Eleanor Vance's slender fingers gently brushed over the diamond-studded train of the wedding dress. It had waited here nine times already.

Julian Croft hugged her from behind. "Sophie Reed said she wanted to be a bride just once. It's just an act.

I promised her parents I'd go through fire for her ten times. This is the last time.

Eleanor, you've always been the most understanding."

Understanding. The word was like a dagger, plunging precisely into the softest part of her heart.

The past nine times, every time the wedding was canceled, he had praised her for being understanding.

Because she was understanding, she could accept him abandoning the wedding to fly abroad and bring back a crying Sophie who'd lost her passport.

Because she was understanding, she could forgive him for spending their wedding day in the hospital with Sophie after a small fender bender.

Because she was understanding, she could tolerate him postponing the wedding because Sophie was threatening suicide after a breakup. He said he didn't want to upset her.

Reason after reason. All of them sounded reasonable, yet none of them made sense. Each one slowly drained her love and the strength she used to forgive him.

The vibration of a phone shattered the stagnant air.

Julian saw the name on the screen, and his eyes instantly grew tense.

"Sophie, don't cry.

How could the wedding dress not fit?

Wasn't it fine during the fitting?"

He turned and lowered his voice. "Don't worry, I'm on my way."

He hung up and turned back, his face a mixture of apology and entitlement. "Eleanor, about Sophie..."

"Go."

Eleanor cut him off. "Take the wedding dress with you, too. She'll probably like this one."

Julian hadn't expected her to be so direct, and a look of relieved gratitude washed over his face:

"Eleanor, I knew you were the most reasonable.

I promise, this is the last time!"

He took a step forward to hug her, but Eleanor subtly turned aside, avoiding him.

"Just go. Don't keep her waiting."

A flicker of unease inexplicably crossed Julian's mind, but the feeling was fleeting.

He took the heavy, magnificent wedding dress and hastily pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Wait for me."

With that, he strode out of the apartment, carrying the wedding dress that was supposed to be hers.

Half an hour later, Eleanor casually opened her moments, and Sophie had updated her status a minute ago.

"Our tenth mutual rush of affection."

The accompanying photo showed her in the wedding dress, making a heart shape with her hands for the camera, while Julian stood behind her, adjusting her veil.

The comments from mutual friends were even more heart-wrenching:

"A perfect match! Congratulations！"

"I always said Sophie is the most important person in Julian's heart. My intuition is never wrong!"

...

Eleanor walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The sunlight was blinding, but she felt no warmth at all.

She remembered a stormy night years ago, the out-of-control truck and the screech of brakes, and the young Julian who had pushed her out of the way without a second thought.

He lay in a pool of blood, smiling weakly at her. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

She had spent a full decade of secret and open adoration repaying that life-saving debt.

She had watched by his side as he ran to Sophie time and again, bound by his promise to her family.

She had sworn to herself that she would forgive him ten times, no matter what he did.

Ten times. Enough to repay the debt.

Now, the ten times were up.

She raised her hand, slipped the engagement ring off her finger, and set it on the coffee table.

Then, she dialed a number she hadn't called in ages.

"Hello, Professor, this is Eleanor.

I'm accepting the assignment with the remote-area relief team. The day after tomorrow?

Okay, I'll be at the airport on time."

Chapter 2

The phone screen lit up, Julian's name flashing in the darkness.

Did he finally feel guilty?

Or had he sensed something was wrong with her?

On some strange impulse, she answered the call.

Julian's voice came through the receiver, "Clear your evening. I'm taking you to that French restaurant you love."

Her favorite French restaurant. He still remembered.

"Okay."

After hanging up, Eleanor changed into a champagne-colored long dress he had once complimented and applied her makeup meticulously.

A sliver of hope bloomed in her heart. Maybe he would tell her, "Sophie's wedding is canceled. Ours is back on."

Arriving at the restaurant, the waiter led her toward a window seat overlooking the entire city's nightscape.

The next second, Eleanor's steps came to an abrupt halt.

At the table that had always been just for her and Julian, sat Julian and Sophie.

Eleanor wanted to turn and leave, but Sophie, with her sharp eyes, spotted her, standing up and waving enthusiastically:

"Ellie!

Over here!"

She rushed over, intimately linking her arm with Eleanor's, her voice sticky-sweet, "There are still some wedding details to sort out, so I pestered Julian to come here to eat and chat."

She blinked her big, innocent eyes, "Ellie, you don't mind, do you?"

Mind?

Eleanor looked at Julian, but he turned his head, avoiding her gaze.

