Olivia laughed triumphantly and urged Cole to hang up.

Henry's face clouded with shame. He couldn't bring himself to ask me to keep waiting for Cole to come around.

"You're sure about Julian? His background—"

I cut him off, my gaze locked on the turbulent depths of Julian Harrington's eyes. I drew a deep breath. "I choose him."

My mother had once mentioned seeing Julian at an exclusive private auction. This illegitimate son was far more complicated than Henry imagined.

Love or money—I had to secure one of them.

The groom's attire would need remaking, so Julian and I set our wedding for a week later. Henry's eyes held a complex expression as he sighed heavily. "The day you marry, I'll announce the change in Harrington family inheritance."

With the groom changed, everything else had to follow suit. When I visited the jewelry store to select new wedding bands, I unexpectedly ran into Cole and Olivia, just returned to the country.

Our eyes met, and the warmth drained from Cole's face. "Avery, you're quite something—managing to convince Grandpa to freeze my cards."

His voice dripped with disdain. "I've always hated being forced into things. Don't think just because I'm back, I'll marry you."

A flicker of annoyance crossed his features. "What, you tracked my movements and came here to ambush me?"

Olivia gave him a playful shove. "She's devoted to you—don't be so harsh!"

Without any pretense of discretion, she linked her arm through his and grinned at me. "That's just how he is. Don't take it personally. I promise I'll train him up properly before handing him back to you."

Cole let her cling to him, his expression one of pure indulgence.

But before, when we'd shopped together and I'd merely tried to hold his hand, he'd always slip away with practiced ease. "So many people watching—it's awkward."

So, it was only my touch that felt awkward.

I breathed deeply, forcing down the storm of emotions roiling inside me. "Don't worry. I won't force you to marry me."

Cole blinked, his brow furrowing just as a sales associate approached. "Miss Monroe, your wedding rings are ready."

He scoffed, an eyebrow quirking upward. "Picking out wedding rings, and you claim you don't want to marry me?" He grabbed my hand. "Put it on. Let me see how it fits."

His voice faltered. His gaze fixed on the faded indentation around my finger where a ring used to sit. "Where's the ring I gave you?"

"I threw it away." My voice was flat.

The day I decided to switch grooms, I'd tossed it. It was the first gift Cole had ever given me, our initials engraved inside the band. The notoriously unyielding young master's ears had turned uncharacteristically red as he shoved it into my hand. "I engraved it myself. Lose it, and you'll answer to me."

But in the end, he was the one who lost it first.

When I fished his broken ring from the trash, Cole rubbed his nose sheepishly. "Liv got drunk and insisted on seeing it. Next thing I knew, it was like this. Just throw it out—I'll make you another one."

But I waited. I waited until the mark on his finger faded completely.

He never did.

Cole's brow furrowed deeply, his gaze fixed irritably on my empty hand. "Can you stop with the games? I told you I'd marry you, and I meant it. There's no need for these little manipulative tricks."

Olivia tugged at his sleeve, pouting. "Cole, this is the latest limited edition! I've been trying to get my hands on it forever!"

His frown softened as he handed her the ring box. "Want to try it on?"

Her eyes lit up, and she reached for the box.

I caught her wrist, my voice turning cold. "Did no one ever teach you not to touch things that don't belong to you?"

Before I'd even applied any pressure, Olivia's eyes welled up, and she cried out in pain.

Cole panicked and shoved me aside. My lower back slammed into a sharp table corner, and the agony made my vision go white.

Olivia blinked back tears, her voice accusatory. "I just wanted to look. Why did you have to be so rough?"

Cole's face twisted with concern for her as he shouted at me. "She's crying from the pain, Avery! Don't you think you've gone too far?"

He didn't even notice my ashen face, the result of genuine agony.

It was always like this. Whenever Olivia so much as furrowed her brow or shed a single tear, he'd rush unwaveringly to her defense.

I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat and held out my hand. "Those are my wedding rings. Give them back."

His expression hardened as he pressed the box into Olivia's palm. "This style isn't right for wedding bands. Pick something else."

Wrong for a wedding ring. Another convenient excuse to make me yield to Olivia.

And besides, I wasn't marrying him anymore. Why should his opinion matter?

I opened my mouth to tell Cole about the change in grooms, but he'd already scooped Olivia into his arms. "I don't want to hear your justifications. If you keep targeting Liv, I'll have to seriously reconsider our relationship."

I watched his retreating back, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.

'No need, Cole. I've already made that decision for you.'

In the days leading up to the wedding, gossip about Cole and Olivia's romantic getaway flooded every corner of social media. Everyone was waiting to see how I'd react.

The social circle had even started taking bets—most convinced I'd marry Cole no matter how many times he abandoned me. Word had it that when Olivia learned the families were planning another wedding, she'd thrown in her entire savings, hoping to cash in.

This time, though, she was about to lose every last cent.

On the morning of the wedding, my phone rang before I'd even fully woken up. My assistant's voice crackled with panic. "Miss Monroe, Cole and his people are tearing apart the wedding venue!"

