"I..."

Averie froze, Bryan's words catching her completely off guard.

Confusion clouded her wide eyes.

Not once had she imagined that his request would be for her to marry him.

Yet now, with her family bankrupt and herself newly divorced, how could she possibly measure up to Bryan, the man every woman in the country dreamed of marrying?

Catching the turmoil in her expression, Bryan let his voice turn cold. "You have one day to decide. Marry me, or we will never see each other again for the rest of our lives."

He understood her better than anyone. Three years ago, he'd stepped back out of respect for her pride, not wanting to force his help on her.

And what had come of that choice?

Averie had sought shelter in another man's arms, burying her brilliance to play the role of a housekeeper, sacrificing everything while receiving nothing.

He had watched from a distance, unable to intervene, as she bent herself small just to stay by Jorge's side.

To lighten her burden, he had even secretly backed more than one of the Hardy Group's projects.

His motives were simple.

Helping Averie's husband was equal to helping her.

He loved her so much that he didn't even mind her marrying someone else as long as she was happy.

Yet after three long years, Jorge had never acknowledged her openly as his wife, and more than once, Bryan found himself on the verge of confronting Averie, desperate to understand why she remained loyal to a man who kept her in the shadows.

But before he could do that, word reached him that Averie and Jorge got a divorce.

Disbelief still lingered around Averie like a thick fog at that moment.

Seated beside Bryan in his car as the city drifted by, she couldn't shake his words from her thoughts.

He wanted her to marry him...

That was a wish she'd cherished since childhood, but now that it was about to be real, a sense of uncertainty took hold of her.

Years ago, stubborn pride had kept her from accepting Bryan's help. She had convinced herself she wasn't worthy and poured all her feelings into Jorge, who was nothing more than a pale imitation of Bryan, the man she truly loved.

While Averie drifted in her own thoughts, a sudden shift in the air snapped her back to the moment; a strong presence leaned in.

Bryan's face appeared right in front of hers, leaving almost no space between them.

Warm breath brushed her cheeks, the closeness sending a tremor through her.

For a moment, their lips seemed only a breath apart.

Averie instinctively pulled away. "Bryan, what are you—"

Was he about to kiss her?

Before she could finish, Bryan's hand moved between them and, with a gentle motion, unbuckled her seatbelt with a faint click.

A glimmer of mischief flickered in his eyes, though his voice stayed level and cool.

"What's the matter? Did you honestly think I was about to kiss you?" he asked.

Averie quickly shook her head, flustered.

"Averie, think carefully about what I said," Bryan continued.

Averie was still in a daze when she returned home.

She barely had time to collect her thoughts before someone started pounding at her door, the noise echoing through the old building.

"Averie! Open the door!"

There was no mistaking Mia's shrill voice.

It didn't matter to Averie how Mia had tracked her down; she wanted nothing to do with Mia or her circle anymore.

But Mia's shouting only grew louder with each passing second.

The thin walls offered little privacy, and soon, an elderly neighbor upstairs was shouting complaints. With a weary sigh, Averie reluctantly opened the door.

Mia wasted no time, shoving an envelope into Averie's hands, her glare dripping with scorn.

"You know, my sister told me all about your little schemes. It turns out you seduced Jorge and tricked him into marrying you before. You are shameless. Good thing he has finally realized who really deserves him. My sister's so kind; she doesn't blame you for any of it. In fact, she even wants me to deliver this to you personally. You're officially invited to her wedding with Jorge. The celebration's on the seventh of next month, Skyline Hotel."

Mia spoke with so much smugness that it was almost as if she were the one who was going to marry Jorge.

Without missing a beat, Averie responded coolly, "Let those two have each other for the rest of their miserable lives. I want nothing to do with their circus."

Clearly not expecting such a response, Mia stood stunned for a moment. She had thought Averie would become furious, but Averie not only stayed calm but also mocked her sister.

Rage flashed in Mia's eyes. She lunged at Averie, hand raised as if to strike. "You bitch! Who do you think you are to talk about my sister and her future husband like that? It serves you right that your family fell apart; you bring nothing but bad luck!"

That insult was over the top. Her family was where Averie drew the line.

Without hesitation, she caught Mia's wrist, her grip unyielding, and delivered a sharp slap across Mia's face.

"Watch your mouth!"

Mia wasn't finished, still spitting venom.

"Your parents deserved—"

Averie cut her off with a flurry of slaps, her fury blazing as she gripped Mia's wrist tightly.

By the end of it, Mia's cheeks burned and swelled up.

Averie then shoved her, tossing the invitation onto her face.

Averie slammed the door shut with force.

For the first time in ages, a rush of relief washed over her.

Later that evening, she found herself staring at a headline.

"The Hardy Group's CEO and a Celebrated Fireworks Artist About to Hold a Lavish Wedding."

Even though Jorge no longer mattered to her, the thought of him giving the wedding she had once dreamed about to another woman still turned her stomach.

Nausea overcame her, and she collapsed at the toilet, vomiting until her body trembled.