She couldn't remember how many times Sophie had abruptly inserted herself between them like this.

And she was always the one expected to be understanding and considerate.

Before she could speak, Julian cut in: "She won't mind. Even Grandma, who's so hard to please, praises her for being so sensible."

A chill spread through Eleanor's heart.

Julian's grandmother, Helen. The woman she had tried so hard to please—bringing health tonics, giving antiques, even making slow-cooked soup herself—yet never earned a single word of approval.

"Nope, Grandma likes me best!"

Sophie showily raised her wrist, revealing a translucent, emerald-green jade bangle. "Look, Grandma said this is a family heirloom and just gave it to me.

She even said that if this wedding were really for us, she'd be truly happy!"

Julian's expression shifted slightly. "Sophie!

Don't talk nonsense. Grandma was just joking."

He looked at Eleanor. "Eleanor, don't take it to heart."

Eleanor stared at the heirloom jade bangle she had dreamed of but could never obtain, feeling as if her heart was being squeezed tight.

All her efforts seemed so ridiculous and pathetic.

Just then, a series of exquisite dishes were placed on the table.

Eleanor looked over the table. The foie gras was made the way Sophie liked it. The main course was lobster, Sophie's favorite. Even the salad had nuts—something she hated but Sophie loved.

Not a single dish was one she liked.

The "French meal you love" that Julian had mentioned had, it turned out, long since changed its leading lady.

"Ellie, try this mushroom soup. It's amazing."

Sophie enthusiastically ladled a bowl of mushroom soup and pushed it in front of Eleanor.

Looking at the soup with bits of mushroom floating in it, Eleanor's stomach churned.

She gently pushed it away: "Thank you, but I'm allergic to mushrooms."

Sophie's eyes instantly reddened as she looked aggrievedly at Julian.

"I knew it. Ellie is angry with me. She won't even drink the soup I served her."

Julian frowned at Eleanor, "Sophie was kind enough to get you soup. You should at least have a sip, don't be a killjoy."

Eleanor stared at him in disbelief. He knew better than anyone how severe her mushroom allergy was.

She had once accidentally eaten pasta with mushroom sauce, nearly going into shock and ending up in the hospital. He had been so terrified that he stayed by her side all night.

And now, he was casually telling her to "have a sip."

Chapter 3

"I'm allergic."

She repeated, her voice trembling slightly.

Sophie chose that moment to stand up, tears spilling down her face. She sniffled. "I knew I shouldn't have come. Forget the wedding. I guess I'll never get the chance to wear a wedding dress in my life."

With that, she started to walk out.

Julian frantically grabbed her, coaxing her in an anxious tone, "Sophie, don't go. It's not that serious."

Sophie, her face streaked with tears, cried, "Unless Eleanor takes a sip of the soup to prove she's not angry, I'll just go outside and let a car hit me right now!"

There it was again.

Eleanor sneered inwardly. The classic playbook: tears, tantrums, and threats of suicide. It worked every time.

Julian, just as expected, was completely cornered by it, his face paling in fear.

He picked up the bowl of mushroom soup and slammed it down in front of Eleanor. "One sip will, at most, land you in the hospital for a few days. It won't kill you."

It won't kill me?

Eleanor looked at the cruelty he showed her because of Sophie and felt that the man before her was a terrifying stranger.

Seeing her still stubbornly pressing her lips together, refusing to yield, Sophie started wailing about wanting to die again.

Julian completely lost his patience. He gripped Eleanor's chin tightly and forced the entire bowl of scalding mushroom soup into her mouth.

"Mmph!"

Eleanor struggled violently as the bitter taste of mushrooms, mixed with a burning sensation, flooded down her esophagus.

She choked and coughed violently, tears streaming from her eyes, a complete and wretched mess.

Sophie watched her miserable state and finally broke into a smile through her tears.

Julian looked at Eleanor's flushed face and let go. "See? You're not dead, are you?"

Eleanor slumped over the table, coughing so hard it felt like her whole body was being torn apart.

No, not dead.

But the Eleanor who had loved him for ten years and forgiven him ten times was, in this moment, killed by his own hands.

Eleanor struggled to lift her arm, trying to reach for Julian, who was just a few steps away.

Her eyes were filled with the terror of death and a final plea: Julian, save me...

Julian saw her pained expression and instinctively leaned forward to grab her.

But just as his fingers were about to touch Eleanor's fingertips—

"Julian!"

Sophie clutched her chest, her voice teary. "Eleanor is faking it. She just can't stand seeing you care about me, so she's using this to get your attention."

