My best friend held me tightly, her hand gently patting my back as she whispered words of comfort.

After the IV drip, I felt better, the haze in my mind lifting and my thoughts turning to my mother. I needed to be with her.

As we stepped out of the hospital room, my best friend flashed me a confident smile. “Don’t worry, Scarlett. In three days, you’ll be the most beautiful bride.”

Her words barely left her lips when I saw Alexander standing before us, his expression dark and unreadable.

The moment my best friend caught sight of him, she rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, “Jerk!”

I ignored her and locked eyes with Alexander, who turned his cold gaze toward me.

“Scarlett, my patience is running thin. This is your last warning; three days from now, I won’t be at your wedding…”

I met his gaze without flinching and replied, my voice sharp, “You’ve helped me in the past, but I’ve spent ten years by your side. Now that Madeline is back, we’re even. I owe you nothing.”

“As for the wedding, it doesn’t need to be you standing at the altar.”

It was the first time I had spoken to him so coldly in ten years.

A flicker of unease flashed across Alexander’s face, his heart skipping a beat. He parted his lips slightly, exhaling as if something had slipped beyond his control.

But the man who had always held the reins of power in front of me quickly suppressed the unfamiliar stir of unease.

Impatience flared in his eyes as he seized my injured hand, the pressure causing fresh blood to seep through the bandages.

Only then did he seem to notice the wound. “Your hand…”

Before I could reply, Madeline skipped out of the examination room.

Alexander immediately released my hand and rushed to support her. “Why are you out here alone?”

As he turned away, a cold sneer curled on his lips, his words dripping with disdain.

“Scarlett, don’t push your luck. Have I been too lenient, letting you use your mother’s illness to manipulate me? Aren’t you afraid you’ll really curse her to death?”

“You know I don’t tolerate disobedient women. And you know I have a hundred ways to make you behave.”

I watched his retreating figure, my words slipping from my lips in a whisper, “I don’t like heartless, secondhand men either.”

***

Just as I stepped into the hospital, a text message from an unfamiliar number flashed on my phone. [I’m in Finland. I’ll make it back before the wedding. Leave everything to me.]

A sense of relief washed over me.

Although the groom had changed, the wedding would still take place, and there was still so much to do.

Between coordinating with makeup artists and caring for my mother, my days had become a blur.

It wasn’t until the wedding day itself that I truly understood the weight of Alexander’s words. “I have a hundred ways to make you behave.”

To avoid any last-minute surprises, I arrived at the venue early to inspect the preparations.

But the sight before me left me stunned.

The decorations were being taken down, and the last bouquet of flowers was pulled away right before my eyes.

Panicking, I rushed to stop the worker. “What’s going on? I’ve already paid for everything! How can you cancel now?”

The worker gave me a pitying look and sighed. “Miss, it’s not that we want to cancel, but…”

“Think about whether you’ve angered someone. It’s not just us. I’m afraid no one in the entire city will dare handle your wedding now. We’ll refund the breach of contract fee to your account.”

A ringing buzz filled my head, and everything around me blurred into nothingness.

I slumped against the wall, feeling utterly helpless.

It was Alexander.

But I couldn’t make sense of it.

I had already decided to leave him alone. Wasn’t this exactly what he wanted? Why couldn’t he just let me go?

I thought about that as I hurried to the bridal shop.

Inside, I saw Madeline in my custom-made wedding gown, a crown perched on her head, radiating the arrogance of a princess.

Alexander stood beside her, gazing at her with eyes full of adoration.

I turned to leave, but my gaze fell on the charm necklace around her neck, the one that belonged to Alexander.

That charm had been something my mother had earned through years of bowing, each step taken with the weight of her frail body dragging her through the pain.

They didn’t deserve to wear it.

I stepped forward, extending my hand toward Madeline. “Hand it over.”

Madeline immediately clutched her neck protectively, glancing at Alexander with a look of feigned helplessness.

He stepped in front of her, shielding her with a frown. “It’s just a worthless trinket. Today is Madeline’s birthday. Don’t make a scene.”

“After today, if you want one, I’ll get you as many as you want.”

My eyes burned, stinging with the threat of tears.

When my mother had entrusted the charm to him, he’d promised to protect it.

But to him, it was nothing more than a “worthless trinket.”

Behind him, Madeline raised her brows at me, smug and victorious.

I couldn’t hold back any longer. My hand shot out, grabbing for the charm around her neck.

As I yanked it free, fresh scratches marred Madeline’s delicate skin, blood trickling from the marks.

I no longer wanted the secondhand dress or the secondhand man.

All I wanted was to leave with the charm.

But the bodyguards blocked my path.

Alexander leaned down to comfort the crying Madeline. “Hand it over now, and I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”

Madeline stomped her foot, frustration bubbling over. “Alexander, she hurt me! And you’re just going to let her get away with it?”

With a cold glance in her direction, Alexander silenced her.

I remained silent, clutching the charm tightly against my chest.

His patience, once so enduring, finally snapped. Step by step, he approached me.

The bodyguards pinned me down, and the charm around my neck was ripped away.

He casually tossed both charms into Madeline’s hands. “If you still want to marry me, behave yourself.”

