"Ms. Caldwell, just to clarify—you want the entire wedding to proceed as planned, but the bride will be someone else? Did I get that right?"

Faced with the planner's baffled expression, Emma Caldwell didn't even blink.

She nodded, calm and composed, like she hadn't just detonated a bombshell.

"Yes, the wedding will go ahead in two weeks, as scheduled. I'll send over the updated materials in the next few days."

"Alright...would you like me to inform Mr. Donovan—"

"No!" Her tone was sharper than intended.

The planner flinched.

Emma caught herself and quickly softened her voice, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"He's been quite busy lately. From now on, coordinate everything with me directly."

This wedding was her final gift to Marcus Donovan.

And like every perfect surprise—it only meant something if the person never saw it coming. Not until the very last second.

***

Emma left the wedding planning company and booked a ticket to leave Chicago on her phone. Just as the booking confirmation message popped up, Marcus's call lit up her screen.

When she picked up, his gentle coaxing voice came through.

"Emma, Mom said she misses you and wants me to bring you home for dinner tonight.

"She also said she has something for you. Can you guess what it is?"

Everyone in Chicago knew Marcus was cold by nature—his words and actions always distant and composed, never letting anyone get too close. Women threw themselves at him, one after another, but from beginning to end, he only gave all his tenderness to Emma alone.

Until today, Emma had always believed this to be true.

Emma and Marcus's mothers were best friends with an extremely close relationship. She and Marcus grew up together as childhood sweethearts.

However, back then, less than a month after Emma's mother passed away, her scumbag father remarried her stepmother. Emma's stepmother framed her and had her sent to a remote, impoverished area. When she regained consciousness, a drunk man was trying to assault her.

In a panic, she grabbed a scattered wine bottle from the ground and smashed it on his head. The drunk man convulsed on the ground a few times before going still. Just when she was scared and helpless, Marcus kicked open the creaky door and rushed in, holding her in his arms.

At that moment, in Emma's eyes, he was like a savior descending from heaven.

Even after being rescued, Emma still suffered severe psychological trauma from that incident. Marcus accompanied her day and night, persistently taking her to see famous psychologists for treatment and trying everything he could to make her happy. Slowly, she began to heal.

With that kind of devotion, even the coldest heart would be warmed. But because she had witnessed her scumbag father betray her mother with her own eyes, Emma became very cautious about relationships.

Before agreeing to be with Marcus, she had told him seriously.

"Marcus, I can only accept unconditional love. If you stop loving me, we can part peacefully. But if you betray me, I'll make sure you never find me again."

Marcus raised his hand to swear, both excited and nervous.

"Emma, I only want you for my entire life. I promise I'll always love you and treat you well. Time will prove my love for you!"

His earnest promises from back then had echoed in her ears.

But now, time had delivered its verdict.

Marcus couldn't stay true. He wanted it all—Emma and another woman, betraying their relationship.

Just last night, in the pocket of his discarded jacket, she discovered his marriage certificate to Claire Garrison.

The Donovan family had sponsored many poor students over the years, and Claire was one of them. Emma remembered Claire vividly, not because she was particularly outstanding, but because Claire had many scheming thoughts.

Emma had personally witnessed Claire showing interest in and pursuing Marcus. But at that time, Marcus coldly rejected her.

"Sorry, I have a girlfriend."

When Claire kept pushing, Marcus belittled her worthlessly and completely crushed Claire's hopes. From then on, Claire never appeared in front of Emma again.

But over a month ago, Marcus suddenly mentioned that Claire's mother was critically ill and dying, wanting to see her daughter get married before she passed. Marcus, who had never given Claire a kind look, actually asked for Emma's opinion, expressing that he wanted to help with this favor.

Emma refused without hesitation and reminded Marcus word by word of what she had said when she agreed to be with him.

"I only accept unconditional love. If you want to take part in it and give it to someone else, then we can only end things here."