Julian's movement froze abruptly.

Tears instantly welled up in Sophie's eyes, her voice becoming as faint as a thread. "My chest hurts so much. It must be because I got too emotional just now.

Julian, I feel so awful."

The concern for Eleanor that had just begun to surface was instantly washed away by Sophie's ailment.

Without a moment's hesitation, Julian turned and swept Sophie into his arms, not sparing another glance for Eleanor, whose breathing was growing fainter on the floor.

He walked past her with Sophie in his arms and left her a cold warning. "If anything happens to Sophie, even if I let it go, the grandmother won't."

...

When she regained consciousness, the smell of hospital disinfectant filled her nostrils.

Eleanor was lying on a bed in the emergency room, a tube inserted into her trachea, her neck wrapped in thick gauze.

She tried to speak, but could only manage a faint, hoarse croak.

The curtain separating the next bed wasn't soundproof, and Julian's familiar voice came through clearly, laced with a tenderness and anxiety she hadn't heard in a long time:

"Doctor, does Sophie really not need a full-body check-up?

She must have the best medicine. There can't be any lingering complications."

The doctor sounded a bit helpless. "Mr. Croft, Ms. Reed's vitals are all normal. She's perfectly healthy."

"I don't care, check her again!"

A nurse murmured, "The patient in bed 36 had a tracheotomy and we couldn't even reach a single family member. The one next door sure is lucky."

Eleanor closed her eyes, tears sliding from the corners to soak her pillowcase.

Sophie's coquettish voice piped up, "Julian, I want to go back to the Croft family estate. I'll only feel at ease with Helen by my side."

The chaotic thoughts and her body's weakness dragged Eleanor back into the haze of unconsciousness.

Chapter 4

The next day, Eleanor insisted on being discharged against her doctor's advice.

Returning to the newlywed house she had meticulously decorated, she pressed her bruised finger against the fingerprint scanner.

"Beep. Verification failed."

She froze, then tried again.

"Beep. Verification failed."

Just as she was trying for the third time, the door clicked open from the inside.

Sophie, wearing a bathrobe with her wet hair draped over her shoulders, leaned against the doorframe, smiling at her:

"I had someone reset the lock. I'll be staying in the new house for now.

The fingerprints of anyone unimportant, of course, had to be deleted."

Eleanor's gaze went past Sophie to Julian, who was sitting on the living room sofa.

He pulled a key card from his pocket and tossed it over. "Sophie's in a bad mood and wanted a change of scenery for a few days. You can make do at a hotel for now."

Eleanor was already numb to this. She silently picked up the key card and walked to the closet, ready to pack a few changes of clothes.

However, when she pushed open the closet door, she was met with a scene of utter chaos.

Her clothes, shoes, and bags were thrown all over the floor. Her jewelry box was overturned, its contents scattered everywhere.

Suddenly, a thought struck her. She lunged like a madwoman toward the back of the wardrobe, fumbling for a wooden box.

It was the only memento her mother had left her, the most precious part of her dowry.

She let out a sigh of relief and carefully opened the lid.

In an instant, her breath caught.

Inside the box, the exquisite jade bangle and its matching jade necklace were shattered into pieces.

"Ah!"

A hoarse, inhuman scream echoed through the entire room.

Julian and Sophie rushed in at the sound.

"What happened?"

Julian saw Eleanor cradling the wooden box. He knew it was the only heirloom from her mother.

He stared at the shattered jade, stunned for a moment. "How did it all break?"

Eleanor snapped her head up, her eyes fixed on Sophie as tears streamed down her face.

Sophie, startled by her gaze, hid behind Julian and pouted pitifully. "I was looking for something yesterday and accidentally knocked the box over, and it broke.

Julian, I didn't do it on purpose."

Accidentally knocked it over?

The wooden box was heavy and solid. A simple fall shouldn't have shattered everything inside. This was clearly the result of it being smashed violently on the ground.

Eleanor roared and lunged at Sophie. "I'll... kill you!"

Quickly, Julian grabbed her and held her tight. "Eleanor, are you crazy?"

Hiding behind Julian, a flash of triumph for a successful scheme crossed Sophie's eyes.

Julian feigned anger and scolded, "Sophie, apologize to Eleanor now."

"Why should I apologize? I didn't do it on purpose."

Sophie cried out, resorting to her usual tricks, "That stuff belonged to a dead person! Keeping it in the house is bad luck. Maybe it's a good thing it broke.

Julian, she's trying to hit me over some worthless junk. I don't want to live anymore!"

