Floyd Stuart abandoned me at Mount Gravenwood for an entire month.

When he finally came to pick me up, he was still fuming.

“You should count yourself lucky that Trace’s leg is fine. If it wasn’t, you couldn’t pay it back even if you were dead!”

“The wedding is postponed by a year. When we get back, you can explain that to my parents yourself.”

He fully expected me to break down—crying, throwing a fit and adamantly refusing to agree to the delay.

Instead, I lowered my head submissively. “Alright, whatever you say.”

Floyd stared at me in stunned silence for a long time. “If you think a year is too long, we could…”

“No need.” I smiled as I cut him off.

What Floyd didn’t know was that I had struck a deal with the Spirit of Gravenwood.

In five days, I would replace her and marry another man.

***

By the time the search-and-rescue team found me, Lumina was utterly emaciated. Her eyes were sunken, cheekbones jutted sharply and her complexion was deathly pale.

The team leader compared her face with a photo for a long time before radioing Floyd, “Sir, we’ve found Ms. Shields.”

It wasn’t long before Floyd and Trace arrived.

When Floyd saw Lumina’s ghostly pale face and frail frame, he froze for a moment, clearly startled. But then his anger flared even hotter.

“Why couldn’t you just stay put? Do you have any idea the rescue team hasn’t slept for days because of you? Can you, for once, stop causing trouble for everyone?”

Mount Gravenwood was perpetually shrouded in a veil of mist, with beasts lurking in every shadow.

At first, Lumina didn’t dare take a single step into the forest. She stayed rooted to her spot, eating the food in her backpack, clinging to the hope that Floyd would come quickly to rescue her and end her misery.

One morning, she woke to a terrifying sight: two wolf-like creatures just a short distance away, licking the last remnants of her backpack. Their eyes glowed green, as if they were seconds away from tearing her apart and devouring her whole.

Lumina was so scared she barely dared to breathe, her nails digging into her palms so deeply they nearly drew blood.

Fortunately, the wolves left after they had their fill.

With no food left, she had no choice but to venture deeper into the forest.

Moments later, when Floyd confronted her in anger, Lumina just bowed her head without a word.

He’d always accused her of talking too much, of pushing her arguments too far. Over time, it had become clear that no matter what she said, his first reaction was always to doubt her.

If that was the case, what was the point of defending herself? Lumina thought idly.

One of the younger members of the search party seemed unable to hold back and muttered in her defense:

“Mount Gravenwood is famously dangerous, with wild beasts everywhere. How could a girl like her possibly stay in the same spot for an entire month?”

“You knew Lumina before?” came the response.

Tracie Ryan’s sudden remark left the young man utterly baffled.

“I don’t know her,” he said, confused.

Tracie covered her mouth with a light laugh. “Hearing you speak up for Lumina like that, I thought you two must have known each other for ages.”

As she spoke, she cast a knowing glance at Lumina, her laughter ringing even brighter. “Lumina is still as charming as ever. Even complete strangers can’t help but jump to her defense.”

The moment she finished speaking, Floyd’s face darkened—not at the young man, but at Lumina. “Oh? So it didn’t take you long to have men standing up for you now?” he sneered. “You really are something else.”

The search team leader hurriedly motioned for the group to step back, worried someone else might cluelessly jump in and escalate the situation further.

For a moment, an eerie silence hung over the forest.

It was Tracie who broke the tension.

Crouching down, Tracie asked gently, “Lumina, are you alright?”

Then she looked up at Floyd and added, “What happened that day wasn’t intentional on Lumina’s part. She was just spoiled growing up and maybe she has some bias against me—that’s why she lashed out.”

“Floydie, don’t be too hard on her, okay?” she continued, her voice softening further. “Look, I only hurt my leg a little and it’s been painful enough all this time. Imagine how scared Lumina must’ve been, alone in Mount Gravenwood. Let’s just take her home, alright?”

At the mention of that day, Floyd’s voice turned icy, colder than frost. “You should be glad Trace’s leg is fine. Otherwise, you couldn’t pay for it—even with your life.”

He didn’t stop there, his tone cutting even deeper.

“I’ve already made arrangements. The wedding is postponed by a year. Once we’re back, you can explain yourself to Grandma.”

The Ryan and Stuart families had been close for generations and Alice, Floyd's grandma, had always adored Lumina.

When Lumina’s parents tragically passed away five years ago, Grandma Alice had taken her in, welcoming her into the Stuart Family and publicly announcing her engagement to Floyd.

Lumina hadn’t objected—quite the opposite. She’d blushed as she stole glances at the tall, handsome young man beside her.

Since then, she had embraced the role of Floyd’s fiancée with full enthusiasm, fiercely guarding her claim. No other girl was allowed near him. If she caught wind of Floyd getting close to anyone, she would throw dramatic tantrums and cause an uproar.

Her antics earned her a nickname within their social circle: “The Tiger Wife in Training.”

Lumina remained utterly indifferent, continuing to do things her own way.

But no matter what she did, it was impossible to compete with the overwhelming pull of Floyd’s unforgetable love—Tracie Ryan.

It was because of Tracie that her wedding with Floyd had already been postponed once.

Back then, the entire capital of Bellford knew how furious she was. She had nearly torn the place apart, forcing even Grandma Alice to pull her aside and warn her not to go too far.

