I couldn't take it anymore. My hand flew up and connected with his face.

Smack!

The slap echoed through the room.

Jordan's eyes went wide, a red handprint blooming across his cheek. "Luna! What the hell are you doing?!"

I didn't care. I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Help! Someone help me!"

The groomsmen outside heard the commotion and crowded toward the door, trying to push their way in.

"What's going on?"

My best friend Amy Lambert shoved through, eyes blazing. She started toward me immediately.

But Jordan's voice turned ice-cold. "Amy, stay out of this. They're just playing a game with Luna."

Amy looked at my face—flushed with rage, nothing remotely playful about it.

I glared at the men surrounding me and spat out everything they'd just done.

Amy's expression shifted to horror. Her hands shook as she reached for me, trying to pull me toward the door.

But Jordan moved to block the exit. The others exchanged glances and closed in.

Amy and I locked eyes. We both felt it—something was very wrong.

My voice cracked. "Jordan! There are dozens of guests right outside. What exactly are you trying to do?"

He said nothing.

My stomach dropped.

Leon let out a low laugh. "Sister-in-law, the pickup game isn't over yet. We're just getting started." His eyes slid to Amy. "And your little friend here—pretty face, nice figure..."

He didn't need to finish. I knew exactly what that look meant.

Revulsion crawled over my skin. I grabbed Amy's arm and tried to force our way past them.

Two of them lunged. They seized our arms and legs and threw us both onto the bed.

"Why can't you just behave?" Leon loomed over us, his breath reeking of liquor. "Hold them down. Feed them the bananas."

One of the men grabbed Amy by the shoulders and shoved a banana toward her mouth.

Amy—sweet, sheltered Amy—had never seen anything like this. Her eyes instantly filled with tears.

I glared up at them through the rage. "You'll regret this. I swear I won't let any of you off!"

"Jordan! Is this your family's idea of wedding tradition—humiliating women? I'm calling the police!"

Jordan's gaze flickered. His voice came out thin, guilty. "Luna, it's just a joke. Just do it and we can move on. We'll miss the auspicious hour."

I must have been blind to ever fall for such a spineless coward.

I swallowed my fury. "Jordan, I'm not marrying you. Let us go before my family gets here—or I can't promise what happens next."

Jordan hesitated.

Leon cut in fast. "Jordan, she's not even your wife yet and you're already letting her boss you around? What happens after the wedding—she gonna walk all over you?"

He was getting worked up now. "It's just the bride pickup! You can't even handle this? If you let her go now, what will people say about you?" He sneered. "They'll say your household is run by women."

The other groomsmen piled on, voices overlapping in agreement.

Jordan's expression shifted, wavered. He looked at me, torn.

"Luna, Mom said nothing can go wrong on the wedding day, or our future will be cursed. Just... just bear with it."

Looking at that pathetic face, everything became crystal clear.

This marriage was never going to happen.

I pulled out my phone.

Leon charged at me and smashed it to the floor.

"Trying to call for help again? Didn't expect you to have some fight in you."

Leon's lips curled. "How about this, Jordan—let's skip that last game. I've got a better one."

I glared at him, shielding my best friend behind me.

"What do you want?"

He whistled, voice dripping with mockery. "You and your little friend here—kneel down and put shoes on all of us. Do it until we're satisfied, and we'll call it even. How's that sound?"

I laughed—a cold, sharp sound.

"In your dreams."

But before I could react, Jordan's face went livid and he charged at me. Everyone in the room stared at him in surprise.

I froze too. Was he finally coming to his senses? Did he realize how wrong this was?

Then he stopped in front of me and snarled:

"Luna! Hurry up! You're going to miss the auspicious hour! You wanted to marry me so badly—shouldn't you show some respect?"

He grabbed my shoulder and shoved me toward the floor.

The groomsmen exchanged glances, smugness flickering in their eyes. Leon lifted his chin with a cold snort and kicked off his shoes. The others followed.

My face went stone cold. I swung hard, slapping Jordan across the face—once, twice, three times.

"You're disgusting!"

"You want me to put shoes on you? I spit on you! Who the hell do you think you are? Get out of my way before I make you!"

My best friend had never been humiliated like this either. Her voice turned shrill.

"You've gone too far! Animals! I'm calling the police!"

Ten minutes had passed since I made the call. My family would be here soon.

I narrowed my eyes at them. "You'd better back off. Let us out. Now."

