Ana Spencer felt like she was drifting through life like a ghost, not even sure how she’d managed to find her way back to the Ryan estate.

As she stepped into the garden, she spotted Jalen Ryan on his knees, with his mother, Ruth, hovering close by. The second Ruth laid eyes on Ana, she stormed toward her, the sharp click-clack of her heels slamming against the pavement—and then bam, a stinging slap landed right across Ana’s face.

“You’re nothing but bad luck. Always bringing trouble on my son.”

Ana cupped her burning cheek, completely blindsided by the attack.

“Mrs. Ryan, I—”

“Quiet! Who said you could address me? How dare you show your face here again? Stay out all night and waltz right back in, flaunting those clothes like you’re announcing to the world you’ve been off doing God knows what with some lowlife!”

Ruth’s anger flared as her gaze latched onto Ana’s designer outfit. If it weren’t for this girl, her son wouldn’t be knee-deep in this mess. In Ruth’s book, Ana was nothing but trouble wrapped in pulse and skin.

Ana forced a bitter smile. She knew this whole situation was Jalen’s doing, yet somehow she was the one getting roasted for it.

“Mrs. Ryan, maybe get your facts straight before pointing fingers. You know damn well who’s really at fault here.”

“Oh, you’ve found your voice now, have you? Feeling all wounded? You’ve been living under our roof for years, clinging to my son without an ounce of shame. Jalen doesn’t want you, and whatever mess is going on, that’s on you.”

Having lost her father and depending on the Ryans for everything, Ana knew she had zero ground to stand on.

“What’s all this noise about?” Edward Ryan, Jalen’s father, strode closer with a stern face, shooting a cold look at Ruth. “Are you still putting on a spectacle?”

“Edward, just look at this! Am I wrong? Sure, you once had a soft spot for this girl, but now she’s damaged goods. A woman like that has no business marrying our Jalen. Elodie is a way better match—”

“Do you want to go kneel right out there next to your son?” Edward shot his wife a look so pointed it shut her up instantly.

Edward took Ana’s arm gently and led her inside. As she passed Jalen, she caught the raw hostility burning in his eyes, and her heart dropped into her stomach. It was crystal clear—whatever she and Jalen had was dead and gone.

In the study, Edward poured her a cup of coffee. “Ana, I know what happened. This is partly on me. Just calm down; I’ll make sure Jalen apologizes to you.”

Ana smiled wistfully as she set the cup aside. “Mr. Ryan, there’s no need. Some things can’t be forced. I’ve come to terms with it. Maybe…”

“Ana, I can bend on just about anything, but not this wedding. I made a promise to your father that I’d look after you. This whole disaster is Jalen’s doing. Tell me what it’ll take to make it right. He’ll stay on his knees until you’re satisfied.”

“Mr. Ryan, why are you pushing this? You’ve done more than enough for me. I can handle myself.”

“No! I have to keep my word to your father. Everything else is on the table. If Elodie’s presence bothers you, she can be sent abroad—whatever it takes for you to feel safe here.”

“Mr. Ryan, doing that’ll just make Jalen hate me even more. Can’t you see? He doesn’t care about me. I’ve tried everything.”

“Feelings can grow. He’ll come around. No matter what, this wedding is happening.”

Edward wouldn’t budge. Ana stared at him, her brows knitting hard, then stood. “Mr. Ryan, I’ve decided to move out.”

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes. Forced love never works. I wish you’d just let this go. My dad wanted me to be happy.”

“Jalen will treat you right; I’ll see to it.”

“Can you watch him every second, Mr. Ryan? You can guard a person, but not their heart.” As she peered out the window at that stubborn figure still down below, her chest felt heavier than ever.

“Let’s just end this, Mr. Ryan. I’m exhausted. I’ve made up my mind—it’s done.”

Edward saw the steel in her eyes and knew his son’s actions had carved wounds too deep. He stepped closer, his voice pleading. “Ana, give him one last chance. The invitations have already gone out, everything’s set—we can’t afford a scandal like this. I swear to you, he’ll do right by you. Do I have to get down on my knees?”

Edward started to kneel, desperate to sway her.

She rushed to stop him. “Mr. Ryan, you’re putting me in an impossible spot.”

“Please, just take a few days to think. I’ll be right here, waiting for you to change your mind. We’re not calling off the wedding.”

No matter what Ana said, Edward refused to let her leave the Ryan household.