"Enough!"

Julian cut her off irritably, then turned to Eleanor. "Eleanor, calm down. It's just a bunch of worthless old things. What's broken is broken.

I'll replace them with something new and better. You're about to marry into the Croft family. Wearing something like that is beneath you anyway.”"

Eleanor looked at the man she had loved for ten years and found the situation utterly laughable.

She broke free from his grip, raising her hand to slap Sophie hard across the face behind him.

Julian instinctively blocked it—

"Smack!"

The crisp sound of the slap landed on Julian's face, leaving Eleanor's palm stinging.

In an instant, the air froze.

Sophie was the first to react, immediately pulling out her phone and shrieking:

"Hello, Grandma? Eleanor's gone mad! She actually dared to hit Julian!"

Julian touched his burning cheek, his gaze turning completely cold.

"Eleanor, you're being completely unreasonable."

Eleanor didn't look at him again, nor at the triumphant Sophie.

She gathered the shattered jade back into the box, straightened her back, and walked out of the newlywed house step by step.

Chapter 5

Eleanor wandered aimlessly down the street when a black van suddenly pulled up beside her.

Several bodyguards in black suits rushed out and forcibly shoved her into the trunk.

The van stopped in the courtyard of the Croft family estate, and she was dragged all the way and thrown onto the cold, hard marble floor of the ancestral hall.

With a blood-soaked bandage wrapped around her neck, Eleanor looked up to see Sophie sobbing pitifully in Helen's arms.

"Grandma, you have to stand up for me.

She not only hit Julian, she was going to hit me too."

She held up her wrist, revealing a green jade bangle. "She's just jealous that you dote on me, Grandma."

Helen's face was stern, and she struck the floor heavily with her wooden cane.

"Sophie's parents died saving my son and daughter-in-law. She is the Croft family's greatest benefactor!

You dare to bully her before you've even married into the family, disrespecting our family's rules. Today, you must be punished according to the family code of conduct!"

Her sharp gaze swept over Eleanor, who was lying on the floor. "You, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Explain?

How could she explain?

Eleanor shook her head desperately, tears streaming down her face.

She raised a trembling hand, pointing to her own throat, then to Sophie, trying to babble out the truth.

Helen frowned in disgust. "What is this nonsense she's pulling?"

Julian stood aside, watching in silence, not saying a single word in her defense.

Sophie nestled against the old woman, a vicious glint in her eyes. "Grandma, don't be too angry.

We don't have to resort to the family code of conduct. As long as Eleanor is willing to kneel and bow to me three times, I'll let it go.

Eleanor looked at Sophie in disbelief. Kneeling and kowtowing—what a profound humiliation.

Julian finally stepped forward. "Eleanor, apologize to Sophie. It'll save you the physical suffering."

There wasn't a shred of concern in his eyes, only blame for her.

Eleanor shook her head frantically. No, she absolutely would not!

Helen lost her patience. "Incorrigible! Enforce the family code of conduct!"

The Croft family's code of conduct—silencing, slapping, and punishment by copying.

Two maids came forward, roughly tying a strip of cloth over her mouth, knotting it tightly behind her head, completely sealing the lips that could not speak anyway.

Then, she was forcibly held down at a low table, where a thick copy of the family code of conduct and quill and ink were laid out.

She refused to pick up the quill, and a maid beside her swung her arm—

Slap!

A loud slap landed on her face. Her ears rang and her vision went black.

Helen commanded in a cold voice, "Copy!"

Eleanor tremblingly picked up the quill. Under the dual torment of mind and body, her handwriting was crooked and shaky.

And for every stroke written incorrectly, or if her speed slowed even slightly, a merciless slap would fall again.

Slap—slap—slap

The sharp sound of slaps echoed in the silent ancestral hall, accompanied by her faint whimpers, muffled behind the cloth.

Eleanor's cheeks were already swollen and bruised, her lip was split, and even her breath carried the smell of blood.

After who knows how many slaps, she finally finished copying the required number of times.

However, the punishment was far from over.

She was forced to hold up the pages of the family code of conduct, filled with her transgressions, and read her mistakes aloud, word by word.

She could only make broken, "ee-ah-ooh" sounds, and for every mispronounced word, a heavy slap awaited her.

Before her consciousness faded completely, Eleanor used the last of her strength to crawl to Julian's feet, clutching tightly to his trouser leg.

“Julian… save… me…”

Julian looked down at her, a momentary flicker in his gaze.

But in the end, he slowly squatted down and pried her tightly clasped fingers away.