Hearing these words, Marcus's expression immediately changed drastically, and he quickly swore that he would never betray Emma.

She thought this ridiculous matter had ended there.

But unexpectedly, Marcus not only secretly obtained a marriage certificate with Claire behind her back, but also kept her as a mistress. He entangled with Claire day and night, completely disregarding that they were supposed to have their wedding in two weeks.

Emma's lips curved into a self-mocking smile. She was only grateful now that she had discovered all this before the wedding.

Not receiving a response, Marcus's voice carried confusion. "Emma, are you listening?"

Emma responded softly, "I'm not home. I'll go to the old mansion myself later. You don't need to pick me up."

Marcus's tone was concerned. "When did you go out? Why didn't you ask me to accompany you?"

Emma heard the sound of fabric rustling, and a woman's soft panting coming through the phone. Her expression turned icy.

"I prepared a surprise for you for our wedding day. I just came to discuss some things with the wedding planner."

Marcus's voice was filled with barely contained excitement. "What surprise?"

Emma's lips twitched. "If I told you now, it wouldn't be a surprise. You'll find out on our wedding day."

Marcus suppressed his excited feelings and responded gently, "Everything's up to you, Emma. I'll look forward to this surprise. See you tonight."

Before hanging up the phone, Marcus even made a few exaggerated kissing sounds. But Emma knew those weren't sounds he made himself. He was actually kissing another woman.

She pretended not to know anything and looked calmly at the disconnected call. Her heart was already turbulent inside.

"Marcus, I hope in two weeks, when you see everything at the wedding, you'll truly find it surprising," she thought silently.

After hanging up the phone, Emma did not go straight to the old house. Instead, she returned home. The spacious apartment—over 300 square meters—did not seem empty. It still felt very warm after she and Marcus had carefully decorated the place over the years.

She had thought that this would be her and Marcus's eternal home. But ever since she found out about his betrayal last night, it was no longer the case.

Half a month ago, Marcus had already taken out the diamond ring meant for their wedding day and given it to Emma.

Emma watched as he designed the two rings, one stroke after another. At that time, Marcus hugged her and explained with a longing look on his face.

"I designed grooves on these two rings so that when you put them together, they can form a heart-shaped pattern. It means we will never be apart."

Emma pulled herself away from her memories, took out the diamond ring without any reluctance, and dialed the number for delivery service.

"Hello, I'd like to schedule a package delivery..."

Since Claire will be the bride on the wedding day, these rings—full of extraordinary significance—naturally belonged to her.

After scheduling the delivery at 9 a.m. on the wedding day, Emma let out a long breath of relief as she watched the courier take the ring package away.

The 300-square-meter "home" was filled with traces of love between her and Marcus. Before leaving, she would restore everything to the way it was.

***

When Emma arrived at the old house, her eyes were still red. Kate Mitchell noticed it. She looked behind Emma, surprised not to see Marcus.

"Why are you crying?

"Did Marcus do anything to you?"

Emma didn't know who to tell about her grievances. No matter how good Kate was to her, she was still Marcus's mother. She forced herself to stand tall and tugged the corners of her lips into a smile.

"No, it was just too windy outside, and something got into my eyes."

When she raised her hand to rub her eyes, she wiped away the tears that were dropping. She then returned to her composed self.

Kate sighed in relief and said with a smile, "If Marcus ever does you wrong, you must tell me. I will teach him a lesson."

Not long after Emma arrived, Marcus's car pulled into the underground garage. Seeing that he had not come up yet, Kate asked Emma to go fetch him.

In the garage, Emma spotted the only car with its headlights on. Marcus was sitting inside, smoking a cigarette and staring intently at his phone screen. He didn't notice her approaching.

"You dress like this to seduce me. I don't think you'll be able to get out of bed tomorrow."

Claire's coquettish voice came from the phone. "Consider this a service. Limited-time only. Don't forget to come tonight."

Marcus cursed and replied harshly, "Just wait and see how I'll deal with you later."