They snorted. "Jordan, come on! It's just a little game—she can't even handle this?"

Jordan forced a smile. "Of course she can! Bride-picking games are supposed to be fun for everyone!"

They all nodded approvingly, laughing so hard they nearly doubled over.

"Then what are you waiting for? Put the shoes on—" Leon's voice dropped, half-smiling. "And if you still won't behave, we'll make you lick them first."

My stomach lurched.

A crowd had gathered outside. I screamed for help, gambling on someone hearing.

Jordan's patience snapped.

"What the hell are you yelling for? Hurry up!"

Hands clamped down on our shoulders, forcing us both to our knees.

Tears blurred my vision. I wanted to kill every single one of them.

But they looked ready to get serious. My breath shook as I gritted my teeth. "Don't push me. The second I get out of here, I will destroy you."

They exchanged looks and burst out laughing.

"Sure, sure. Now hurry up!"

Leon lifted his blackened, reeking foot. Jordan grabbed my head and shoved it down.

The door slammed open.

"Stop!"

Jordan froze. I sprang up and drove my knee into his groin with everything I had.

He staggered backward, doubled over in pain.

My mother-in-law stood in the doorway, panting.

When I saw her, hope sparked in my chest.

Back when I agreed to marry Jordan, part of the reason was her—a decent woman, straightforward, no hidden agendas.

"Ma'am… they—they're bullying us!"

She frowned deeply, taking in my filthy, ruined wedding dress.

"Jordan, what is—"

Before she could finish, Jordan pulled her aside and whispered something in her ear.

My mother-in-law's expression shifted—shock to anger to helplessness.

I bit my lip hard. "Mrs. James! Don't listen to Jordan's lies—please help us!"

No one outside dared to come in. She was our only chance.

But the pity in her eyes vanished. Panic replaced it. "Luna, just cooperate! It'll be over soon! I just remembered—I have something to do!"

She fled without looking back.

Bang!

The door swung shut. In that split second, I caught the looks on those men's faces outside.

The door closed, cutting off every last hope for me and my best friend.

I glared at the men in front of me. "Don't push it!"

"Jordan, if you don't want to marry me, just say so! But you can't humiliate me like this!"

He shook his head.

"Luna, I never said I wouldn't marry you. Just be good and finish the game."

Leon snorted. "Jordan, I'm bored with that game. Let's switch to something new."

I bit through my lip, screaming with everything I had. "What else do you want?"

"Animals!"

My best friend and I fought back with all our strength, but we were no match for them.

Jordan didn't refuse. He glanced toward the door.

Something glinted in Leon's eyes. He shoved me onto the bed, his head diving under the wedding dress.

My best friend's clothes were ripped to shreds. Two men pounced on her.

My vision went red. I was on the verge of breaking.

Then—hurried footsteps. The door slammed open.

"I want to see who dares touch anyone from Clearwater Village!"

Everyone froze.

I saw the neighbors rushing in, and the wire-tight tension in my chest finally snapped loose.

Miles Simmons took one look at the state of us and wordlessly shielded me and my best friend behind him. His face was black as thunder.

"Jordan James! This is how you treat people from Clearwater Village?"

His roar made every man who'd been so cocky a moment ago change color.

Jordan swallowed hard. "Chief Simmons, she… how could she be from your village? You must be mistaken."

The onlookers frowned.

Now that the villagers had arrived, those who'd been watching the spectacle followed them inside.

"What kind of logic is that? Just because Luna isn't from Clearwater Village, you think you can treat her like this?"

"Exactly! Grown men ganging up on a woman on her wedding day—have you no shame?"

With backup finally here, others who'd been too scared to speak up joined in.

My mother-in-law rushed over. The moment she saw Chief Simmons, her face twisted.

"Let's talk this out! It's all a misunderstanding!"

"Chief Simmons, right? Kids will be kids. Luna, hurry and tell him—if you keep this up, you'll miss the auspicious hour!"

She shot me frantic, meaningful looks.

Jordan panicked too. "Luna! What are you standing there for? Don't tell me you actually want to cause a scene today?"

"Come on, it was just a joke! Don't blow this out of proportion!"

His scolding almost made me laugh.

Chief Simmons's face was ashen. He turned to me, asking what I wanted to do.

"Luna, this kind of man is an animal. Do you really still want to marry him?"

Everyone held their breath.

I stared coldly at those disgusting men and spoke, word by word:

"The wedding is off. And I want them to pay for this."