Nikki’s forehead slammed into the ground, and a blinding white light flashed in her vision. Pain shot through her skull as she slowly opened her eyes, the sound of laughter around her fading into a distant hum.

At that moment, only one thought consumed her.

Thank God... the wedding ring wasn’t lost.

She lay sprawled on the pavement, reaching out with trembling fingers, just inches away from the ring—when a pair of spotless leather shoes suddenly appeared in front of her.

Brad bent down, plucking the ring from between the bricks, and stared down at her with a smug expression.

"Nikki, what kind of pathetic show are you putting on? You scared Lora to tears."

"My ring..."

Brad studied her pale face and the miserable state of her body, his brows knitting together in slight distaste.

For a moment, it almost seemed like he was offering her the ring. His fingers extended toward her, stopping barely a centimeter away from her own.

Then, just as her breath hitched in hope, his lips curled into a smirk.

Straightening up, he casually tossed the ring into the air. It spun in a gleaming arc under the night sky—before plunging straight into the fountain in the middle of the street.

Right at that moment, the timed music played, and with a loud bang, the fountain erupted, sending powerful jets of water spraying in all directions.

Nikki’s eyes widened in horror as she watched the ring vanish beneath the surging water. Her whole body went rigid, a freezing sensation crawling through her veins.

She lifted her gaze to Brad in a daze, her breath caught in her throat. It was as if all the blood in her body had turned to ice.

Brad, no longer wearing his smug expression, had already turned away to console Lora gently.

"Don't worry, Lora. I'll order an even better one for you tomorrow. That fake ring was cheap anyway—I mean, Nikki wore it."

Lora huddled into Howard’s arms, her voice soft and pitiful. "Sister scratched my hand just now... It really hurts. She’s so scary. She’s never like this in front of Mom and Dad."

Brad’s voice dropped to a commanding tone. "Nikki, come here and apologize to Lora!"

But as he turned around, his expression shifted.

Nikki wasn’t standing there.

She was struggling to get up, her body covered in dust and grime. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes a mess, one of her high heels broken.

Then, barefoot and pale, she suddenly sprinted into the fountain.

Desperation fueled her movements as she plunged into the icy water, her hands frantically searching every crevice, every gap between the tiles—like a madwoman chasing a ghost.

Brad and Howard watched, momentarily stunned.

"It’s just a ring," Brad muttered, frowning. "Why is she acting like this?"

His brows furrowed deeper, his voice dropping in disbelief. "She just wants to marry me... doesn’t she?"

Howard’s sharp gaze swept over Nikki’s trembling figure. He noticed the deep scratches on her legs from earlier, the way her red-rimmed eyes stood out against her ghostly pale face.

The freezing winter air turned the water on her heavy coat into sheets of ice. Yet, even as her entire body grew numb, she didn’t stop searching.

She didn’t even hear the onlookers whispering.

"Tsk tsk... She’s really willing to do anything just to marry one of them."

"Pathetic. No dignity at all."

Spit landed near her, followed by mocking laughter.

But Nikki heard none of it.

At that moment, nothing else mattered.

She had to find that ring.

The one David gave her.

Over the years of chasing after the Hewitt brothers, she had already lost every shred of pride.

This wedding ring—this last, ridiculous token—was all she had left.

Her final scrap of dignity.

Brad and Howard exchanged glances, their expressions complicated.

Lora suddenly clutched her chest, her lips trembling. "I feel a little faint... I was so scared just now..."

Both men instantly snapped to attention, their focus shifting back to her. Without hesitation, they picked her up and hurried to the car.

Meanwhile, Nikki remained in the freezing fountain, her fingers numb, her entire body trembling violently.

Yet she kept searching.

Her wide, tear-filled eyes scanned the depths of the water, even as her frozen tears crystallized against her skin, turning into layers of salt.

Three days later, she woke up.

Outside the hospital room, Howard had just arrived when he overheard the nurse speaking to Brad.

"Ms. Bray underwent kidney donation surgery. She’s weak and shouldn’t be exposed to the cold, or there may be complications."

Brad’s voice dropped. "But she had three kidneys, right? One was a duplicate. Donating one shouldn’t be that serious."

The nurse hesitated, then looked at him strangely.

"The scans show she only has one kidney left." Her voice was calm but firm. "Besides, I assisted in her surgery. Ms. Bray is a normal person—there was never a duplicate kidney."

Brad stiffened.

Howard was the first to react, his expression darkening, his gaze unreadable.

"What did you just say?"

The nurse didn’t waver. "She only had two kidneys. Now she has one."

For a moment, silence pressed down on them.

Brad frowned deeply, his mind racing. His first instinct was to reject the idea.

"That’s impossible. She told me—"

But then, he saw it.

The scan.