Madeline smirked wickedly, lighting a lighter in her hand. “What should I do? I suddenly don’t care for it as much anymore.”

“No!”

I shook my head, desperation flooding through me.

Before my eyes, the last vestige of my mother’s protection turned to ash in her hands.

Anger roared through me. “Madeline, I’ll kill you!”

I struggled, but the bodyguards held me firmly in place.

I turned my hateful gaze on Alexander. “Alexander, why do you treat me like this? Was it wrong to love you with everything I had? Even if I was wrong, I’ve already given up on you! Why are you still doing this to me?”

Why…

Why was he so determined to destroy my hopes, refusing to help me fulfill my mother’s final wish?

Something in my expression seemed to reach him, piercing through his cold exterior.

The hatred in my eyes caused a rare flicker of confusion to cloud his face.

In his memories, whenever I looked at him, my eyes had always been filled with love and adoration.

Unconsciously, he moved closer.

But Madeline quickly stepped forward, wrapping herself around his arm. “Let’s go. The guests are waiting for us.”

He turned and walked away with Madeline, leaving me standing there, abandoned and broken.

I collapsed onto the ground, helplessness, and despair crashing over me like an unforgiving wave.

The wedding decorations were gone.

The wedding dress was gone.

Even the charm my mother had so carefully obtained for me was gone.

Even if Tristan made it back in time, I knew my mother would sense something was wrong.

In the end, I had changed nothing…

I wandered the streets, lost in a fog, letting the rain drench me completely.

Out of nowhere, a black umbrella appeared above my head, and a soft voice spoke beside me.

“Weren’t you supposed to get married today? Why are you out here, crying all alone?”

Sitting in the car, I finally recognized Tristan, though his face was unfamiliar.

He took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.

The warmth of the fabric chased away the chill deep inside me. I gave him a small, apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Tristan. Looks like the wedding won’t be happening after all.”

After all, the wedding venue was ruined, and Madeline had taken the dress.

With only two hours left before the auspicious hour, pulling everything together in time was impossible.

Hearing this, Tristan’s gentle expression darkened. “What happened?”

As I explained the situation, his tense features softened.

He smiled, leading me to another venue.

From a distance, I could see my mother being looked after by two professional caregivers.

Though her sight had failed her, her spirit seemed unusually bright that day.

I turned back in surprise. “How is this possible?”

Tristan smiled, looking warmly in his eyes as if he wanted to pat my head, but stopped himself at the last moment. “Forgive me for being forward, but I’ve been waiting a long time for this day.”

He led me to a room where makeup artists were already waiting.

There, hanging quietly, was a breathtaking wedding dress. I stared at it, momentarily lost in its beauty.

Tristan’s makeup artist's cousin smiled knowingly when she saw my gaze on the dress.

“Tristan refused to date or marry for years, but he bought this dress without hesitation. Looks like he was waiting for the one he truly wanted.”

I stood there, confused, fragmented memories flashing through my mind.

But there was no time to linger on them as the soft strains of the wedding march began to fill the hall.

Tristan and I walked to the stage together, our hands intertwined with the matching knots my mother had made.

***

Elsewhere, Alexander was immersed in the celebration of Madeline’s birthday, surrounded by friends.

Yet, no matter how lively the party was, the image of my hate-filled gaze refused to leave his mind.

A man of power, he loathed anything that disrupted his composure.

Even though he buried it deep, the unease in his heart wouldn’t fade.

Without warning, he pulled away from the circle, sang around Madeline, and dialed his assistant.

“Keep a close watch on Scarlett. Don’t let her stir up trouble.”

His assistant’s voice said reassuringly, “Don’t worry, President Adams. Miss Carter is getting married today. She won’t have time to interfere with the birthday party you arranged for Miss Landers!”

***

The wedding ceremony was a prolonged affair.

Even though my mother couldn’t see, she continued smiling in my direction.

Finally, I could put her mind at ease.

With tears welling in my eyes, I stood before her and vowed to live a happy life.

But just as we reached the ring exchange, Alexander stormed in, flanked by a group of his people.

The commotion disturbed my mother, whose face, despite her frail state, was uncharacteristically animated in her final moments.

Alexander’s voice was a low, menacing growl. “Scarlett! How dare you marry someone else?!”

He turned his gaze to my mother, whose eyes, despite their blindness, seemed unusually bright.

“You said your mother was gravely ill and that this wedding was her dying wish. Does she look like someone who’s about to pass? Did you trick me here for amusement?!”

Ignoring his outburst, he reached for my hand, but Tristan stepped forward, blocking his path.

I lifted my wedding dress and ran to my mother, who had suddenly lost consciousness.

“Mom!” I cried, but there was no response.

A single tear slid down from the corner of her eye.

We had been so close!

So close!

The medical staff rushed to her side and began emergency treatment.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

As I passed Alexander, I slapped him hard across the face, my voice choked with fury.

“Alexander! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”

After shouting, I followed the medical team to the hospital.

Alexander leaned silently against the wall outside the emergency room, his face ashen.

I was trembling all over, and Tristan tried to comfort me with a gentle pat on my shoulder.

But Alexander rushed over and shoved him away. “Don’t touch her.”