Ruby wrapped her arms around Grayson's neck, her face flushed, and her breath coming in uneven gasps.

"Grayson, no… I can't…"

He buried his face against her chest, his voice hoarse.

"That man touched you today. I need to mark every inch of you as mine. Until I say it's over, you won't be resting tonight."

Ruby arched her head back, panting.

"What if Miss Hudson sees us—"

Before she could finish, Grayson froze, his expression turning cold.

"She's deaf. She won't find out. You are not to mention this in front of her."

Ruby pouted, trailing lazy circles over his chest with her fingertips.

"I know… It's just… thinking about how she's about to become your wife, while I'll always be hidden in the shadows… it hurts."

His resolve wavered for a moment. Pinching her cheek, he sighed.

"You little jealous thing. I brought you into my home, isn't that enough?

"Don't worry. I won't leave you even after the marriage. Whatever I buy for Violet, you will have, too."

She finally smiled, her eyes gleaming.

"Then I want you to stay with me until the wedding."

He hesitated for two seconds, then, seeing the longing in her gaze, nodded.

"Alright."

Her smile widened as she leaned in, lips brushing against his ear.

"And right now, I want you."

His eyes darkened. Gripping her waist, he pulled her closer, and their bodies intertwined once more.

Outside, a flash of lightning illuminated the doorway, casting a pale glow over Violet's stricken face.

She pressed a trembling hand over her mouth, forcing herself not to make a sound. Her vision blurred with tears. She had already seen Ruby's taunting video, but nothing compared to witnessing it firsthand.

Every gasp, every whisper, every murmur of pleasure drove a fresh blade into her heart, slicing it open, leaving nothing but raw, exposed wounds.

The sounds from within the room grew louder. She couldn't take it anymore. Turning swiftly, she fled.

Back in her bedroom, she curled up on the bed, hugging herself tightly, but no warmth reached her.

The echoes of their passion rang in her ears, relentless. She pressed her hands over them, but it was useless.

Barefoot, she stumbled downstairs and ran into the rain.

The storm poured over her, drenching her to the bone. Yet the cold paled in comparison to the weight in her chest. Behind her, the villa loomed like a gaping mouth, waiting to consume her.

She had to escape. As far as possible.

She wandered aimlessly through the empty streets, her soaked clothes clinging to her skin, rain blurring her vision.

And then, for a moment, the rain seemed to stop.

Looking up, she thought she saw Grayson from years ago, standing under an umbrella. His eyes held an unbearable sorrow.

"Violet," he said, "leave him. Leave the version of me that no longer loves you. Never forgive him."

Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the man she had once loved.

'Alright,' she thought. 'I will leave. I will never forgive him.'

She wandered the streets until the first hints of dawn broke through the storm.

By the time she returned home, exhaustion had dulled the pain. She peeled off her wet clothes and collapsed onto the bed.

Moments later, Grayson entered the room, moving carefully as if not to wake her. As always, he tucked the blanket around her and pulled her gently into his arms.

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he whispered, "Violet, I love you so much. In three days, you'll be my wife. We'll be together for the rest of our lives."

He spoke as if the words were a vow. As if saying them would make them true.

He never noticed the single tear slipping from the corner of her eye.

She had once read a quote: A man's sudden tenderness is often nothing more than guilt after betrayal.

Back then, she hadn't understood what it meant.

Now, she did.

She only wished time would move faster, so the day she left him would come sooner.

When Violet woke up, Grayson and Ruby were already downstairs, eating breakfast.

Seeing her come down, Grayson quickly pulled out a chair for her and handed her a bowl of porridge that had already cooled to room temperature. He watched as she ate in silence, her expression unreadable. A trace of guilt flickered across his face.

"Violet, something urgent came up at the company, and I need to go on a business trip," he signed. "For the next few days, you can discuss the wedding plans with the planner. I'll finish my work as soon as possible and come back quickly. After the wedding, I promise to spend a whole week with you. Anywhere you want to go for our honeymoon, I'll be right there with you."

Violet had already learned last night that this trip had nothing to do with work. He was leaving to appease Ruby. But his whereabouts no longer concerned her. She merely nodded.

Just before Grayson stepped out the door, she called out to him one last time.

"Grayson."

He paused for a moment, then turned back with a playful smile, ruffling her hair.