Right on cue, Jorge called, his words slurred by too much alcohol.

"Averie, don't be jealous... Give me two years, and I'll marry you."

His voice sounded melancholy, as if he had a thousand things to say, but she didn't bother listening any longer.

With a single motion, she ended the call, not a trace of hesitation in her.

She felt she had been so foolish to have fallen for such a terrible person like him.

Suddenly, a surge of impulse overcame her, and she dialed Bryan.

"Bryan, my answer is yes."

A trace of warmth flickered in Bryan's gaze, melting the chill that usually lingered there, though he kept his tone cool.

"So, when do you want to make our marriage official?" he asked.

Averie glanced down, a soft flush coloring her cheeks. "Let's do it on the tenth, in the morning. That's five days from now."

That day would be the very day she'd participate in the fireworks competition.

***

Five days had passed.

Averie wore a red dress today, bold and vibrant, the color accentuating her confidence.

Bryan caught sight of her and couldn't help the amazement lighting up his features.

He cleared his throat, a playful glint in his eyes. "Trying to impress me already? You know, that dress makes it look like you can't wait to tie the knot with me."

Averie let out a light laugh. "I suppose that's true, Bryan."

Bryan froze for a second, caught off guard by her answer.

Did he really hear her correctly?

A genuine smile soon appeared on his face, pure happiness lighting up his eyes.

Behind him, his assistant, Alfred Edwards, turned his head away after noticing Bryan's smile.

He thought his normally stoic boss smiling like that was really odd.

Even after her marriage to Bryan was registered, the whole thing still felt a bit surreal to Averie.

Bryan said, "Now that you're officially my wife, don't you think it's time you moved into my place?"

The thought of sharing a home with Bryan sent a ripple of nervousness through Averie, but she pushed it aside; there were more pressing things for her to handle today.

The fireworks design competition demanded her focus.

She gave Bryan a determined look. "There's something important I need to do first. I'll call you tonight, Bryan."

Not waiting for an answer, she quickly flagged down a taxi and slipped inside, already thinking about her next steps.

Alfred watched her leave, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Mr. Flynn, is Mrs. Flynn heading to that fireworks contest we're sponsoring?"

Bryan slid into his car, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Take me there. This time, I want to witness the return of the dazzling Averie I knew."

***

Averie soon reached the competition venue.

The moment she stepped inside, she was greeted by the sight of judges and spectators crowding around Jorge and Rebecca, fawning over them.

"Mr. Hardy, Ms. Morley, you two really are a perfect match. Ms. Morley, your creative flair is simply unmatched; you could definitely win first prize in the International Fireworks Design Competition."

"The fireworks in that grand proposal—word is, you handled the fireworks yourself, Ms. Morley. Absolutely spectacular!"

"You two are so in love. Many people on the internet are shipping you! They can't stop talking about you two! Any plans for a child soon?"

Averie almost laughed aloud at those words.

Those fireworks had been her creation, not Rebecca's.

Yet, Rebecca accepted the praise without a hint of shame.

Blushing, Rebecca said, "You're all far too kind. If I'm honest, the proposal fireworks were probably the least remarkable among my works. As for having a kid, Jorge and I will let things unfold naturally."

Jorge stayed quiet, but the affection in his eyes for Rebecca was plain for all to see.

With all eyes on her, Rebecca finally noticed Averie standing nearby.

A faint smile curved on her lips as she walked over to Averie with Jorge.

"Ms. Peters, are you also competing today? I thought you'd retired for good—three years is a long time to step away from design. After such a long break, I doubt you can even hold a brush steady anymore. I'd suggest you back out now, before you embarrass yourself in public."

Jorge shot Averie a disapproving look, siding instantly with Rebecca. "Rebecca's right, Averie. Save yourself the humiliation and withdraw now. You don't measure up—not to Rebecca, and also not to the other competitors. Let's be honest, you won't even last past the first round."

Averie's lips curled into a mocking smirk. "Whether I embarrass myself is none of your concern. As for you, Ms. Morley, maybe you should start worrying about your own conscience. It's only a matter of time before the truth catches up to you for claiming credit for someone else's work."

"You..."

Rebecca's carefully constructed composure began to crack, anger showing in her eyes.

Jorge leaned in closer to Averie, voice dropping. "That's enough, Averie. I know you are just jealous. Walk away while you still have your dignity. I'll come see you later tonight."

The second Rebecca heard him mention seeing Averie later, her face twisted with jealousy.

Feeling disgusted at Jorge's words, Averie replied coldly, "What are you talking about, Mr. Hardy? We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Try showing up at my door tonight, and I'll have the police handle you."

Jorge's temper snapped, and he exclaimed, "Don't push me, Averie! I could have you barred from this competition in seconds."

Rebecca's smug smile returned at that. "He's right, Averie. No one here would dare cross the Hardy Group for you."

Before Averie could say anything, a firm, commanding voice cut through the tension.

"With me here, I won't let anyone force Averie out of the competition!"