He truly loved her like his own flesh and blood, but she couldn’t force herself to stay where she wasn’t wanted. Edward’s stubbornness only made it harder on her.

Soon, a heavy downpour started pounding outside. Watching from the window, Ana saw Jalen still kneeling in the rain, just as bull-headed as ever. The sight only froze her heart over more.

It felt like he genuinely despised her. Forcing them together was a dead end.

Jalen stayed on his knees a full day, finally collapsing unconscious in the storm. The house erupted into chaos as Edward and Ana looked on while he was carried inside, Ruth ramming past Ana with a glare that could kill.

“If anything happens to Jalen, I’ll never forgive you.”

Ana stayed stone-faced, just watching. The guy she’d poured seven years of love into was now someone she was ready to walk away from.

No point in slicing each other open any further.

Back in her room, Ana threw a few clothes into a bag and, under the cover of night, slipped out of the Ryan house without a soul noticing.

“Sir, Miss Spencer left this,” a servant handed Edward a note the next morning.

After reading it, Edward snapped at his wife, “Look at the damn mess you and Jalen have made. Find her! Whatever it takes, bring her back.”

Ana figured leaving the Ryan house would be the final chapter. She planned to slide back into her ordinary life, shut that door for good. But not even two days later, Edward Ryan showed up at her tiny apartment himself, begging her to come back.

“Ana, I don’t break promises made to your father. Please, come home. Jalen’s come around—he’s agreed to the marriage. Do it for me. Give him one last chance, yeah?”

Edward Ryan's stubborn persistence left Ana Spencer with no room to refuse.

When she finally nodded, Edward's face broke into a delighted grin. "Don't you worry about what anyone else thinks. I know exactly what's on your mind. Once the wedding's over, you'll have your own space, and if anything comes up, you just come talk to me. For now, I've set you up at a hotel where no one will bother you. Just kick back and look forward to being a bride!"

Ana was tucked away in the hotel, enjoying a few days of quiet.

On the wedding day, she woke up early, swarmed by a flurry of people fussing over her every little detail. She felt like a puppet being styled into something almost too perfect. Staring into the mirror, she saw a breathtaking princess looking back at her—regal and stunning. She'd always dreamed of this day, but now, her feelings were a tangled mess she couldn't name.

In the grand ballroom, guests packed into every seat. Everyone in the city knew about this wedding, and the crowd was full of big shots and socialites.

Ana had agreed to the marriage mostly out of gratitude for Edward's kindness.

As the clock ticked closer to the main event, Ana stood ready, waiting… but Jalen was nowhere to be found.

"Did something go wrong?" she wondered, catching Edward outside through the mirror, his face creased with panic as he whispered orders to the makeup artist. Something definitely felt off.

The makeup artist gave a reassuring smile. "Don't stress, Ana. Today, you're the bride. Just focus on looking gorgeous." Despite the soothing words, a knot of anxiety tightened in Ana's chest.

As it neared noon, Jalen still hadn't shown. Ana smiled faintly at her own reflection, fully grasping what was unfolding. She stood, ready to walk out, only to be blocked by the makeup artist. "Miss Spencer, the ceremony's about to start—you can't leave."

"There's no point pretending anymore—Jalen didn't come. How exactly is a wedding supposed to happen with just me up there?" If he'd planned to be here, he would have shown by now.

It was her own soft heart that had let this painful truth sink in. The night he walked out on her, she should've known she meant nothing to him.

"Let me go!"

"Miss Spencer, you really can't just walk out."

As they argued, the door swung open and Edward strode in. "Ana, it's time. The ceremony is starting. The makeup artist will take you to the hall—you'll see Jalen in just a second."

"Mr. Ryan, I…"

"Still calling me Mr. Ryan? Pretty soon you'll be calling me something else. It's tradition you two don't see each other before the ceremony, so don't overthink it." Edward shot her a reassuring look before turning away, his expression hardening.

"Did you find him?"

The people trailing behind him shook their heads, and Edward's face darkened with frustration. "Useless idiots! Can't even track down one person. I'll go drag that stubborn boy here myself! Keep an eye on things—don't screw this up."

"Go on! I've got everything handled here, don't worry." Ruth smiled sweetly, watching Edward's car drive off with a cold, calculating glint in her eye.

