My marriage certificate with Andrew Baker was always one final step away.

Over the past three years, we have attempted to register for thirty times, each ending in disaster.

First, a deranged homeless man stabbed me four times outside the Civil Registry Office, nearly killing me.

Second, a speeding motorcycle crushed my hand.

Third, trapped at the center of fire in a mall for three hours.

......

Everyone urged me to break off the engagement with Andrew.

Yet I refused to give up.

On the thirty-first attempt, a falling billboard put me straight in the ICU.

Cracked skull, severe concussion, over a dozen critical condition notices......

I fought for two months to survive.

But upon discharge, I overheard Andrew talking to his friend.

"If you truly love that student from impoverished background and want out, just tell Amanda Davis directly. Why orchestrate all these accidents?"

"She almost died."

Andrew fell silent for a long moment, his voice heavy.

"I have no choice. Her family saved my life ten years ago. Her parents died because of it. This engagement is t's a debt of life I have to repay.."

"But I love Kimberly Nguyen. She's the only one I want."

Staring at my scar-covered body, I broke down sobbing.

Every ounce of suffering wasn't an accident—it was deliberate.

Since he could't make the choice, I would make it for him.

——

"You're calling off the engagement?!"

Mrs. Baker's eyes widened in sheer shock, and she was speechless for a good while..

After all these years, she understood better than anyone else just how obsessed I was with Andrew.

Unaware of the truth, Betty Baker tried persuading me.

"Amanda, reconsider. Once you and Andrew get the certificate, Mom will throw you the grandest wedding. You'll want for nothing."

I remained silent, casually tapping the audio recording from my hospital stay.

The played conversation choked Betty's words in her throat.

"Three years. Thirty-one attempts. Every single time, he engineered those 'accidents.'"

Calmly, I placed the stack of surgical reports and critical notices before Betty.

"If marriage chains him, I won't force it. Ending this benefits us both."

The truth pouring from the recording left Mrs. Baker trembling from head to toe, shaking with pure rage.

After seeing my scars, she finally nodded in resignation.

"Your parents asked me to care for you before they passed, yet this happened..."

"The Baker family owes you."

My nose stung as I swallowed the bitterness.

Exiting the estate, I found Andrew's car idling roadside.

He rolled down the window, his expression detached, all business.

"The Civil Registry Office is still open. Let's get the certificate now."

My gaze shifted to the passenger seat.

Kimberly sat quietly, eyes rimmed red like she'd endured grave injustice.

At the word "certificate," her body flinched.

Andrew stepped out, blocking my view of Kimberly.

He hesitated before speaking to me with stiff tone.

"I admit... I've developed loving feelings for Kimberly."

But don't worry, I won't forget my responsibilities."

"You don't need to worry about the engagement."

The word "responsibilities" hit me like a hammer, stealing my breath.

I dropped my gaze, my voice hollow. “Some other time. What’s a few more days after three years?”

Andrew's eyes flickered with surprise.

For three years, I'd been the one desperate to get married. The moment I recovered, I'd drag him to the Civil Registry Office.

I stepped back, ready to leave.

Just then, Kimberly exploded out of the car and clamped her hand around my wrist.

"Andrew's a good man. He's taken care of me all these years. Treat him well after you marry."

Her eyes burned with resentment.

Her words churned my stomach, sickening me.

I shoved her hand away dismissively.

But Kimberly used the momentum to slap herself hard across the face.

From Andrew's angle, it looked like I'd struck her.

Sure enough, Andrew strode forward, shielding Kimberly behind him.

He anxiously studied the red swelling on her cheek.

When he looked up at me, fury filled his eyes.

"You claim you don't want to get married, so you take your petty rage out on her?"

As Andrew led Kimberly away, he paused and glanced back coldly.

"Amanda, your dead parents would be so disappointed seeing you like this."

My explanations died on my tongue.

I stood frozen as the dust kicked up by the tires stung my eyes.

