I am the only son of the richest man in Fairmont.

Before my coming-of-age, my mother selects nine girls for me, one of whom I am to marry when I turn 18. I choose Ruth Lonsdale, the girl who had grown up by my side since we were kids.

But on our wedding day, Ruth secretly leaks my whereabouts to kidnappers and takes every single bodyguard my mother had assigned to protect me.

After I am abducted, I call her and beg for help, but she answers with a cold laugh, "You're still acting? You had a bunch of thugs go after Jack, and I haven't gotten even with you for that yet! Anyway, I only took your bodyguards to protect him and make him feel safe. Don't make such a big deal out of it."

She then hangs up.

Enraged, the kidnappers stab me repeatedly before throwing my body from the rooftop.

When I open my eyes again, I'm back to the day I'm supposed to choose my bride.

This time, I didn't even glance at Ruth's photo. I point to the most ordinary-looking girl of them all and say, "I choose her."

When she saw where I was pointing, my mother, Dorothy Sanders, looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

I nodded seriously. "Of course. I won't joke about something like this."

Inside the banquet hall, everyone's gaze instinctively shifted toward one girl in the crowd, Ruth Lonsdale.

Envy, jealousy, and all kinds of emotions mingled together.

After all, everyone in Fairmont knew I was hopelessly in love with her. Some people were already lifting their glasses, stepping forward to congratulate Ruth.

She showed no gratitude whatsoever. With an icy expression, she strode away.

After a brief, awkward silence, someone tried to smooth things over and said that Ruth had a cold personality and wasn't sociable.

But only I knew the truth. Her distance and refusal to let anyone get close were all because she didn't want Jack Clement to feel uncomfortable.

After a few rounds of drinks, I was slightly tipsy. I left the banquet hall alone to get some air. I didn't expect to run into Ruth outside.

She stood by the garden, a trace of melancholy written on her face. That lonely, self-pitying look was enough to make anyone fall for her at first glance.

In my last life, I had been completely obsessed with her because of that look. I had lowered myself, humbling myself in every possible way, in hopes that she would glance at me one more time.

Unfortunately, my sincerity didn't win her love. Instead, it brought me nothing but her resentment. Ultimately, it even led to my death.

Given a second chance at life, I only wanted people around me to be genuine. As for Ruth, she could stay as far away from me as possible.

Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I turned to leave. But then, Ruth's voice called out from behind me. "Micah Jones."

Before I could even respond, she spoke first. "I can marry you, but you have to agree to three conditions. First, after we're married, you're not allowed to touch me. I don't love you. I hope you understand.

"Second, after we're married, Jack has to move in and live together with us. Third, no matter what happens, you're not allowed to make things difficult for Jack."

I raised an eyebrow, looking at her in surprise. In my last life, when Ruth had been chosen, she had outright refused without a second thought. Later, when her family business ran into serious trouble, I stepped in to help. Only then did she reluctantly agree, out of obligation.

Could it be…

A thought flashed through my mind. But I didn't dwell on it. In this life, I had no feelings for her at all.

I was just about to speak and explain that I hadn't chosen her, but she had already walked away on her own. As I turned back toward the banquet hall, a figure suddenly darted out from the side.

It was Jack. He glared at me viciously, his eyes filled with hostility. "Who permitted you to choose Ruth as your bride? She doesn't like you at all. Can you stop being so shameless?"

I ignored him. But he suddenly lunged at me like a madman, dragging me with him as we both fell straight into the lake.

The freezing water swallowed me instantly. Before I could even react, someone rushed over, jumped in without hesitation, and pulled Jack out of the water.

Jack was soaked from head to toe. Held tightly in Ruth's arms, his face was full of grievance as he said, "Ruth, don't blame Micah. I understand if he's angry."

Ruth's eyes were full of concern. But when she turned toward me, her tone was icy. "I warned you. Don't you dare bully Jack."

With that, she casually picked up a stone, threw it straight at my face, and said, "Reflect on yourself."

Ignoring the blood streaming down my face, she supported Jack and left in a hurry.

I had never been a good swimmer. With the injury on my forehead, dizziness hit me hard. Icy lake water flooded my mouth and nose. I struggled desperately, but my body kept sinking.

Just as my consciousness began to fade, a slender figure jumped into the water. Using all her strength, she slowly dragged me toward the shore.

When I opened my eyes again, harsh white lights blinded me.

Isabelle Lyon's anxious face came into view. "Micah, are you okay?"

Her eyes were full of panic and concern.

The scene overlapped with my last life. When my body was found back then, I saw Isabelle crying hysterically, screaming that Ruth would pay for it.

Like Ruth, Isabelle had been one of the girls my mother chose for me. However, she wasn't high-profile like Ruth. She had always been invisible, quietly trailing behind me at a distance.

If I waved at her, she'd panic and run away. Yet, it was she who, after my death, cried at my grave and confessed all the feelings she had buried for years.