After hanging up the phone, he still looked like he could hardly control his emotions. He smoked several cigarettes to suppress his impulses.

Seeing the way he acted today it changed her perception. The man she thought loved her so much wasn't just capable of loving someone else—he could even be this passionate with them.

Emma put on a bitter smirk as her stomach churned. A second before Marcus stepped out of the car, Emma turned and walked away. They returned upstairs almost at the same time.

The servants were setting up the dining table. Kate glared at Marcus unhappily. "What took you so long? Emma even had to go down and get you."

Marcus froze. He looked at Emma nervously. "You came to look for me earlier?"

Emma looked at him with a neutral expression. "Well, I saw you were on the phone, so I came back up myself. What's wrong?"

Marcus stared at her for a long time, still looking nervous. "Did you hear who I was talking to?"

Emma felt it was ironic, but she didn't let Marcus notice anything wrong.

"I didn't hear anything. If not a client, who else could it be?" She looked at Marcus, who suddenly relaxed. His expression turned into the gentle look she was familiar with. He raised his hand and gently patted her head.

"It's not a client. I ordered new jewelry for you for the charity dinner next week. It was someone from the store.

"Whenever you're around me, I'll make sure that you'll always be the brightest one in the crowd."

After her traumatic incident, the Donovan Group would hold a charity dinner every once in a while, with Marcus at the helm. He would donate all the money raised through the foundation named after Emma's name.

He did all this as a service for Emma, hoping that she would be free from illness and disaster in the future. Marcus was an atheist, but he did this for her nonetheless, and she was moved for a long time.

But now, Emma responded calmly, "Whatever you think is best."

After dinner, Kate took out a redwood box. She then took out the gold bracelet and put it on Emma's wrist.

"This has been passed down through the Donovan family for generations. And now, it is finally yours." Kate smiled lovingly, her eyes glancing between Emma and Marcus.

Emma looked at the bracelet. The exquisite lines made her wrist look thin and fair. But she was not in the mood to appreciate it.

She forced a smile before taking off the bracelet and putting it back into the box. "I appreciate the gesture, but it's better to wait until the wedding day to receive such a meaningful gift."

Emma's words were firm, so Kate could only say that she would put it on her personally on the wedding day.

On the way home, her stomach cramped—her period had come early. After returning home, Marcus brought her pain medication. He then personally took off her shoes and socks and prepared a foot soak.

Emma looked down at the top of his head, and her heart was torn apart. He had obviously changed his mind, so she couldn't fathom why he was still treating her well as before.

After she lay on the bed, Marcus put his hand on her belly and rubbed it gently. She felt sleepy, but she couldn't fall asleep at all.

His phone vibrated twice softly. Emma noticed him pick it up, his breathing getting heavier. The strength of his hand increased quite a bit, too. As he wished, Emma's breathing gradually became steady, as if she were sleeping.

Marcus got out of bed quietly, changing his clothes and slipping out.

Emma stood by the window, watching his car speeding away. She didn't feel any pain even when her nails dug into her palms.

The next morning, when Emma woke up, Marcus had already returned and was busy in the kitchen. When he saw her coming out of the bedroom, he immediately smiled.

"Come and try the cannoli, I just learned how to make them. I heard it's supposed to lift your mood during your period." Looking at this scene, Emma was stunned for a moment before sitting down at the dining table.

She raised her head and looked at Marcus, her eyes inquisitive. "Where did you go last night?"

Marcus's smile froze instantly. He looked away from her before he quickly composed himself.

He sat next to her, holding her hand with a worried look in his eyes. "Last night, there was an emergency at the company, so I left for a while. I saw you were asleep, so I didn't want to wake you up. Did you have a nightmare?"

The pain in Marcus' eyes looked so real, without a trace of falsehood. Emma didn't understand why someone could separate love and sex between two people at the same time.

She did not answer. Marcus held her in his arms and comforted her softly. Then he called his assistant and asked him to schedule a check-up and send over the medicine.