"Consider it an early lesson on the family code of conduct. It'll save you from making the same mistake after you marry into the family."

Chapter 6

That sentence was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

The light in Eleanor's eyes completely died out.

The process that followed became a hell woven from blood and pain.

Slaps, writing lines, malicious taunts—they ground her last feelings for Julian, her final fantasy of belonging to this family she once longed to join, into dust.

When it was all finally over, she collapsed onto the cold floor of the ancestral hall.

Julian reached out and forcefully pulled Eleanor up from the floor. "Get up. Grandmother is very pleased with your performance today. It seems this family code of conduct is quite useful after all.

Behave yourself from now on, and you can marry into the family without any trouble."

Eleanor's whole body ached. Hearing these utterly absurd words, a strange laugh escaped her throat.

Just then, Helen tossed a pair of dull, dusty silver bangles to Eleanor's feet with a clang.

"A reward for you. Consider it the Croft family's acknowledgment of your status as the granddaughter-in-law.

But remember this clearly, you will always be a step below Sophie."

The pair of silver bangles were crudely made and old-fashioned, not even comparable to something you could buy for a few dozen dollars at a jewelry shop.

Julian hurriedly urged, "Eleanor, hurry up and thank Grandmother."

Thank her?

For what?

For the family disciplinary punishment that nearly beat me to death?

For her cheap reward?

Sophie chose that moment to cling to Julian's arm. "Julian, didn't you promise to help me pick out jewelry for the wedding?

Let's go now,"

She leaned delicately against him, her gaze sweeping over Eleanor with triumph and contempt.

Julian immediately softened his voice: "Alright, I'll go with you now."

He supported Sophie and left the ancestral hall without a backward glance, surrounded by a crowd of servants.

The great doors of the ancestral hall closed, leaving Eleanor alone, crouched unsteadily on the ground.

That night, Eleanor didn't know how she survived.

The intense pain in her body, the suffocating feeling in her throat, the fiery sting on her cheeks—none of it could compare to the scenes replaying in her mind—

Julian's reckless courage when he risked his life to save her when they first met, his clumsy yet sincere and meticulous care when they were deeply in love.

To marry into the Croft family, she had endured Sophie's provocations time and again, swallowing the humiliation of being cast aside like a worn-out shoe nine times.

After surviving the night, Eleanor staggered to her feet and walked out of the ancestral hall.

The morning sun was so bright it stung her eyes, and her phone buzzed.

"Eleanor, the relief team leaves on schedule tomorrow. Be ready at a moment's notice. A car will pick you up for the airport."

The call ended. Her mentor's message pointed Eleanor toward her last path to survival.

If she could just get through tomorrow, she could escape this twisted place for good.

Her phone screen lit up again, the name "Julian" flashing.

Eleanor calmly pressed the answer button.

Julian's voice was in its usual commanding tone. "Eleanor, you'll be Sophie's bridesmaid tomorrow.

Get ready."

Even though her heart was already dead, Eleanor still found the request absurd.

She even let out a low laugh. "Making your legal fiancée be the bridesmaid for the 'fake bride' who's replacing her... what on earth were you thinking?"

"Your brains..."

She didn't finish her sentence. From the other end of the line, she could faintly hear Sophie's sobbing and Helen's coaxing:

"Julian, can't you even handle such a small thing?

It's Sophie's only wish."

Julian lowered his voice, "Eleanor, for the sake of marrying smoothly into the Croft family, for Grandmother to truly accept you, can't you be sensible just this once?"

Eleanor's fingertips turned white from gripping her phone so hard, yet she felt no anger.

This whole family, from the oldest to the youngest, was seriously sick.

Chapter 7

Since tomorrow was the day she was leaving, she might as well go see the wedding she had been waiting ten years for with her own eyes.

See just how ridiculous it could be.

"Alright, I'll go."

"Then come to the banquet hall for the rehearsal now. Don't waste any time."

When Eleanor stepped into the wedding banquet hall where she was supposed to have been the main character, everything before her felt like a different world.

The blue and white color scheme she had carefully chosen was completely gone, replaced by an overwhelming sea of magenta pink.

In the center of the venue, Sophie, her face beaming with excitement and triumph, was walking through the proceedings on Julian's arm.

Seeing Eleanor, Sophie's tone was exaggeratedly affectionate:

"Eleanor, you're here.

I thought you were mad at me and wouldn't come!"

With that, she grabbed Eleanor's hand without taking no for an answer:

"Come on, I'll take you to try on the bridesmaid dress. Julian and I picked it out for you together!"

