I absentmindedly stirred with the spoon, coldly thinking to myself, ‘As expected, it has come.’

***

"You know, Winona has liked me for so many years and she has depression. I was thinking, can I go through a mock wedding with her this time and then we can have our official wedding? It would be like fulfilling the girl's dream and she won't disturb our lives anymore after that."

My hand, stirring the congee, froze.

I looked up at him in silence.

Cole seemed uneasy, his expression uncomfortable. "Stella, we owe it to her after all. She got depression because of me. You love me the most, you will understand me, right?"

Hearing those familiar words, I thought of countless scenes from the past.

Ever since I had completely fallen into the web of love he had carefully woven, he constantly tested my obedience under the guise of love.

For example, if Winona’s depression was triggered after seeing us together, he would ask me to buy her luxury handbags.

Or if Winona cried, he would blame himself, saying it was all because of me that he had let her down, hinting that I should transfer money to her or buy her jewelry to comfort her.

Until this wedding.

Before, Winona had indeed used her depression to threaten him, saying that if he didn’t hold a wedding with her first, she would end her life.

He thought I would compromise, just as I had so many times before. But he underestimated how much I valued this wedding.

For the first and only time, I refused to back down, firmly defending my own rights, even at the cost of a heated argument with him.

I told him that if he insisted on making Winona the bride, we would break up.

In the end, he chose wealth and status over Winona. And, astonishingly, Winona really did slit her wrists and die.

Now, facing the same situation once again, I looked at the uneasy Cole in front of me and didn’t argue or make a scene.

Instead, I smiled and replied, “Alright.”

Cole froze, his mouth slightly open, as if there were many persuasive arguments he had prepared but hadn’t yet voiced.

“Stella, you’re not angry?”

“No. After all, I’m the one you love the most, right? You only let her down because of me.”

With that, I turned and walked into the bedroom.

Behind me, Cole mulled over my words, sensing something wasn’t quite right but unable to pinpoint what it was.

Just as I was drifting off into a hazy sleep...

The mattress beside me sank slightly, followed by Cole's warm breath and restless hands.

"Stella, don’t worry. For you to make such a big concession for me, I promise I’ll never let you down in this lifetime. The doctor said the baby is already four months along. How about we…”

My previously drowsy mind became instantly alert.

I dodged his hand as it slipped into my nightgown, a wave of nausea surging through me.

I rushed into the bathroom and began to vomit.

He followed, gently patting my back, but the more he did, the worse I retched.

Before long, my mouth was filled with bitter bile, the taste and smell unpleasant.

Cole subtly stepped back, distancing himself from me.

I pretended not to notice, dragging myself back to the bedroom.

Cole followed behind me, holding a glass of milk and a small pill in his other hand.

I glanced at the milk and pill in his hands and shook my head. "I don’t want to take it."

He gave me a doting smile. "Don’t be stubborn. It’s for the sake of our baby."

In the end, I swallowed the pill.

After he left the room and closed the door, I spit it out.

I had once been so blinded by love that I never questioned anything. Only now did I realize it wasn't because I felt unwell that I had to take the prenatal medicine. It was because every time his phone vibrated, he would make me take that pill and each time I took it, I would feel very sleepy.

As expected, before I could think further, there was a knock at the door.

Winona’s tearful voice came through, laced with desperation.

“Cole, why aren’t you answering my calls? Have you fallen for that bitch Stella and abandoned me and our child?”

As she spoke, she eagerly threw herself into Cole’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

The sound of their wet kisses filled the air.

After a long moment, Cole finally spoke, his breath ragged. “Don’t you already know who I truly love? If it weren’t for the money, to give you and the child a good life, do you think I’d be willing to play along with her?”

“And what about the wedding?” Winona demanded. “I don’t care what you say. You must marry me first, or I won’t feel secure.”

“She’s just a lovesick fool,” Cole sneered. “Don’t be fooled by her cold demeanor at first. Now, she’s head over heels for me. The moment I bring it up, she agrees to anything. She’s so pathetic.”

Even though I had the memories of my past life, my heart still ached so much at this moment that I could barely breathe.

It turned out that Winona was already pregnant at this point.

It turned out that all my wholehearted devotion to him was nothing but "pathetic" in his eyes.

Tears slipped from the corners of my eyes, quickly soaking the pillow beneath me.

The sound of heavy breathing in the living room grew more intense. Through the gap in the door, I could see two intertwined, naked figures on the couch.

Winona’s tone no longer carried the earlier pretense of grievance. Instead, she was playfully coquettish, scolding, "Ah, be careful of the baby! Were you this impatient with Stella too?"

"Of course not," Cole replied with a chuckle. "She always acts so cold and distant. How could she possibly be as fun as you? You’re both due around February. When the time comes, we’ll just swap the babies and everything the Hale Family owns will be ours."

Their vile words filled my ears, each one stabbing deeper into my heart.

Beneath the blanket, my fingernails dug into the palms of my hands. The sharp pain was unable to numb the overwhelming ache in my chest. My entire body felt paralyzed from the anguish.