Only when my phone buzzed did I slowly snap back to reality.

[Ms. Davis, your second brain scan results are in. The situation isn't promising.]

After getting the diagnosis from the attending physician, I sat on a roadside bench for a long time.

Mid-to-late stage brain cancer.

"If you have surgery now, there’s still a window."

The doctor's words echoed relentlessly in my mind.

Ten years ago, during a tsunami, my parents had perished saving Andrew. In the aftermath,Davis Group declared bankruptcy.

Even my survival to adulthood was only possible because Betty adopted me out of gratitude.

My savings weren't enough to cover the surgery.

After much thought, I finally decided to visit Andrew's company.

Andrew's office door stood wide open. Kimberly was arranging flowers by his desk.

My footsteps faltered.

Having been with Andrew so long, I knew he disliked flowers.

Yet anything from Kimberly seemed to change his preferences.

Andrew looked up and saw me. He straightened slightly, the mildness on his face evaporating.

"Why are you here?"

"Could you lend me money? I'll repay you."

I laid bare my intention—I still wanted to live.

"Miss Davis, I heard you’ve been mooching off the Bakers since your parents died. Food, clothes, everything—all on their dime."

"Now you come begging for more? How shameless."

"Did you only agree to marry Andrew to be a gold digger?"

Kimberly's tone dripped with disdain, her eyes challenging.

I ignored Kimberly's taunts and fixed my eyes on Andrew.

He deliberately avoided my gaze, his voice turning icy.

"Kimberly's right."

"Figure out the money yourself. Once we're married, I'll have repaid your parents' debt in full."

My clenched fist slowly relaxed. His indifference chilled me to the bone.

Beneath the desk, Andrew and Kimberly's fingers intertwined.

On his hand still rested the thumb ring my father left before dying.

"No need to wait for marriage."

My voice emerged hoarse.

Confusion flickered across Andrew's face before comprehension dawned.

"What else can you do besides threaten me with this? So your parents saved me—does that mean I owe you forever?"

His patience vanished. Security guards escorted me out.

As if to spite me, the moment I was ejected,

He bought Kimberly an 80-million-dollar luxury yacht.

His Social Feed soon bore the update:

Love sometimes makes one forget responsibility.

The comments overflowed with cheers urging Andrew to pursue true love.

Eighty million. Enough to cover all my treatment.

A bitter smile touched my lips. Tears blurred my vision, splattering against the phone screen.

At least now... Andrew and I were both free.

For nearly a month, Andrew hadn’t contacted me.

He seemed to save every moment forKimberly.

His rarely updated Social Feed now buzzed with daily posts.

As if timed perfectly, he accompanied her through every milestone.

The final post showed him in a suit, posing for wedding photos with Kimberly.

He wrote: "Wanted to see the one I love in a wedding gown one last time."

The day after that post went up,

Andrew called me, his voice raspy.

"Amanda, bring your ID to the Civil Registry Office."

He hung up before I could respond—

the first time in three years he’d initiated marriage registration.

My rejection text remained unsent.

Suddenly, I remembered: my father’s thumb ring was still in his possession.

At the very least, it couldn’t stay with him.

I arrived at the Civil Registry Office, that familiar street I’d walked countless times over three years.

Miraculously, no mishaps occurred.

I waited at the entrance for an hour before spotting him.

Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, the scent of tobacco clinging thicker than ever.

After all this time together, I knew—he only smoked when hurting.

A month apart, and he froze for a second upon seeing me.

"What happened to you?"

Illness had ravaged me; I’d become skin and bones in mere weeks.

Even without him saying it, I knew how ghastly I looked.

When I stayed silent, his brow furrowed deeper.

"We’re getting registered today. You really want photos looking like this?"

"I’m not here for that. Just return my father’s thumb ring."

I held out my hand before him.

His eyes widened slightly, as if I were throwing a tantrum.