Inside the fitting room, only the two of them remained.

Sophie picked up a coarse, outdated pink bridesmaid dress and held it against Eleanor. "Eleanor, look how well this color suits you.

You know, my dear Julian and I grew up together. When he was little, he said he would give me the grandest wedding one day."

She let out a soft laugh, her eyes glancing at Eleanor. "Alas, some people wait ten years and don't even get a glimpse of a wedding.

But me? I just throw a little tantrum, and here it is."

Eleanor watched her performance, her voice calm and steady: "Sophie, all this trouble you've gone to, is it really just to experience being a bride?

Or are you just trying to ruin my wedding with Julian, again and again?"

The smile on Sophie's face froze, and then she dropped the facade completely.

"So what if I am?

Eleanor, don't you get it yet?

Julian and that grandmother of his are so easy to manipulate. Just like back then, when my parents pulled a little trick and became the Croft family's great 'saviors'."

A little trick?

Eleanor sharply seized on this key piece of information, her eyes fixed on Sophie:

"What do you mean, a little trick?

Was the life-saving favor from back then a lie?

Your parents aren't actually dead, are they?"

A flash of panic crossed Sophie's eyes, but she immediately forced a calm expression and changed the subject.

"What nonsense are you talking about?

I'm warning you, Eleanor. The fact that my dear Julian would cancel his wedding with you for me, again and again, means he never truly wanted to marry you."

Anger, the shame of being fooled, and the hatred from her mother's heirloom being destroyed all erupted at this moment.

Eleanor grabbed a glass of water from the dressing table and threw it hard in Sophie's face.

"Ah!"

Sophie screamed, her face dripping with water.

At that exact moment, the fitting room door was thrown open.

Julian stood in the doorway, just in time to see Sophie's drenched and pathetic state, while Eleanor still held the empty glass.

"Julian!"

Sophie immediately threw herself into Julian's arms, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed, "Eleanor hates me for taking her wedding venue."

Julian looked at Eleanor, his tone bewildered: "How many times have I told you? This wedding is fake.

As soon as it's over, I'll immediately start planning our wedding. Why are you in such a rush?"

Listening to his self-deceiving excuses, a cold smile touched Eleanor's lips:

“I'm not in a hurry.

Julian, don't you worry.”

Her gaze shifted to Sophie, who was hiding in Julian's arms and secretly shooting her a triumphant look. “I promise tomorrow's wedding will be one Ms. Reed will never forget.”

The moment the door closed behind her, Eleanor pulled her phone from her pocket and stopped the recording.

Chapter 8

The phone screen lit up in the dark. Her mentor's message was short and firm: Be ready tomorrow morning. A car will pick you up for the airport.

Eleanor glanced at the night outside the window and stood up to begin her final cleanup before leaving.

The clerk at the wedding photography studio brought out ten sets of exquisitely shot but never-used wedding photos. "Ms. Vance, are you sure you want to destroy them?"

In the photos, Julian wore various suits, his smile gentle and assured.

And Eleanor, nestled beside him, her gaze shifting from initial longing to a forced smile, and finally to numb emptiness.

"Destroy them all."

Eleanor picked up a pair of scissors, cut her half out of the framed photos, rolled it up, and took it with her.

Returning to the newlywed house she had once considered "home," she entered using the spare code.

The inside was still in the same messy state as when she had left yesterday. She found the largest suitcase and placed all her documents and important belongings inside, one by one.

She looked around the place where she had lived for years, making sure no trace of her remained, then dragged the suitcase out and shut the door decisively.

Next, she contacted a highly efficient private investigator, sending him a large sum of money and information about Sophie's parents.

Before dawn, the investigator finally located Sophie's parents in a distant foreign country—the same parents who were long thought to have "died saving someone."

The private investigator spun the lies with ease, and soon they had a cheerful, heartfelt wedding video in hand.

By the time everything was done, daylight had already come

Eleanor changed into a perfectly tailored black Chanel suit, dressing in mourning for her absurd ten-year love affair.

She put on her sunglasses and drove toward the wedding venue.

At the entrance to the banquet hall, a huge welcome photo was displayed in the most conspicuous spot.

Some early guests had stopped and were whispering among themselves.

"Huh?

The bride doesn't seem to be the one on the invitation, does she?"

"She's been replaced. I heard this one is the daughter of a benefactor."

Eleanor pretended to be an ordinary guest, blending into the crowd:

"Mr. Croft abandoned his girlfriend of ten years and is now marrying this Ms. Reed."