For a long time after she was rescued, Emma had to take medicine to fall asleep. Even then, she would often dream about that night. The smell of alcohol. The blood on her hands.

Worried about her, Marcus slept on the floor in her room for a long time, just so that he could be by her side as soon as she had a nightmare.

But even someone so attentive, so devoted, still betrayed her.

When Emma looked up, she saw a not-so-obvious kiss mark on Marcus's chin.

He dressed very casually at home. He usually left the top two buttons of his shirt undone, revealing a glimpse of his sexy Adam's apple. But today, he buttoned all the way to the top.

Under the sleeves that were slightly rolled up for cooking, a suspicious scratch was accidentally revealed.

Marcus did not realize these flaws had all been exposed to Emma. It went without saying to figure out where they came from.

He picked up a cannoli and brought it to Emma. Smelling the sweetness and thinking of what she had just discovered, her stomach churned. She hurriedly pushed him away and rushed to the bathroom.

Marcus followed her with a worried look on his face. When he raised his hand to wipe the dirt from her mouth, Emma suddenly lost control of her emotions and pushed him away. "Don't touch me!"

His hand froze mid-air. He looked at her in confusion and said in a low voice, "Emma, did I do something wrong?"

Emma tried to adjust her mood before speaking. "No, I just read a novel and accidentally saw you as a character in the book."

Marcus breathed a sigh of relief, and then he approached Emma again. He wiped the water stains on her face as he laughed and joked. "What kind of novel were you reading that got you so into it?"

Emma looked up and stared at him. "It was about a couple that everyone thought was a match made in heaven. The guy betrayed the girl. He couldn't make up his mind on who he really wanted. So in the end, he got nothing.

"Marcus, would you be like that?"

His fingers trembled slightly, but he quickly controlled himself and hugged her tightly in his arms.

"That's just fiction. No one can separate us, and I will not fall in love with someone else.

"Emma, you have to believe in my love for you," Marcus answered firmly. It was unclear whether he was trying to convince Emma or himself.

Marcus took Emma to the hospital for another check-up. He probably noticed that something was wrong with her mood, so he stayed by her side for the next few days.

Soon, the day of the charity gala arrived, and Marcus took Emma to choose a dress. She looked on with little interest, her eyes falling on a dark-colored dress.

"Do you like that one?" Marcus noticed her gaze and asked softly, "Then try it on. If it fits, I'll have it sent home."

Before Emma could say anything, the staff came over and said hesitantly, "I'm sorry, Ms. Caldwell, this dress has been reserved. How about I recommend another one for you?"

Marcus stared at the staff with an uneasy look on his face. His voice left no room for discussion. "Ask the customer if they are willing to give up the dress. If they do, I can provide them with a new dress for free."

The staff looked at Emma with a troubled look, then walked over to Marcus' side and replied in a very low voice, "Ms. Garrison reserved it."

Even though her voice was very low, Emma still heard it clearly. She turned to look at Marcus and found the changing expressions on his face.

"It's just a dress. I asked them to let you have it, okay?"

Emma shook her head, uninterested. "The design was nice, so I just took a closer look. Be it a person or an item, I have no interest in stealing what someone else likes."

Marcus frowned. Her words seemed to have a hidden meaning. A feeling of panic flashed through his mind.

Emma ended up picking out another dress, and Marcus could only suppress the inexplicable emotion in his heart and follow her.

In the end, at his suggestion, she chose a blue dress.

As she stepped into the changing room, the screen of her phone suddenly lit up. A "seven-day countdown" message popped up.

Marcus stared at the message, and a wave of panic washed over him again.

Just as he was about to pick up Emma's phone to check what the message was, the curtain of the locker room was suddenly drawn open, and Emma walked out.

The dress, matched perfectly with the jewelry Marcus had specially prepared for her, added a bit of brilliance to Emma, who already looked stunning.