So, when Floyd announced another postponement, everyone held their breath, bracing for another explosion.

But this time, Lumina simply lowered her gaze and nodded obediently. “Alright. Whatever you say.”

Floyd was stunned.

He had fully expected her to cry and throw a tantrum. He had even prepared measures to subdue her outbursts.

Yet, seeing her so calm and agreeable left him unexpectedly uneasy and irritated. It felt as though he had lost control of the situation. Almost reflexively, he offered a concession, “If you think a year is too long, we can…”

“No need.” Lumina’s smile was serene as she cut him off.

Whether the wedding was postponed for a year, ten years, or canceled altogether, it no longer mattered to her.

What Floyd didn’t know was that Lumina had made a deal with the Spirit of Gravenwood while in the mountains.

In seven days, she would take the Spirit’s place and marry another man.

When the time came, Floyd could postpone the wedding all he wanted or even change the bride—it would have nothing to do with her anymore.

As they prepared to leave, a rescue team member tried to help Lumina up, only to be shocked when she couldn’t stand at all.

After losing all the food in her backpack, Lumina had gone several days without eating.

Driven by the desperation of hunger and dizziness, she had taken the risky decision to climb a tree over ten meters tall in search of food.

Luck was on her side at first—she managed to pluck and eat some fruit. But then came the misfortune: the fruit was poisonous.

The instant Lumina swallowed the fruit, a sharp, excruciating pain tore through her stomach, leaving her disoriented. Her grip faltered and she plummeted from the towering tree.

When she finally regained consciousness, the reality hit her like a blow—both of her legs were broken.

The rescue team’s medic, overwhelmed by the severity of her injuries, quickly determined they were beyond field treatment. Urgently, they contacted the nearest hospital to prepare for her immediate arrival.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were this badly hurt?” Floyd demanded, his voice tight.

For a moment, Lumina found the question almost funny.

If she’d had any way of contacting the outside world, would she have been trapped in this godforsaken place for an entire month?

Floyd seemed to realize the flaw in his words from her silence. For once, he lowered his head to her, a rare gesture of remorse.

"I'm sorry. Leaving you here alone was thoughtless of me," Floyd said, his voice filled with regret.

"But don't worry, I’ll make sure your legs are treated!"

He was about to reach out to hold her, but just then, Tracie let out a sharp gasp from behind him.

"Oh no!" Before anyone could react, Tracie wobbled and began to fall.

Instinctively, Floyd pushed Lumina aside and rushed to catch Tracie, his eyes filled with guilt and concern.

“Trace, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just my leg still hurts a little.”

“I told you not to come with us until your leg was healed.”

“But I was worried about Lumina...” Tracie’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. “After all, with Lumina in this condition, I feel responsible too.”

Lumina had been shoved into the thick grass and her elbow had been scraped, a deep cut tearing open and sending sharp pain through her body.

Yet, Floyd didn’t even spare her a glance. He simply scooped Tracie up and hurried off toward the edge of the forest.

Fortunately, one of the young members of the rescue team carried Lumina to the nearest hospital.

It seemed Floyd had been too confident, too soon.

After a full evaluation of Lumina’s injuries, the doctor gently suggested that her legs might never heal properly.

Even worse, her organs were showing signs of failure. Her digestive system, deprived of nourishment for so long, had severely atrophied and she faced the risk of having three-quarters of her stomach removed.

Hearing this, Floyd nearly overturned the doctor’s desk in frustration.

“What do you mean ‘it can’t be treated’? How is that even possible? Her legs are just a bit fractured! How can you say she’ll never walk again?”

Tracie quickly stepped in to calm him down. “It’s okay. If the hospital here can’t help, we’ll take her to the city. If that doesn’t work, we can send her abroad. There’s always a solution.”

“Don’t you remember? My brother is a renowned surgeon,” she added.

Floyd’s brow remained furrowed, but his expression softened slightly. Whether he was truly listening to Tracie or just trying to reassure himself, he muttered, “Right. There’s always a way. There has to be a way.”

Lumina was rushed to the best hospital in the city overnight.

Tracie’s brother, Sean, personally took over her case and delivered a diagnosis that completely contradicted the previous one.

“Lumina’s legs aren’t a big deal; just a couple of days of rest and she’ll be fine.

“As for organ failure, that’s nonsense. The textbooks clearly state that someone who doesn’t eat can survive at least five weeks.

“I think Lumina’s just been acting a little too fragile, which led the previous doctor to misdiagnose her.”

The way they spoke, it was clear they were portraying Lumina as a complete liar.

Perhaps because the diagnoses were so drastically different, Floyd’s expression grew more complicated. He hesitated before asking, “Really?”

“Of course, really!”

Tracie smoothly looped her arm through his, her voice soft yet tinged with playful reproach. “Don’t you trust my brother?”

“That’s right!” Sean added, his tone serious. “Meanwhile, look at my sister Trace—her leg’s still giving her trouble after a whole month.

“If I’d known being around you would put her in danger, I never would’ve let her go with you!”

At that, Floyd finally believed, his gaze toward Lumina filled with nothing but disappointment and anger.

However, Tracie gently tugged at her brother’s sleeve and spoke up, “Lumina may have pushed me, but I’m sure it wasn’t intentional.

“She just loves Floydie so much that she made a rash decision. I don’t blame her at all.”