The two of them continued their entanglement for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, Winona wrapped her arms around Cole’s neck, her voice dripping with flirtation. "I’ve got a new outfit I just received today, want to try it out?"

Without hesitation, Cole picked her up and carried her off to another "battlefield."

Exhaustion overwhelmed me and I drifted into a deep, restless sleep.

The next morning, I called my mother.

When I told her that Cole wanted to hold a ceremony with Winona first, she was so furious that she abandoned her usual composure and burst into a stream of curses.

After hearing me say that I was willing to go along with the family’s arranged marriage, she let out a deep sigh. "Ah, your father and I always felt something was off about Cole. His gaze was never sincere and he didn’t seem reliable. It’s a relief that you’ve come to your senses through this matter. They’ve been urging us, so if you’ve made up your mind, let’s proceed in three days."

Hearing that, I fell silent.

Three days later was the exact date originally set for my wedding with Cole.

Just as I hung up the call with my mother, I heard the sound of the door opening.

Cole walked in carrying breakfast. The moment he saw me, he placed the food on the table.

The scent of gardenias wafted into my nose. It was Winona's favorite. The intensity of the aroma was enough to confirm how "eventful" their night must have been after leaving here.

Frowning, I pushed away Cole, who was reaching out to embrace me. "The smell on you is too strong. It’s nauseating."

He sniffed his arm and let out an awkward laugh, his expression slightly unnatural.

Seeing that I wasn’t planning to pursue the matter, he eagerly opened the breakfast and pushed it toward me. "It’s your favorite, century egg and lean pork congee."

I didn’t touch my spoon. I wanted to argue but realized it was pointless.

The first time he made congee for me, I had already told him that I didn’t like the taste of century eggs. Yet, he insisted on adding them every time, claiming it was my favorite.

Back then, I thought it was just the carelessness of a man.

It wasn’t until this morning, when I used an alternate account to check Winona’s social media, that I realized century egg and lean pork congee was her favorite, not mine.

Even his cooking skills were learned for Winona.

I used to watch his back as he made congee in the kitchen and felt a sense of happiness. But now, every frame of that memory felt painfully ironic.

"I don't feel like eating right now. Maybe later."

Seeing that I really didn’t have an appetite, he hesitated for a moment before bringing up the matter of Winona’s wedding dress.

It turned out that it wasn’t just the wedding itself. Winona wanted everything: my wedding dress, my ring, even my bouquet.

"Of course, if you’re not willing..."

"It’s fine," I interrupted calmly and smiled generously. If I no longer cared for Cole, why would I care about these custom-made possessions tied to him?

Cole froze in place, staring at my calm gaze. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.

Since the rings had been custom-made using my ID, he needed me to accompany him to have the size and name changed.

When we arrived at the jewelry store, I saw the pair of long-awaited rings now worn on Cole’s and Winona’s fingers.

The store staff kept complimenting how well-matched they looked, like a couple destined to be together.

That was, until Winona requested the names on the rings to be changed to hers. The clerk’s smile froze in place.

She turned to look at me, hesitating. “So, which one of you is Miss Hale?”

I stepped forward and said calmly, “That would be me.”

I glanced at Winona and Cole, their fingers intertwined as they posed for photos and chuckled lightly.

“If she likes the ring so much, let’s go with her idea. I’m willing to let her have it,” I said, my tone calm and indifferent.

After urging the jeweler to make the adjustments, Winona and Cole, without missing a beat, dragged me to the bridal shop next.

Thanks to my parents’ upbringing and their emphasis on quality, the wedding gown was designed to be bold and elegant, perfectly highlighting my striking temperament.

Worn by the petite and delicate Winona, the wedding gown instantly lost its original charm. In the mirror, she looked more like a maid trying on the clothes of a noble lady.

Even Cole couldn’t help but suggest, “Maybe it’s better to pick one that suits you more.”

But Winona stubbornly insisted on this one.

Cole looked at me, caught in a dilemma. He knew how much this wedding and especially this gown meant to me. I had spent six months carefully selecting it.

Every diamond on the gown was carefully chosen after discussions with the designer. That’s why it wasn’t until three days before the wedding that the final adjustments were made.

I had once dreamed of being Cole's most beautiful bride. Now, it seemed unnecessary. Even this wedding dress made me feel utterly ridiculous.

“Stella, I love Cole just like you do, you know that. I even developed depression because of him. Before, you tolerated me, gave in to me and bought me so many nice things. Now, I’ve truly decided to let go. You wouldn’t even refuse to let me have this wedding dress, would you?”

Winona spoke with a pitiful tone, as if I had wronged her. Cole looked at her with so much sympathy, his worry evident in his eyes.

"Stella, I never realized you could be so petty! It's just a wedding dress! You know Winona has depression, why are you making such a fuss about it?"

I studied them carefully, watching their expressions become uncomfortable. Only then did I smile and nod. "Of course, if you like it so much, take it. I'm not the storekeeper; I can't stop a sale."

With that, I went to speak with the shopkeeper, explaining that I agreed to let Winona have the dress. The whole ordeal dragged on until evening.

Cole then mentioned my pregnancy, urging me to go rest early.