarine gemstone necklace, far more exquisite and expensive than anything he'd ever given me. Jeremy smugly said, "I had the aquamarine cut in two. Cassie's piece is bigger, but I'm sure you won't mind. Yours is pretty, too."

Seeing the fingerprints still on it, I realized it was the one Cassie had rejected. My stomach churned with disgust.

In the past, if I was in a bad mood, he would search all the jewelry stores just to find something I liked. If I didn't feel well, he'd scour the city to get me breakfast that suited my taste. Now, all that care had been handed over to another woman while I was treated like a mere guest—completely indifferent.

I shook my head and closed the box. "I don't like blue. Cassie does, so why don't you give both to her?"

"We haven't registered for marriage yet, so let's not waste time. Don't bother me anymore. I'm giving up the position of Mrs. Landers to her." I added.

I had overheard Cassie and her lackeys gossip behind my back, wondering why Jeremy would ever love a plain woman like me. Jeremy would then fondly stroke Cassie's head while speaking disdainfully about me: "I could never love her. I'm only with her because she takes care of me like a nanny, so I don't have the heart to kick her out. Plus, my mom says she might give us a son someday, so I've kept her around for now."

To him, our relationship was nothing more than charity, devoid of any love. But to me, it had been all-consuming love and effort.

So now, I don't love him anymore, and I don't want the position of the Landers family's daughter-in-law either. I'm giving him and Cassie my blessing. He should be thrilled, right?

Unexpectedly, he froze for a few seconds, then swept all the documents off the table in a rage! His eyes turned red as he yelled, "Caroline! What do you mean? All these years, you've thrown away your dignity to please me and my family just to marry into our family, and now you're saying you don't want it? Who do you think you're fooling?"

He continued, "Isn't it just about the wedding? I'll arrange a new one for you. That ceremony was just a promise to Cassie. Do you really need to make a big deal out of it?"

He always said that I willingly bowed and scraped to his family. But he never seemed to notice how they insulted and belittled me at every opportunity. It's just that Cassie's appearance made him forget all the sacrifices I had made.

The office was a wreck from his tantrum. In the past, I would have been terrified, kneeling to beg for his forgiveness. I would've done anything to calm him down. But now, I don't even blink. I just looked at him coolly.

After a long stand-off, Jeremy seemed to give up. He reached for my hand pleadingly. "Caroline, you know..."

I struggled to break free, but the next second, his phone started ringing loudly. I saw the caller ID clearly: "Dearest Baby Cassie."

Sure enough, Cassie was crying again, claiming she had chest pain and might not have long to live, urging Jeremy not to miss her too much. I could predict every word she was going to say, having heard the same lines over and over for years.

Everyone could tell she was faking it, except for Jeremy.

Without saying a word, I turned and left.

To my surprise, Jeremy frowned and asked in confusion, "Why aren't you making a scene? Aren't you going to stop me from going?"

I shrugged. That was the old me. When I cared about him, of course, I didn't want him going on dates with Cassie. I would've rather taken his place. For that, he'd called me many times manipulative and told me to learn to be as understanding as Cassie.

His annoyance deepened, but the phone's constant ringing reminded him he needed to hurry over. Finally, he sighed and said, somewhat complicatedly, "I'll go first. You go home and calm down. No matter what you say, the only Mrs. Landers will be you. Stop throwing a tantrum."

"I'm not throwing a tantrum. I'm leaving now," I said indifferently.

My nonchalant attitude seemed to anger him further. "Caroline, why are you acting like a different person? You used to..."

"Used to be petty and malicious, right? Well, I've learned my lesson. I won't bother with this anymore," I replied with a smile, shaking my head as I walked away.

After work, I rushed back to the hotel and ordered a mountain of takeout, eating to my heart's content. Just as I was enjoying myself, Jeremy's call came again. He told me that Cassie would be joining us for dinner and that he couldn't leave her alone.

I told him I had already eaten and wished them both an enjoyable meal.

There was a two-second pause in his breathing, then he gritted his teeth and said, "Caroline, don't push your luck! I suggest you stop while you're ahead."

I ignored him and hung up the phone, going straight to sleep.

The next day at work, I saw his warning text. [Caroline, don't come crying and regretting this!]