"But there are so many older men with younger women now, and you’re not old at all..."

For the first time in years, Ethan spoke sharply to her. "If you keep talking nonsense like that, get out! And don’t ever come back!"

"Ellie?" Ethan’s voice snapped Elena back to reality as he called her over to the bedside. His gaze landed on the thermos she was holding.

It was the soup she had spent the entire afternoon making just for him.

"Is this for me?" Ethan loved the soup she made and always praised her talent for it. He even asked her to make it for him every Wednesday and Friday, bringing it to his office.

Elena was overjoyed. No matter the weather—wind, rain, or even a storm—she would always bring him the soup without fail.

Before Elena could say anything, Sienna suddenly took the thermos from her hands, flashing a sweet smile.

"Thanks, Ellie. Didn’t Ethan tell you? Actually, I’m the one who loves your soup. I didn’t want to trouble you since you’re always so busy, so he said it was his favorite instead."

Elena’s smile faltered, and her face went pale for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. Ethan’s affection for Sienna was something she could never have. In her most desperate moments, she had even wished she could be Sienna.

But what did it matter? Only Elena knew the truth—that Sienna was just a stand-in.

Ethan’s face darkened as he coldly ordered Sienna to return the thermos. "When did Ellie’s soup become yours?"

Both Elena and Sienna froze at his words.

Elena couldn’t hide her shock. So… this was the affection she had earned by sacrificing her entire future?

Sienna’s face turned sour as she handed the thermos back to Elena. Usually, when she pouted, Ethan would indulge her every whim without hesitation. But this time, Ethan didn’t even give her a chance to speak.

The room fell silent as Ethan finished his soup. Unable to hold back, Elena finally asked, "Why did you send Sienna away?"

"You don’t like her, do you?"

Elena was stunned. She had never forgotten how much she disliked Sienna. She remembered the first time Ethan brought Sienna home to spend the night—Elena had taken a cold bath in the dead of winter, pushing herself until she had a high fever, and Ethan had stayed with her in the hospital all night.

Whenever they went on dates, Elena would always find a way to call Ethan back. Facing his anger, she would always openly admit that she didn’t like Sienna and didn’t want them to be together.

However, Sienna had said that everything in life had its proper order, and love was no different. From the very beginning, Elena had lost.

So, if even Sienna could see her feelings, why couldn’t Ethan?

Ethan seemed to have truly changed. As Sienna’s visits to the hospital grew fewer, on the day Elena accompanied him to check out, Ethan had arranged for a car to take them to a bridal shop.

The eager staff immediately welcomed them, ushering Elena inside.

"Mr. Scott has specially ordered ten wedding dresses. After you try them on, let us know if any adjustments are needed, and we'll have our designer make the changes right away."

Elena was confused. She wasn’t the one getting married, so why was she here? She quietly looked at Ethan, who walked over and gently stroked her hair.

"Sienna couldn’t make it, but you two are about the same size. Could you try them on for her? I’ll take photos and send them to her."

Elena froze, her heart sinking. After a long pause, she managed to force a smile. So, nothing had changed.

He still hadn’t given up on marrying Sienna.

Like a puppet, she tried on each wedding dress while Ethan snapped photos, sending them to Sienna for her to choose. When Elena went to change into the last dress, she suddenly found a lighter hidden in the fabric.

Unable to control herself, she flicked it on, and the expensive gown was quickly engulfed in flames.

The sudden fire caused chaos in the store, and Elena panicked, rushing out of the fitting room and throwing herself into Ethan's arms.

As she looked up, she was met with Sienna’s strikingly beautiful face.

Elena had just burned the wedding dress Sienna had personally chosen, but Sienna didn’t seem angry at all. Instead, she smiled and quickly made excuses for her.

"Ellie did the right thing. I’ve never liked these dresses. Ethan, didn’t you forget that you promised to go with me to the class reunion today?"

Ethan gently patted Elena’s back to comfort her, always treating her like a child. When she was ten and first sent to his home, she had been so scared, refusing to speak or eat. He had patiently comforted her for an entire day and night.

At twelve, after she was bullied at school, Ethan had gone to the school as her guardian, and after that, the boys and teachers who tormented her were never seen again.

At sixteen, when she had her first period and was writhing in pain, Ethan had hurried to make her ginger soup, pressing a hot water bottle against her stomach, nervously staying by her side, keeping watch.

The moment Elena realized she had fallen in love with Ethan, she swore she would never leave him. But everything changed on her eighteenth birthday.

That day, Sienna had sent her a photo of Ethan lying in her bed, apologizing for not being able to spend the evening with her because he was too tired and had already fallen asleep.

She pulled away from Ethan’s arms, stubbornly shaking her head. "You’re still recovering; the doctor said you need to rest."

Sienna acted as if she hadn’t heard, pushing Elena aside as she linked arms with Ethan.

"Ethan, it’s just a quick visit. We’ll be done soon, and I’ll go back home with you afterward."

Elena knew exactly what Sienna was up to. She just wanted to show off, and Ethan’s presence would only add to her shine. But Sienna still hadn’t admitted to her mistake of hiring paparazzi to follow them.

Ethan paused for a moment, then told Elena to go home and wait for him. Elena, with red-rimmed eyes, shook her head. She insisted on going with them.