"Ana Spencer, I will never let a fallen woman like you ruin my son's life." She muttered under her breath, dialing a number. "Everything ready? Good, start now."

Backstage, Ana waited with the makeup artist, her stomach churning.

When the music started, Ana's nerves spiked. Had Jalen finally arrived?

The melody played, and a clear voice rang out from the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome today's star, the most beautiful bride, Ana Spencer!"

Every girl dreams of being walked down the aisle by her father. Today, Ana walked alone, but she still managed a smile, imagining her dad watching from above. She wanted him to see that she would be happy.

Standing on the stage, she was the center of everyone's attention.

"The bride is stunning, so our groom must be quite the catch too. Give a big round of applause as the groom makes his debut!"

As the seconds ticked by, Ana stood alone on the stage, waiting for Jalen, who never appeared. The guests started murmuring—a groom vanishing at his own wedding was serious gossip.

"I heard Jalen doesn't even care about Ana, he's just being forced into this."

"How pathetic can you get? If it were me, I would've never agreed to a marriage like this. Totally shameless."

Ana felt the weight of all those curious, judgmental stares, stuck there with nowhere to hide.

Then, images flashed onto the giant screen behind her. The crowd gasped. Ana spun around, her heart dropping as blown-up photos of her disheveled state from that night on the street filled the screen.

"Oh my god! So she's a total tramp, dressed like that at night—probably out hooking up, and with multiple guys even!"

"What a disgrace to her family. No wonder the groom didn't bother showing up."

"Look, she's getting into a car. Who knows what went down in there? Then coming out of a hotel in different clothes—shameless!"

The whispers grew into a roar, everyone pointing and gossiping, while Ana stood frozen. She had no idea where those photos came from. Scanning the crowd, she spotted Ruth smirking wickedly in the corner, and it all clicked.

Ruth had orchestrated the whole thing. She was out to destroy Ana's reputation.

Someone from the crowd shouted, "Why go through with this joke of a wedding? Get off the stage already! If I were the groom, I wouldn't have shown either."

Standing there, Ana clenched her fists tight. What had she ever done to deserve this? Why did Jalen's family treat her like garbage? Her quiet endurance had only made them bolder.

In that moment, rage boiled up inside her—toward everyone who had shoved her into this spotlight. She suddenly snatched the microphone from the emcee, facing the crowd. "The wedding is happening."

If they wanted a spectacle, she'd give them one.

She was about to go on when the doors burst open. A tall, commanding figure strode up the aisle, microphone in hand, making his way toward her.

"Sorry I'm late." Dazed, she watched him approach, the lights revealing his face. In that instant, Ana was stunned speechless.

How could it be him?

As he stopped right beside her, the crowd erupted in shock.

Because the man on that stage was none other than Desmond Spencer—the one person whose influence no one in this city could match.

It was supposed to be Jalen Ryan's wedding day, but somehow the groom turned out to be Desmond Spencer. And at this critical moment, not a single Ryan stepped forward to explain what the hell was going on.

Ana Spencer stood frozen, completely stunned and unable to process what was happening.

Desmond stood beside her, bathed in light, his thin lips curving into a gentle smile. His warm eyes captivated Ana in an instant.

"I, Desmond Spencer, vow to take Miss Ana Spencer as my wife. For richer or poorer, in good times and bad, in sickness and health, through joy and conflict, I will love you, be faithful to you, and stand by your side until we're old and gray."

His voice was soft as he gently took her hand. "Ana, will you marry me?"

Ana just stared at him, her mind racing, unable to find the words.

At that moment, Ruth Ryan stepped forward. "This is the Ryan family's wedding. Mr. Spencer, just what do you think you're doing?"

"Proposing. Wasn't that obvious?" Desmond shot back, utterly unfazed.

Ruth was livid, her face turning a sickly shade of green. Desmond was crossing every line, especially at someone else's wedding, but no one dared to challenge him.

"You call this a wedding without a groom? Tell Jalen not to bother showing up. The bride is coming with me," Desmond stated flatly.

The crowd erupted. This was straight-up bride-stealing! Desmond Spencer really did have the nerve to do whatever he pleased. If he took Ana now, the Ryans would be completely humiliated and Jalen's reputation would be shredded.

Sure, everyone knew Jalen was the one who didn't show, but having the bride whisked away like this was a whole different level of scandal.

"Mr. Spencer, even if there's an issue today, it's a Ryan family matter. What gives you the right to interfere?"