Instantly, the surrounding chatter grew clearer:

"You really can't judge a book by its cover. I never thought Julian was that kind of person."

"Scumbag!"

As Eleanor listened to the reputation she had once desperately tried to protect for Julian crumble bit by bit, a cold smirk curved her lips.

She slipped away from the crowd and snuck into the dressing room, where the magnificent wedding dress she had once longed for was displayed on a mannequin.

Without hesitation, she took out the scissors she had prepared and cut and destroyed the inner support of the skirt.

On the surface, the dress still looked flawless, but once worn, after just a few steps, the skirt would collapse and tear, possibly even sliding right off.

What she couldn't have, she would see it utterly ruined.

The wedding dress, and Julian too.

Just as she walked out of the dressing room, she happened to run into the wedding MC.

Eleanor flashed a flawless smile and took out a USB drive:

"I was entrusted by the bride's parents to deliver their wedding congratulation video. They are abroad and couldn't be here in person, so they specially recorded this, hoping to give their daughter a surprise."

The MC, without any suspicion, gladly accepted the USB drive: "I'll be sure to play it during the most important part of the ceremony!"

Eleanor nodded her thanks and walked toward the side door in her heels, opposite the main entrance of the banquet hall.

Her phone vibrated. Another message from her mentor came through: "The car is waiting at the side door."

The emcee called out uncertainly from behind her: "Miss, aren't you going to the wedding?"

Eleanor didn't look back, just casually raised her hand and waved.

"Yes.

Please tell the bride and groom that I'll be blessing them every hour of every day."

She reached the side door, and sure enough, an inconspicuous black car was parked there quietly.

Just as she opened the car door, she caught sight of Julian at the main entrance, his arm linked with Sophie’s as they greeted the guests.

Julian's gaze swept past the side door, and he caught sight of a familiar silhouette in black.

His gaze froze, a flicker of doubt and confusion in his eyes.

However, Eleanor gave him no chance for confirmation.

She ducked into the back seat. "Let's go."

She took off her sunglasses, taking one last look in the rearview mirror at the rapidly receding hotel.

Goodbye, Julian.

Goodbye, ten absurd years.

Chapter 9

At the entrance of the banquet hall, Sophie was holding Julian's arm, enthusiastically greeting the guests, her face beaming with a triumphant smile.

She had schemed endlessly to finally stand by Julian's side as his bride.

Julian, however, was somewhat absent-minded.

The black figure that had flashed by the side door moments ago looked too much like Eleanor.

But shouldn't she be in the dressing room right now, putting on her bridesmaid makeup, waiting to hold Sophie's train?

Could he have been mistaken?

Eleanor had agreed to give up the tenth wedding far too readily, which, on the contrary, made him very uneasy.

But her subsequent actions toward Sophie seemed like another way of trying to get his attention.

A decade of knowing her told him that Eleanor was not the type of person to be two-faced.

"Julian!"

Sophie tugged his arm in displeasure, "The guests are talking to you. A wedding is so important to a girl, how can you be so distracted?"

"Is a wedding... really that important to a girl?"

Julian murmured to himself, his gaze drifting.

Sophie answered without hesitation, "Of course!"

Julian's gaze finally focused. "Then what about Eleanor?

This was supposed to be her wedding.

Besides, for the past nine times, I, as the groom, was either absent or postponed it.

Wasn't she heartbroken?"

Sophie froze, her heart sinking abruptly.

She had never imagined that at a time like this, Julian would think of Eleanor.

She quickly forced a smile, "Julian, Eleanor is so understanding and considerate, how could she hold these things against you?"

Hearing Sophie call Eleanor understanding and considerate only made the unease in Julian's chest grow stronger.

He abruptly grabbed Sophie's wrist. "Where is Eleanor?

I need to see her."

Sophie was both anxious and angry, trying forcefully to shake off his hand.

"Julian!

The wedding is about to start, what are you going to see her for?"

But Julian was no longer listening.

He ran, rushing toward the dressing room, leaving Sophie standing there, her face pale with anger.

Julian ran all the way to the dressing room door, his heart pounding violently.

He threw the door open—

"Whoa, the groom can't come in right now."

The makeup artist quickly blocked his path. "Some of the bridesmaids are still changing inside!"

Julian's gaze anxiously darted past the makeup artist; several figures in pink bridesmaid dresses were busy in front of the mirror.

One of them was tall and slender with long, flowing hair, her side profile looking exactly like Eleanor's.

Seeing the familiar back, Julian's anxious heart instantly settled.

