On the plane, James's friends were intensely curious about me and asked me a barrage of questions. We chatted about everything under the sun.

Suddenly, Ralph let out a scream. Poppy snapped at him irritably. "What are you doing?"

Ralph looked terrified. "There's thunder and lightning! What if it hits us? I don't want to die!"

One of James's friends laughed. "Relax, man. If the weather was really that bad, the plane wouldn't have taken off in the first place. Planes have lightning protection systems. You'll be fine, don't worry."

Poppy looked mortified. "This is so humiliating!"

Ralph, completely oblivious, just laughed it off. "Hey, it’s my first time flying. Cut me some slack."

A little while later, a flight attendant came by with the meal cart. Ralph perked up with interest. "Excuse me, how much for one of these meals?"

"Sir, meals are complimentary on this flight."

Ralph brightened and grabbed meals for all of us before asking, "Can I get two more? I eat a lot, and one serving won't be enough."

The flight attendant remained patient. "I'm sorry, sir. If there are extras after everyone's been served, I'll bring some over."

After she left, Ralph turned to Poppy enthusiastically. "That flight attendant was really nice. I'll ask her to bring you a blanket in a bit. I saw they have drinks too. They're probably free! Want one?"

Poppy's expression darkened. "Enough, Ralph. Can you stop acting as if you've never been anywhere before? Are you starving or something? Why do you need so many meals?"

Even someone as easygoing as Ralph understood that Poppy was embarrassed by his behavior. He deflated, and the atmosphere between them turned awkward.

James's friends jumped in to smooth things over and changed the subject. "Elisa, when we land in Capdo, James has a surprise for you!"

I knew what it was. James was planning to propose.

Sure enough, on the hot air balloon we got on shortly after landing, James got down on one knee. His eyes were full of tenderness. "Elisa, marry me."

James's friends cheered around us. Looking into his eyes, I almost believed I had found real happiness. However, Poppy suddenly rushed forward, shoved past me, and snatched the ring from James's hand before I could react.

James's expression darkened. He stared at Poppy coldly. "What are you doing?"

Poppy called Ralph over. "Ralph, you took that jewelry class in college, right? Is this diamond real?"

Ralph took the ring and examined it closely. "Wow, look at how clear this is! The clarity, the color… This is top tier! James, this ring must have cost a fortune, right?"

James did not respond, but his friends spoke up.

"Elisa, James went through a lot of trouble to get this ring at auction."

"Come on, you know James wouldn't give anyone a fake."

Ralph picked up on their sarcasm and quickly tried to defuse the situation. "No, no, we're not saying it's fake. Poppy just wanted me to see a real diamond up close. Don't take it the wrong way."

Poppy yanked the ring out of Ralph's hand and scrutinized it closely with wide eyes.

James's voice turned icy. "What? You still think it's fake?"

Poppy seemed to snap out of it. She reluctantly tossed the ring into my hand. "Lucky you."

I gave James an apologetic smile. "My sister is young and immature. Don't take it personally."

James smiled warmly at me, took the ring from my hand, and knelt down again. "Let me propose one more time. Elisa, I love you. Will you marry me?"

I nodded sweetly and let James slip the ring onto my finger.

After getting off the hot air balloon, we returned to the hotel, where an elaborate proposal setup was waiting.

Poppy stormed ahead angrily while Ralph trailed behind, trying to appease her. James and I walked at the back with his friends.

Honestly, I could not blame Poppy for looking down on Ralph. What kind of man was so cheap?

This entire trip, James and his friends paid for everything: food, activities, flights, and hotels. Ralph had not contributed even a single cent. He even tried to piggyback off James's proposal setup for me.

Right after I accepted James's diamond ring, Ralph got down on one knee in front of Poppy with a soda can pull tab.

"Poppy, this place is so romantic. Will you marry me?"

James's friends cracked up at the scene.

"Is this guy for real? He mooches off everyone else's food and fun, and now he's mooching off someone else's proposal?"

"This is better than reality TV. What, you can't afford your own moment?"

"I've never actually seen someone propose with a soda tab. That's a new one!"

James laughed. "Hey, love on a budget can be sweet too, right?"

Hearing their mockery, Poppy looked utterly humiliated. She shoved Ralph's hand away, crying and cursing at the same time.

"Get away from me! I don't want to be with you! You're so humiliating. Just leave! We're over!"

James and his friends were getting quite the show and laughed even harder.

Poppy ran off in shame. I followed her.

The moment Poppy reached the hotel, she pulled out her phone. "Mom, I don't want to be with Ralph anymore! He's too embarrassing!"

Hearing Poppy's tearful complaints, I stopped in my tracks. Everything was going according to plan.

Back in my room, I finally let my guard down. James was in the bathroom showering. I opened his phone, and the screen displayed a group chat called ‘Wife-Killer Club’.

What James said in there was completely different from his outward persona.

His nickname in the group was ‘Never Misses’.

Never Misses: [Boys, my proposal succeeded today. I’m ready to execute the wife-killing plan soon!]

His friends chimed in.

[Holy shit, bro! You're incredible. Didn't you just finish with your last one not too long ago?]

[You're an inspiration to us all!]