In my last life, I had mistaken gravel for a gemstone and missed the woman who loved me with her whole heart. Now, seeing the concern in her eyes, warmth spread through my chest.

I gently took her hand. "Belle, my mom should have already told you, right?"

Isabelle's expression stiffened. After a long silence, she slowly pulled her hand back. Her eyes dimmed slightly as she said, "Don't worry, Micah. When the time comes, I'll cooperate properly. I won't embarrass you."

Cooperate? I froze, then immediately understood. She probably thought I had chosen her just to spite Ruth.

For a moment, my heart ached. I wanted to tell her the truth. But remembering how miserable I looked, I swallowed the words back down.

I liked this girl. I wanted to marry her. So, in my best state, I would propose to her properly.

This time, no matter what, I wouldn't let her feelings be wasted again.

Late at night, just as I lay down to rest, my phone screen lit up. It was Ruth calling.

When I answered, all I heard were two words, flat and emotionless. "Come down."

I frowned, pulled open the curtains, and saw her standing outside the villa. Assuming something urgent had happened, I threw on a jacket and went out. I planned to draw a clear line between us while I was at it.

When I reached downstairs, she didn't say a word. She simply turned and walked away. I followed her at a brisk pace for about ten minutes. When I saw where we'd stopped, I frowned.

"Why did you bring me to Jack's place?" I asked.

She shot me a cold glance. "Why else? To make you apologize to Jack!"

My eyes widened. "You dragged me out here in the middle of the night just to make me apologize to him?"

Ruth looked indifferent. "Yeah."

I raised my hand and pointed at Jack, who was standing on the second-floor balcony, enjoying the show. "He's the one who should be apologizing. Check the surveillance cameras yourself. He's the one who dragged me into the lake."

Hearing that, Jack no longer remained calm. He rushed downstairs with his head lowered and grabbed Ruth's arm with a pitiful expression. "Ruth, don't force Micah. I'm fine."

Ruth's eyes were full of tenderness and pity. But when she looked at me, her expression turned cold. "Are you trying to make me humiliate Jack myself? He's always been kind. How could he possibly frame you? Besides, you made him catch a cold. What's so hard about saying sorry?"

I spoke up, my voice nasal from congestion. "What about me?"

"That's your own fault!" she yelled back.

A vicious glint flashed through Jack's eyes, but his voice stayed sweet. "Ruth, forget it. There's no need to fight with Micah over me. You two are still getting married."

I couldn't be bothered to watch his performance any longer, so I turned to leave. But Ruth grabbed my arm and said, "If you don't apologize, I will never marry you."

She shoved me toward the curb, then turned and let Jack back upstairs.

The cold night wind made me shiver uncontrollably. Just as I was contemplating how to get home, a familiar figure appeared. It was Isabelle.

She ran over anxiously and draped a blanket over my shoulders. "Are you cold? How did you end up here?"

Looking at her flustered expression, I couldn't help but smile. I reached out and gently stroked her nose. "And you? How did you know I was here?"

She stammered as she explained. She had seen me leave with Ruth from her window. Worried about my already weak condition from catching a cold, she followed us.

I stepped forward and pulled her into my arms. Feeling her quickened breathing, I murmured, "It's really nice that I have you."

Isabelle's face flushed instantly. After a long pause, she wrapped her arms around my waist. "I feel the same way."

…

Three days later, I received news that the director of the orphanage that once took me in was critically ill.

When I was three years old, I was kidnapped by traffickers. After collecting the ransom, they dumped me by the roadside and left me to die.

It was the director, Ernest Winters, who had found me in the snow and brought me back. I wasn't reunited with my mother until I was eight years old.

I met Jack at that orphanage. He was adopted by the Lonsdale family a year before Mom found me and took me home.

I planned to tell Jack about Ernest's condition. But when he heard the news, not only did he show no sadness, but his face twisted with disgust.

"He's just an old man whose time is up. So what if he dies? What does it have to do with me? That's just life!"

I frowned, my voice turning cold. "He saved your life. Is this how you show gratitude?"

"I don't need you to lecture me," Jack snapped back, shoving me.

Anger flaring in my chest, I punched him to the ground without thinking. Then, I went alone to visit Ernest.

On my way home, my car was forced to stop. As I got out to check, something slammed against the back of my head.

When I woke up again, I was already in the hospital, with more than 20 stitches on the back of my head.

The bodyguards told me the attack happened in a blind spot with no cameras, so they couldn't identify the attacker.

But before I lost consciousness, I clearly smelled a strong musky scent. It was Ruth.

An inexplicable mix of anger and sorrow surged within me. There was no need to guess—she had done it for Jack.

When Mom rushed to the hospital, she was furious. "Which bastard dared lay a hand on my son?"

Isabelle stood to the side, head lowered and silent. But the redness around her eyes made it clear she'd been crying for days.