He'd fled from his own wedding, and now he wanted to ruin mine?

I arrived at the hotel, fury simmering beneath the surface. Cole stood directing workers to dismantle the flower arrangements. Before I could get a word out, he rounded on me.

"Didn't I tell you we're not getting married yet? What is this—forcing my hand by presenting me with a fait accompli?" He stepped closer, his voice cold. "Liv was very upset about that ring incident. Until she gives her blessing, the wedding's off."

I blocked a worker heading for the door, my voice icy. "Put everything back."

Cole's face darkened. "Don't listen to her!"

He turned to me, sneering. "Don't forget—I'm the Harrington heir. Even if she marries in, she answers to me."

'The heir? Not for much longer, Cole.' I smirked.

I was reaching for my phone to call the Harrington family when Olivia swept through the door in a wedding gown. She twirled, the skirt billowing around her, and batted her eyelashes at Cole. "I only mentioned I liked it, and you insisted I try it on. If you dare say I look bad, you'll pay!"

As if noticing me for the first time, she widened her eyes. "Avery? What are you doing here?"

I caught the accusatory undertone in her voice and smiled coldly. "Do I need your permission to attend my own wedding?" My gaze dropped to the dress. "Are you taking that off yourself, or do I have to get someone to help you?"

Cole stepped protectively in front of her. "Avery, enough!"

He'd trashed my wedding venue and she was wearing a gown that took two years to make—and I was the one going too far?

I turned to the security guards by the door. "Remove them both."

Cole grabbed my wrist, anger blazing in his eyes. "Playing the lady of the house before you've even married in?" He shoved me away and raised his voice. "Take everything out of here and burn it. Let her learn some respect."

The Harrington family, in a gesture of apology, had provided the staff for today's wedding. Unaware that the succession had changed, they scrambled to obey Cole's orders.

I watched a worker carry a portrait from the room and lunged forward. "Put that down."

The woman in the portrait gazed at me with gentle eyes, like a silent comfort. My nose stung, and I nearly burst into tears.

My mother had died young, leaving behind only this painting—one she'd commissioned before her passing. She said she wanted to watch over me through those painted eyes, hoping I'd find a good man and live a happy life.

This was my most precious possession, and Cole knew it well.

He hesitated for a moment, then pointed toward the hallway. "Set that painting aside for now."

Olivia's eyes flickered. She darted forward and snatched the portrait from the worker. "Cole's right—such a valuable item deserves careful handling."

She spoke of care, yet as she passed by, she deliberately dropped a lit lighter.

Flames leaped hungrily at the delicate paper. My mother's image crumbled into ash before my eyes.

I lunged forward, vision blurring with rage, but my hands closed on nothing but cinders.

"Oh, Avery, I'm so sorry! The frame was too heavy—I couldn't hold on."

At Olivia's saccharine apology, something inside me snapped. I slapped her.

She shrieked. I struck her again. And again.

Then, searing pain tore through my scalp.

Cole yanked me back by my hair, his face dark with fury. "Have you lost your mind, Avery? Attacking Liv over some worthless old painting?"

Worthless? Old painting?

I stared at him, disbelief carving a hollow in my chest. He knew. He knew this was my mother's portrait.

Something flickered across his face. His lips parted—

But Olivia clutched her cheek, sobbing. "Cole, my face! What if I'm scarred? I'd rather die!"

He folded her in his arms, murmuring soft reassurances.

She wouldn't be placated. "Cole, why won't you defend me? Don't you care about me at all? My parents are gone—if you abandon me too, I might as well end it all!" She made a show of climbing toward the window, sending everyone scrambling to restrain her.

Watching the chaos unfold, Cole clenched his jaw. His voice went cold. "Cut her face. Avery doesn't get her wound treated until every one of Liv's bruises has healed."

A staff member dared to protest, warning of consequences.

Cole's laugh was brittle. "So what if the Monroe family objects? I'm the Harrington heir. You think Grandpa would punish me for an outsider?"

When no one moved to obey, he seized the knife himself.

He gripped my chin but couldn't meet my eyes. "This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't hurt Liv first."

I looked at Olivia's face—the faintest red marks, barely visible. I swallowed the metallic taste of blood and laughed through my tears. "Cole, the biggest mistake of my life was ever loving you."

Something in my voice made him flinch. His hand trembled, the blade catching my brow. A thin line of blood welled up, warm against his fingers.

He froze.

Olivia's voice cut through. "Cole! Are you feeling sorry for her? Are you leaving me?"

His jaw tightened. His grip on the knife steadied. "Forgive me, Avery."

The blade glinted again—

The door slammed open.

The blade stopped a hair's breadth from my eye.

Julian's hand locked around Cole's wrist. Cole's face twisted. "You?"

Disdain dripped from his voice. "An illegitimate bastard dares to challenge me?"

Julian smiled softly. In one motion, he swept me into his arms. Cole was too stunned to react.

"If you harm my wife again," Julian said, "I'll have no choice but to kill you."