The undeniable truth.

He and Howard stared at the image of the single remaining kidney, the weight of realization settling over them like a cold shadow.

Brad’s breath slowed as he turned toward the hospital bed.

Nikki lay there, pale and weak, yet even in unconsciousness, her fingers remained tightly wrapped around that wedding ring.

For the first time, an uneasy guilt stirred inside him.

Howard’s gaze lingered on her frail hand, a complex emotion flashing through his eyes.

Near the door, Lora watched them, her face pale. She bit her lip, her voice trembling with guilt.

"It’s my fault," she whispered. "If I weren’t weak, if I weren’t sick... my sister wouldn’t have needed to donate her kidney. Howard and Brad wouldn’t have been forced into this, manipulated by her step by step into a marriage trap..."

Her eyes reddened as she suddenly turned away.

"Maybe... Maybe I should just give the kidney back to her. That way, I can have peace of mind, too..."

She made to leave, but before she could take a step, Howard and Brad moved at the same time, blocking her path.

Howard’s frown deepened. "Lora, you’ve suffered enough. How could this be your fault?"

Brad’s voice was firm, unwavering. "This is what Nikki owes you. One kidney, in exchange for a life of luxury—she got more than enough out of this deal."

But as soon as the words left his mouth, the faint rustle of movement caught his ear.

Nikki had woken up.

Her eyes met his, dark and unreadable.

In that instant, Brad felt something strange settle in his chest.

He remembered what the nurse had said.

And for the first time, he hesitated.

Howard paused, an unusual flicker of concern in his tone. "Nikki, you're awake?"

Lora’s eyes darkened, but before she could speak, Howard’s phone rang. He answered, his expression shifting.

"What? Hewitt… The foster father is back to prepare for the wedding?"

As he ended the call, both brothers exchanged a look, their gazes turning cold as they turned back to the woman on the hospital bed.

"You failed to force a marriage, so now you're using the foster father to threaten us?"

Brad sneered. "Nikki, you really never run out of tricks. You’re doing everything in your power to make one of us marry you."

"I’m telling you now—no matter how much pressure the elders put on us, we will never agree to marry you!"

At the mention of David, Nikki’s dull eyes finally lit up.

Even though the Hewitt brothers’ words were cruel, she no longer cared.

However, there was still one last question she needed to confirm.

Just as they were about to leave with Lora, Nikki spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Wait a moment."

"Howard, Brad—you both had a heart transplant when you were young because of a hereditary condition, right?"

The brothers exchanged glances, confused by her sudden question. They assumed she was trying to manipulate them by bringing up childhood memories.

Howard answered curtly. "Brad didn’t. I had a heart problem, but it healed before the transplant, so the surgery was never done. Why are you asking this?"

Nikki nodded, a sad, knowing smile forming on her lips.

"Okay. I understand now."

And with that, she could finally let go completely.

Howard stared at her pale face, an unshakable sense of unease creeping into his chest.

It felt as if something precious had just shattered—something he hadn’t even realized he had.

"Nikki, you—"

Before he could finish, Lora suddenly collapsed against him, trembling as she pleaded,

"Sister, please don’t force Howard and Brad anymore. If you want, I’ll even give up my place as the Bray family’s daughter. Isn't that enough?"

Brad, seeing Lora on the verge of fainting from emotion, shot Nikki a furious glare. Without warning, he grabbed her from the bed.

"Do you think donating a kidney and calling your adoptive father will be enough to threaten me?" He seethed. "Nikki, don’t you think you deserve this?"

They hurriedly picked Lora up and left, never sparing a glance at Nikki as she crumpled to the floor.

Alone in the empty ward, she had expected this.

But surprisingly, she no longer cared.

After all, tomorrow was her wedding—the day she would say a final goodbye to the Hewitt brothers.

That night, Nikki quietly checked out of the hospital. She needed to prepare properly for the ceremony.

For the first time in a long while, she managed to sleep peacefully.

But just as dawn broke, a message from the Hewitt brothers arrived.

"Nikki, come to the hospital now."

"If you exchange your kidney with Lora again, we will agree to attend the wedding today."

For a moment, Nikki thought she had misread the words.

They were threatening her—demanding she trade her only healthy kidney for Lora’s failing one, in exchange for them showing up at her wedding?

A blank, hollow laugh escaped her lips as her eyes turned red.

Without hesitation, she grabbed the two locked wooden boxes she had packed the night before and rushed to the hospital.

As soon as the Hewitt brothers saw her, their expressions were cold and mocking—exactly as she expected.

They believed her attempt to change the groom had been just another manipulation tactic.

Wasn’t it obvious?

The wedding was about to begin, and she had rushed over in desperation, willing to give up her last healthy kidney just to ensure the ceremony went as planned.