Desmond chuckled softly. "I'm just proposing to the woman I love. Is there a problem?"

He didn't even bother acknowledging Ruth. Turning to the guests, he continued, "I hereby declare the wedding between Jalen Ryan and Ana Spencer officially canceled. And soon, you're all invited to the grand event of Desmond Spencer and Miss Ana Spencer. Thank you very much!"

With that, he held out his hand once more. "Come with me."

Ana stood there on the stage, brow furrowed. If she left now, what would happen to the Ryans?

Seeing her hesitation, Desmond moved closer, his breath warm against her ear. "I'm giving you an escape route. Have you already forgotten what it was like before I showed up?"

Ana's hands clenched into fists. How could she possibly forget what had just happened?

She glanced around and it hit her—this wedding was never meant for her. Without Desmond's interruption, she would have had to call it off herself and face the humiliation alone, making her the laughingstock.

Compared to that, Desmond really had come to save her.

Resolve hardening her expression, she slipped her hand into Desmond's, and together they walked out of the venue, with no one daring to stop them.

The journalists eagerly captured every moment, already picturing tomorrow's headlines: "Ryan Wedding Shock: Groom Swapped, Bride Stolen!"

Ana had been bracing for disgrace, never imagining someone would actually rescue her at the most critical moment.

Once in the car, Desmond turned slightly to glance at her, like he was admiring a piece of art. He hadn't really looked at her before, but now he saw how stunning she was—the kind of beauty that grows on you.

Ana shifted in her seat, uneasy under his gaze. "Thanks for what you did back there."

"That's twice now, and all I get is a thank you?"

Ana faltered, realizing he was bringing up that night, too. But that night…

She was way too embarrassed to go there, and Desmond found her reddening cheeks utterly adorable. He couldn't resist teasing. "You got into my car all by yourself that night. Without me, who knows what kind of sleazeball would've picked you up?"

"Enough! I don't want to talk about that night."

"Heartless, aren't you? You use me and then refuse to take responsibility? I never pegged you for that type of woman."

"No, that's not it…"

"So you do want to take responsibility for me?" Desmond quipped, then turned to the driver. "To the marriage registry."

"What?" Ana yelped. "Why are we going there?"

"You said you'd take responsibility. Well, I'm yours now. Everyone heard it. You thought I was joking? How are we supposed to get married if we don't go to the registry office?"

In a panic, Ana grabbed his hand. "I'm really grateful for your help, but we barely know each other. Can we at least put the marriage off?"

Too much had happened today. She needed time to breathe and process it all—she couldn't just jump into marriage.

"You're not willing?" Desmond's teasing demeanor vanished, replaced by sudden seriousness. "Are you still hung up on Jalen after he left you at the altar? Don't forget, you're with me now."

"I'm not! I just…" She'd heard about Desmond's reputation—decisive and unyielding. She was genuinely scared he'd actually drag her to the registry office. Marriage was a lifelong commitment, and she couldn't make such a decision hastily.

"Then what?" Desmond pressed.

"Marriage is a lifelong thing. It's not some game. You barely know me, and I'm pretty sure you don't even like me. There's no reason to get married just because of some offhand words."

Desmond chuckled softly. "Are you serious? But you were ready to marry into the Ryan family just like that?"

"That was my father's dying wish. I didn't want to go against it unless I had no choice."

"That's some old-school thinking."

"Why did you help me?" She highly doubted someone like Desmond would fall for her at first sight.

"Because you were Jalen's fiancée. And more importantly, because you're mine now." His sudden sincerity made Ana shift uncomfortably.

"We're both adults. Can't we just pretend that night never happened?"

"No."

"Then at least, can we not rush into registering the marriage?" She looked at him so earnestly, completely oblivious to how amused he was.

This was the first time he'd met such an adorably innocent girl, just like that night—her awkward kisses and clumsy moves.

Looking at Ana, a smile tugged at his lips despite himself. "Alright."

When he agreed, Ana finally let herself relax a fraction. After all, this was Desmond Spencer, the cold-hearted "Man of Steel" according to his reputation. Yet the man in front of her seemed nothing like that.

The car pulled up in front of a bespoke dress shop. Desmond opened her door. "Out."

"Where are we going?" she asked warily, glancing around like she thought he might sell her off.

"You can walk out on your own, or I can carry you. Your choice."