[Got any videos? Let us see how it's done!]

[Bro, have you got any tips? Teach us!]

Never Misses: [Throw money around! I've already spent hundreds of thousands on this dumb b*tch. Today's proposal ring alone was worth six figures.]

Never Misses: [I throw money everywhere. What woman can resist that?]

Never Misses: [But this woman's loaded too. After I get rid of her, I'll make bank. I'll send you all a little gift when the time comes.]

I heard movement from the bathroom. I quickly deleted the chat history and put his phone back where it was.

James came out of the bathroom, still damp, and wrapped his arms around me. "Babe, I'm so happy I get to marry you. Just thinking about holding you like this every day makes me too excited to sleep."

His hands started wandering, but my phone rang abruptly and interrupted him.

I got up, pointed at the phone, and mouthed, "It's my mom."

I had just stepped into the hallway and answered when Mom's harsh voice came through. "Elisa, I let Poppy go on this trip with you, and this is how you treat her? You bullied her?"

I was baffled. "Mom, how did I bully her?"

"Then why were you all laughing at Ralph?"

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, exhausted. "James set up that proposal for me, then Ralph jumped in afterward to propose to Poppy. How do you think that makes Ralph look? How does it make Poppy look like? How does it make me look?

"I think Poppy's right. Ralph isn't good enough for her. Mom, your taste is terrible. Poppy deserves someone better."

The moment I finished speaking, Poppy hugged me from behind, crying pitifully. "Elisa, you think Ralph isn't good enough for me too, right?"

She snatched the phone from my hand. "Mom, this is all your fault! I don't like Ralph. You're the one who forced us to be together. We'll never be happy.

"I already broke up with Ralph. I will never get back together with him. Even if every man on earth dropped dead, I still wouldn't be with him!"

After she finished yelling, the door to the room across from us opened. Ralph walked out with a dark expression. "Fine. I get it! We're done. You can stay and have fun. I'm going home. I’ve got livestock to deal with back at the farm."

After Ralph left, Poppy visibly brightened. She had a blast skiing and enjoying the hot tub with the rich boys.

"James, seafood again? I hate seafood!"

At another group dinner, Poppy complained to James as the waiter brought out a large seafood platter.

James paused. "Your sister likes it."

Poppy glared at me furiously. I pretended not to notice and gave her a shy smile. I linked my arm through James's. "You're so good to me. I'm so lucky."

Poppy angrily scraped her fork across her plate, making an awful screeching sound.

After dinner, James shot me a meaningful look. I hesitated for a moment. Then, I exchanged a bashful glance with Poppy before following him out.

Poppy tried to follow, but someone stopped her. "Read the room, will you? They want alone time. Why are you following them?"

I did not turn around, but I knew Poppy's eyes were filled with jealousy.

Not long after the trip, James started pressuring me to go home with him.

"I can't wait to marry you, babe. I'm dying to make you my wife."

More like dying to kill me! I shivered.

I decided to turn up the heat on Poppy.

I made sure to bring James home while Poppy was there. I even invited all our aunts and extended family over to meet my boyfriend.

James showed up with expensive gifts and health supplements that instantly won everyone over.

Compliments flowed freely.

"In our whole family, Elisa is the most accomplished. She was brilliant in school, excels at work, and even her boyfriend is top tier."

"Exactly! James is such a catch. He's perfect for our Elisa!"

"I have to say, your mom raised two amazing daughters. I heard Poppy's engagement is settled too, right? How's that going?"

Poppy's expression darkened. She looked at Mom with reddening eyes.

Mom sighed. "Unfortunately, Poppy and the Gardner boy weren't a good match. He was too reserved. It just didn't work out."

One of the nosy aunts chimed in, "Maybe James knows some nice young men he could introduce to Poppy."

Poppy looked at James shyly.

James actually seemed to consider it. "What about Leo?"

Leo Jones was one of James's buddies from the trip. He was average looking, kind of chubby, and awkward.

Poppy shook her head. "No. Leo's not as good-looking as you."

James raised an eyebrow and pulled me close with a laugh. "Not many guys can compete with this face. Anyway, I'm already taken by your sister!"

After dinner, all the aunts left. I cleaned up the kitchen and once again heard Poppy whispering with Mom in her room.

"Mom, you still have one swap left, right? I want Elisa's boyfriend.

"Mom, please help me one more time!"

This time, Mom was firm. "No. James is too exceptional. You can't handle him. Have you forgotten what happened with that job?"

Poppy threw a tantrum. "How can you say that? I'm your blood daughter. Why don't I deserve the best? Elisa gets everything, yet I can't even get a good boyfriend?

"You don't even love me!"

Their voices grew louder. James stirred on the couch.

I had deliberately gotten him drunk earlier. He was not leaving tonight. I had him lie down on our couch.

I poured him a glass of water and set it on the coffee table before heading back to my room.

I ran into Poppy on her way out. She looked at James lying on the couch in obvious discomfort. "Elisa, you're making James sleep out here?"

I nodded. "He drank too much. He reeks! The couch is fine."

I calmly returned to my room and pulled up the feed of the security camera I had installed in the living room a while back.