With a cold laugh, he gripped my wrist and dragged me inside.

"Drop the act. Think I’m destined to marry you?"

"Fine. You win. Let’s get the certificate. We’ll plan the wedding later."

His voice dripped with self-loathing.

The clerk greeted us with routine cheer.

"Please present your IDs for registration."

Andrew handed over his ID, sleeve sliding to reveal a tattoo—

a tattoo of her initials.

The oblivious clerk beamed.

"You must be so in love! Matching tattoos? How romantic!"

Andrew stiffened, tugging his sleeve down awkwardly.

His eyes darted to me, but I stood motionless. His tone turned icy.

"Did you forget your ID? Or just get cold feet?"

I drew a sharp breath at his expression.

"I told you, I’m not here to get married. Just give me back the ring—"

His phone rang urgently, cutting me off.

His friend’s voice shouted through tears:

"Victor! Kimberly swallowed pills! Her note says Amanda pushed her to do it—"

As his brother's voice faded, Andrew sprang to his feet.

Every shred of reason vanished from his face, leaving only raw panic.

"Amanda!

How dare you do this?"

He glared at me through clenched teeth.

Even after all these years knowing him, I'd never seen him like this.

Andrew gave me no chance to explain, signaling his bodyguards to drag me forcibly to Kimberly's home.

The room lay in disarray—photos of her with Andrew smashed across the floor.

Kimberly lay deathly pale on the bed, chest unnervingly still as if life had fled.

Andrew's legs buckled, sending him crawling toward her.

His hands trembled as he gripped hers.

"Kimberly, it's me.

I won't marry. I won't get that marriage certificate with Amanda. Open your eyes, please."

Beside her hand sat a half-empty bottle of sleeping pills and a bloodstained suicide note.

She'd pinned her suicide attempt entirely on me.

The letter overflowed with accusations against me.

Andrew's pupils dilated violently as he lunged forward, grabbing my throat like a madman.

"Amanda, why would you do this?

You wanted to marry me—I agreed! Why drive Kimberly to this!"

"What did she ever do wrong?"

His knife-like gaze stabbed through my chest.

Andrew had never trusted me.

"I didn't force her. I don't want to marry you. I just wanted Dad's thumb ring back."

My explanation sounded hollow—I knew he'd never believe me regardless.

Slap!

Darkness swallowed my vision as pain radiated through my body.

Andrew had struck me with full force.

Eyes bloodshot, he ripped the thumb ring from his wrist.

Let it drop before my eyes.

The ring shattered on the floor, scattering into fragments—the last trace of my father gone forever.

Andrew sneered at the broken pieces.

"Some cheap trinket. Pick it up yourself if you want it."

I stared numbly at the shards near my feet, lips trembling uncontrollably.

"You think I cared about your parents saving me ten years ago?

Had I known this engagement would chain me this long, I'd have rather died back then!"

"Your parents died from bad luck. Why should I bear that burden?"

Venom dripped from his words as he unleashed a decade of resentment.

Kimberly's suicide attempt had stripped him of all reason.

His gaze turned glacial as he seized the remaining sleeping pills.

At his nod, bodyguards snapped my legs—immobilizing me.

"Andrew, you're insane!"

He wrenched my jaw open, forcing the pills down my throat.

Tablets scraped my windpipe, stealing my breath with searing pain.

"If anything happens to Kimberly, you'll pay."

"She must've suffered swallowing these. Now taste her agony."

I tried spitting out the pills, but bodyguards crushed my throat.

Suffocation seized me—air refused to enter my lungs.

As I was gradually losing consciousness, Andrew looked down at me.

"Amanda, I'll have my mom cancel our engagement. I was wrong. I should have chosen Kimberly."

Tears slid from the corner of my eye to the ground.

When they left, they didn't care about me, letting me fall to the ground convulsing, and my consciousness gradually drifted away.

Andrew regretted his decision.

But luckily, I made the choice for Andrew from the start...