He had indeed been overthinking it.

Eleanor loved him so much, had waited a full ten years—how could she possibly leave?

He raised his voice to the figure's back:

"Eleanor, as soon as this wedding is over, I'll marry you right away.

I'll definitely give you the grandest wedding!"

With that said, he turned and left, humming a cheerful tune.

The door clicked shut.

Inside the dressing room, the figure who looked so much like Eleanor turned around in confusion and asked the bridesmaid next to her:

"Who was that man talking to just now?

What was he saying?

I couldn't understand a thing."

The bridesmaid beside her looked her over. "Who are you? You're not one of the original bridesmaids."

The figure shrugged, "Oh, someone paid me to be a bridesmaid for a day."

Meanwhile, at the airport boarding gate.

Eleanor, dressed in a sharp, casual outfit, took her boarding pass.

"The flight will take off in an hour. Have a pleasant journey."

Chapter 10

Inside the banquet hall, several bridesmaids stood on either side of the stage with their heads lowered, including the stand-in Julian had mistaken for someone else.

Backstage, Sophie was finally wearing the luxurious main wedding gown she had always dreamed of.

She sneered inwardly: Oh, Eleanor, Eleanor, you're such a fool, giving away such a precious wedding dress just like that.

She wanted not only this dress and Julian, but also the entire Croft family behind him.

It wasn't for nothing that her family of three had painstakingly set that trap all those years ago, forcing her parents to hide abroad, unable to show their faces even now.

Thinking of the wealth and glory that were about to be hers, the corners of Sophie's mouth turned up uncontrollably.

She had Julian completely wrapped around her finger. As long as today's wedding went smoothly, she had ways to solidify her status as Mrs. Croft.

Afterward, she would just have to shed a few tears in front of Helen, and that old fool, obsessed with repaying a debt of gratitude, would surely force Julian to marry her.

Then, she'd find a way to "resurrect" her "deceased" parents. By forcing his hand, what could the Croft family possibly do to her?

"Ms. Reed."

The stylist beside her crouched down, carefully touching the hem of the wedding dress. "The structure of this inner lining seems a bit loose. Should we check it?"

"Shut up!"

Sophie snapped, shooting the stylist an impatient, arrogant look. "What do you know?

This was custom-made by a famous Italian designer. Someone like you has no place criticizing it.

If you break it, can you afford to pay for it?"

Chastened by her outburst, the stylist sheepishly closed her mouth.

At that moment, she had no idea she was about to pay a heavy price for her arrogance and conceit.

As Sophie waited at her designated spot by the banquet hall entrance, the master of ceremonies happened to walk by.

His face was plastered with a sycophantic smile. "Ms. Reed, rest assured, the blessing video from your parents will definitely be played at the most opportune moment of the ceremony. I guarantee it will bring the atmosphere to a climax!"

Sophie froze. "What blessing video?

My parents, they..."

But before she could finish her question, the wedding march had already begun to play.

The MC nodded at her, then turned and walked briskly into the banquet hall.

A sudden sense of foreboding swept over Sophie. Nothing could go wrong with the wedding, could it?

The next second, the MC's booming voice echoed through the speakers, filling the entire banquet hall:

"Let's give our warmest round of applause to welcome today's most beautiful bride!"

There was no time to think. The heavy doors before her slowly opened, and a spotlight hit her precisely.

She took a deep breath and, stepping to the beat of the music, walked toward the center of the stage where Julian was standing.

However, Julian's gaze wasn't on her, the radiant bride; he was anxiously searching among the group of bridesmaids.

In the dim light, he finally caught sight of that familiar back again and couldn't help but call out softly, "Eleanor?"

But the figure didn't react at all.

Julian instinctively started to walk in that direction but was stopped by the MC. "Mr. Croft, it's time to welcome the bride."

Helpless, Julian could only suppress his anxiety and go to greet Sophie.

On the stage, the MC was reciting the same old cookie-cutter blessings.

Suddenly, his tone shifted, his voice filled with emotion:

"Today, we have a special surprise for the bride and groom

Due to some special circumstances, the bride's beloved parents could not be here in person. They have specially recorded a precious video message and entrusted a friend to deliver it. Let's all share in this blessing together!”

What?

The smile on Sophie's face instantly froze. Her parents knew nothing about this wedding, so who was this friend they had entrusted?

Julian was also stunned, turning to look at the screen in confusion.

Before anyone could react, the massive screen on the stage lit up, and there on the screen were Sophie's parents—the very same parents who had supposedly died saving Julian's