"Violet, are you reluctant to see me go? It's just a few days. Soon, we'll be married, and you'll see me every single day."

Ruby's voice rang out from outside. Grayson pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before hurrying away.

Violet watched his departing figure. That was probably the last time she would ever see him.

Not long after Grayson and Ruby left, a message arrived on Violet's phone. It was from Ruby.

[Miss Hudson, you saw everything last night, didn't you? I must say, I didn't expect you to endure it so well.]

[Grayson promised to stay with me for the next few days. You know, your fiancé, spending time with another woman right before the wedding… You're truly the most pitiful bride in the world.]

[Oh, and we're buying a new house today. Grayson said it'll be our home from now on. You're welcome to come visit anytime.]

Violet didn't reply. Instead, she instructed the servants to gather all her belongings from the villa, including every photo of her and Grayson. The items were stacked in the backyard.

One of the maids hesitated, holding up a framed wedding photo. "Miss Hudson, should we take this out as well?"

Violet's gaze drifted to the large wedding portrait hanging in the center of the living room. In the photo, she was looking at the camera, while Grayson's eyes were fixed on her, overflowing with what seemed like love.

Looking at it now, the scene felt nothing but ironic.

She nodded.

When every last photo and object was piled up outside, she lit a match.

She stood there, unmoving, as five years of memories burned to ash before her eyes. As the final fragment crumbled, so did the last remnants of her feelings.

There were still two days left before she would leave.

Another message from Ruby arrived—a photo of a medical report.

[Oh my, I'm actually pregnant! It's Grayson's first child, and he's thrilled. He even said he'd allocate some shares to the baby.]

[But last night, he was a little too rough, and I bled a bit. The doctor says I need bed rest. Grayson was so worried—he personally made soup and fed it to me. I feel so blessed. Miss Hudson, I'm sure you're happy for me, right?]

Violet still didn't reply. Instead, she retrieved her wedding dress from the bridal shop and took a pair of scissors to it, cutting it apart piece by piece.

A dress meant for her wedding no longer had any meaning.

On the day of her departure, Ruby sent another message—this time, a photo of a large diamond ring on her hand.

[Grayson proposed! He promised me a wedding just as grand as yours, and that he'd never let me or the baby suffer.]

[Miss Hudson, be smart about this. Give up your position as Mrs. Warhol. Grayson doesn't love you anymore.]

This time, Violet replied. [I hope your dream comes true soon.]

Then, she pulled up the security footage from the villa. Grayson and Ruby had come here many times before, indulging themselves recklessly. Inevitably, there were moments captured by the cameras in the living room.

She copied the footage and sent it to the wedding planner with a text message: [This is a surprise I'm preparing for Grayson. Make sure it plays on the big screen during the wedding. Keep it a secret.]

The planner quickly agreed.

After finalizing the arrangements, Violet received a video call from Grayson. He looked a little apologetic.

"Violet, work isn't finished yet. I won't be back until tomorrow morning. But don't worry, I'll definitely be there before the wedding."

She let out a soft laugh.

"Alright. I have a surprise for you at the wedding."

Grayson's eyes lit up. "What surprise? Now I'm really curious. Violet, I've waited five years for this moment. Tomorrow, you'll finally be my wife. I can't tell you how happy I am—"

His words cut off abruptly. His body tensed, and a muffled gasp escaped his lips.

Violet's eyes gleamed with cold amusement.

"Grayson, I hope you like my surprise."

Before he could respond, she ended the call and walked out of the villa.

A car from the agency handling her fake death was already waiting at the entrance.

At the airport, she tapped a few commands into her phone before handing it to the staff.

"Deliver this phone to the groom along with the corpse tomorrow. Tell him I died at 6 p.m., and that I left a final message for him."

6 p.m.—the exact moment she had ended their last call.

She wanted Grayson to believe that while he was indulging in pleasure with Ruby, she had lost all hope and taken her own life.

She wanted those last words to haunt him forever.

The staff member nodded and handed her a new identity card and a plane ticket.

"Miss Aurora, we've erased all traces of your journey. Have a safe flight. May your future be filled with happiness."

Aurora—that was the name she had chosen for herself.

It meant new beginnings.

From today onward, she was stepping into an entirely new life.