"Ethan, let Ellie come too. She’s been taking care of you these past few days. It wouldn’t hurt to take her out for a nice meal."

Whenever Sienna spoke, Ethan never said no.

Ethan and Sienna took one car, while Elena was in another. When they made the agreement, the other party had said that gaining affection would take time.

Unfortunately, Elena only had one month, and she couldn’t afford to wait.

When they arrived, Elena realized it wasn’t just a reunion, but a charity auction organized under Sienna’s name.

The old classmates, thrilled by Ethan’s presence, crowded around him, eager to get closer.

"Sienny, Mr. Scott really spoils you! He came straight from the hospital to support you—looks like today’s ‘Celestia’s Crown’ is definitely yours."

"Mr. Scott is a total 'wife guy,' always putting Sienna first, even in life-or-death situations. I’m so jealous of her."

Sienna basked in the spotlight Ethan brought, her radiant face glowing with a smile full of happiness.

Ethan exchanged a few words with the crowd, scanning the room until he spotted Elena in the corner, holding a wine glass, lost in thought. Elena had always hated crowded places, and he was surprised she even agreed to come this time.

"Are you hungry? I can have the chef bring over a few steaks to hold you over."

Elena blinked at him in confusion as Ethan crouched down to meet her gaze, casually taking the wine glass from her hand.

"Kids can’t drink alcohol. If you want some, I’ll drink with you when we get back."

"I’m not a kid anymore. I’m of legal marriage age."

"Still no. As long as I’m around, you’d better stay away from alcohol."

Suddenly, Elena remembered the last time she had drunk too much—she had clung to Ethan, crying and pleading with him, begging him, "Could you please not marry Sienna?"

Ethan spent some time with Elena before Sienna pulled him away to mingle with the guests.

The charity auction, accompanied by dinner, was split into two parts. The ‘Celestia's Crown,’ which was meant to be the highlight of the auction, had been scheduled for the first half to accommodate Ethan’s timing.

Elena’s eyes were drawn to the dazzling crown on stage. The so-called ‘Celestia's Crown’ was a queen's crown, adorned with countless diamonds that sparkled like stars. From a distance, it almost seemed to shimmer with the brilliance of the night sky.

This one-of-a-kind treasure had caused a stir the moment it appeared.

Ethan noticed Elena’s gaze fixed on the crown. She had never been interested in such rare treasures. Their house was filled with priceless jewels, but she never even spared them a glance.

When the auction price reached one hundred million, Ethan raised his paddle.

"Two hundred million."

The room was in shock. With a single bid, Ethan secured the crown, and no one dared to compete.

Everyone assumed it was a gift for Sienna and cast envious glances her way.

"When you two get married, wearing the Celestia’s Crown and walking down the aisle together, it’ll be so lovely."

The crowd couldn’t help but admire Sienna’s good fortune. Everyone knew how well Ethan treated her. Their public romance had been the ultimate love story, a reality show that showcased their affectionate moments to the world.

"Ellie, go get it."

Ethan looked at the stunned Elena, and she snapped out of her daze, quickly running to retrieve the two-hundred-million-dollar treasure.

She had grown used to being the one running errands for their relationship. Every time Ethan asked her to fetch a gift for Sienna, he would always get her something as well, never letting her do it for free.

But what about this time?

All eyes were on Ethan and Sienna as Sienna blushed, waiting for Ethan to present the gift to her. She knew that tonight’s headline would be about her—the woman with the two-hundred-million-dollar crown, the most dazzling queen of the night.

Sienna was already planning to have Ethan put the crown on her head himself, building up the drama to the fullest.

Ethan stood up, and Sienna eagerly followed suit, excited for what she thought would be the most spectacular moment of the evening. But everything she had imagined didn’t unfold.

"Sienna, I’ll take Ellie and leave. You two carry on."

Everyone froze, including Elena.

She, too, had thought the ‘Celestia's Crown’ was for Sienna. Her emotions went on a rollercoaster ride, and she quickly hurried to follow Ethan.

Confused, she wondered why he would spend such an extravagant amount if the crown wasn’t meant for Sienna.

"It’s for you."

Elena was stunned, speechless. Then, it hit her—was this the affection she had traded her life for?

Had Ethan finally begun to develop feelings for her?

"Huh?"

"You wanted it, didn’t you? You’ve been eyeing it for quite a while. You never even look at things you don’t like."

Ethan knew Elena so well. Her likes and dislikes were always clear, just like how she didn’t like Sienna and would never pretend otherwise in front of him.

Elena’s heart churned with a storm of emotions. All she had ever wanted was a bit of Ethan’s affection, even if it was just out of pity.

"Ethan, aren’t you worried Sienna will be upset?"

"Nah, she won’t be."

The next day, Elena understood why Ethan was so confident that Sienna wouldn’t be upset.

After they left, Ethan had ordered the delivery of the "Tears of the Immortal Heart," a symbol of lifelong companionship. It was rumored that when a man gives this to a woman, it signifies a lifetime together.

Elena felt as if she had been struck, but soon, she let it go. It had always been like this, hadn’t it?

The most precious things were always reserved for Sienna.

Elena received a call from the hospital, urging her to return quickly for her surgery.