I felt my heart clench. "I'm fine, Mom."

Then, I gently took Isabelle's hand and said, "Once I'm out of the hospital, I'm going to marry Belle."

Isabelle stiffened and instinctively tried to pull her hand away. But I tightened my grip, not giving her any chance to escape.

Our eyes met, and I nodded gently.

She froze. Then, after a long moment, she lowered her head and gently wiped away her tears.

On the day I was discharged from the hospital, Ruth showed up. She walked into my room, looking exhausted.

I thought she'd come to apologize. Instead, she rubbed her temples impatiently and said, "I can't take this anymore. I'll marry you."

Then, she turned and left.

The abruptness of her words left me stunned for a moment. It wasn't until later that I learned the truth. During the days I was hospitalized, the Lonsdale family ran into the same crisis they had in my past life. They were on the verge of bankruptcy.

Ruth's parents were forcing her to marry me. But she had always been proud, so there was no way she'd bow her head and ask for help.

So, in a fit of rage, Ruth's father arranged for Jack to marry someone else instead. The other party was a well-known tycoon from Havenport, but his daughter had been intellectually disabled since birth. She couldn't even say her own name without drooling.

Left with no choice, Ruth begrudgingly accepted her fate. But from the looks of it, she still believed that everything—from the Lonsdale family's downfall to Jack's forced engagement—was my doing to coerce her into marrying me.

What she didn't know was that I had long since lost all feelings for her. Whether the Lonsdale family lived or died had nothing to do with me.

I ignored her and focused on preparing for the wedding with my mother.

News of my wedding spread fast. Soon, the entire city of Fairmont knew that the eldest son of the Jones family was getting married.

…

That day, I was at a bridal shop picking out a suit when I unexpectedly ran into Ruth and Jack. The moment Jack saw the custom-tailored tuxedo I was wearing, his eyes lit up.

Reading his expression instantly, Ruth didn't hesitate. She turned to me and ordered, "Take it off and give it to Jack. You can choose another one."

I scoffed and shook my head. "Why should I?"

She frowned. "Jack is going to be your best man at the wedding. He should look good. It's normal."

The smile on my face turned cold. "Since when do you get to make decisions for my wedding?"

Ruth's tone turned impatient. "That's enough. Jack once saved my life. I just want to fulfill a small wish of his."

Jack put on a pitiful expression. "I just want to attend the wedding with Ruth. I'm not trying to steal the spotlight."

I didn't even look at him. My gaze locked onto Ruth's cold face as I asked, "Who told you I'm marrying you?"

Ruth froze for a moment, then sneered. "What? Micah, do you think playing hard to get works on me? Besides, once we're married, Jack is going to be your brother-in-law. Why are you being so aggressive?"

Hearing that, Jack stepped up his act. "Forget it, Ruth. It's not meant to be. I shouldn't have made Micah angry."

Without hesitation, Ruth pulled out a black card and handed it to the store manager. She barked commandingly, "Take that suit off him. I want it. Name your price!"

The manager looked uncomfortable. All the ruckus had ruined my mood, and I lost interest. I tossed the suit aside and walked out.

That night, Jack sent me a photo of him wearing that suit, smirking proudly with Ruth in his arms. He said, "Micah, you've never beaten me since we were kids, and you still can't. Ruth is mine. Don't even think about taking her!"

I replied coldly, "I don't want trash."

…

On the wedding day, inside the dressing room, Jack walked toward me holding a glass of red wine, smiling brightly. As he passed me, he clumsily "tripped", his act horribly obvious. Wind spilled all over my chest.

Before I could react, he cried out first. "Ouch! My hand hurts!"

Looking at the tiny scratch on his hand, I nearly laughed. But Ruth rushed over in a panic, grabbing his hand to inspect it. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

Jack looked wronged. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I shouldn't have dirtied Micah's suit. Micah, if you want to scold me, go ahead."

I watched the performance coldly. "There's so much space. You just had to crash into me?"

Ruth's expression darkened instantly. "That's enough! Jack already apologized. What more do you want? It's just an ugly suit anyway. Is it more important than a person?"

With that, she hurriedly helped Jack up. "I'm taking him to the hospital to treat his wounds. Let's postpone the wedding."

Watching her scurry off, I snickered coldly. Of course, she was in a hurry. Any later, and the wound would've already healed.

I wasn't worried about my suit at all. After all, I'd expected Jack to pull something like this.

The dressing room door opened. Isabelle walked in, carrying a suit handcrafted by a renowned Emalian tailor. She was already in her wedding gown, nervousness written all over her face.

I changed into the new suit, then gently took her hand. "Let's go. Everyone is waiting for us."

Her cheeks flushed, her nerves obvious. After hesitating, she whispered, "Should we wait for Ms. Lonsdale?"

I smiled and shook my head. "I'm marrying you. Why do we need to wait for her?"