Marcus instantly forgot about the "countdown" and stared at her in surprise. "Emma, I'm so lucky to have you."

In the past, being looked at by Marcus with such affection would have made her heart pound. But now, Emma looked away calmly, without a trace of emotion in her heart.

Marcus leaned in to kiss her, but she avoided him calmly. "Let's go, we're running late."

Seeing her pick up the phone, Marcus remembered the message he had just seen. He frowned and asked, "I saw a countdown reminder on your phone—seven days left. What is that?"

Emma was stunned for a moment, and panic flashed across her eyes. She didn't want Marcus to find out that she planned to leave.

"The wedding is in seven days. Have you forgotten about it?" Being stared at by Emma's frank eyes, a trace of guilt flashed across Marcus's face. He quickly brushed it off.

Before dinner started, the hall was already filled with guests. When everyone saw Marcus and Emma coming, people all gathered around them.

The air-conditioned hall was a bit chilly, so Marcus draped the shawl he had prepared long ago over Emma's shoulders.

Many women showed envy on their faces over that scene, while Marcus's friends and partners laughed and joked.

"Mr. Donovan, you really care a lot about Ms. Caldwell. There can be no other couple like you two in Chicago. I will definitely be there to congratulate you at your wedding next week."

"I'm afraid no one in the whole of Chicago would love their fiancée like Mr. Donovan does."

"You're realizing that now? Mr. Donovan is the very model of a good man. Is there a woman in Chicago who doesn't envy Ms. Caldwell for finding such a good man like him?"

The room was filled with praise for Emma and Marcus as a perfect match. Marcus smiled—his usual cold, distant air softened by the compliments.

Even though he knew it was a deliberate show of goodwill, he still felt very touched and welcomed anyone who greeted him. Everyone found a way to get closer to Marcus, and they kept saying nice things to him.

Emma felt a buzzing in her ears, making her dizzy. Moreover, she didn't want to hear these pleasantries from people who didn't know the truth.

Marcus noticed her discomfort, so he led her away from the crowd to a quieter place.

But the silence did not last long. Claire, who was wearing a dark-colored dress, came over swayingly. "Mr. Donovan, Ms. Caldwell, long time no see."

As a representative of the people whom the Donovan family sponsored over the years, Claire was naturally eligible to attend this charity gala. Not only that, she would also give a speech later.

Emma didn't want to put up a show by greeting her, so she just pretended not to notice her and looked down at her phone. Claire took a step forward, her voice apologetic.

"Ms. Caldwell, are you still mad at me? I apologize for what happened last time. I was desperate, so I came up with the idea, asking Mr. Donovan to pretend to marry me.

"But he already rejected me, and I already have a boyfriend. How about we write off the past?"

Emma could not hear any sincerity in her words. They sounded like provocation to her instead.

Marcus also noticed her boastful tone. He frowned and drove Claire away impatiently. "Know your place. Emma doesn't like you. Stay away from her."

Claire hummed softly like a spoiled child. "She doesn't like me, but someone else does."

She looked at Marcus and deliberately winked at him. His thoughts were scrambled, gulping as he picked up the wine in front of him and downed it.

Emma looked at them, flirting as if no one were around. She then stood up and walked towards the restroom.

Marcus quickly stood up and followed. Claire was then surrounded by people behind him. "Claire, what a beautiful dress. Your earrings look nice too."

She raised her chin proudly. "Of course, these are all gifts from my boyfriend. The best, obviously."

Her boasting attracted a burst of envious voices. "Those earrings look like they're made from the same material as Ms. Caldwell's jewelry. Your boyfriend maybe shopped at the same place as Mr. Donovan."

Emma paused as she left. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the gold bracelet on her wrist. She took it off and held it tightly in her hand. The hard metal hurt her palm.

When Marcus caught up, Emma had already turned into the restroom. Within two minutes, she heard the sound of his phone ringing outside—but it only rang once before it was quickly picked up.

"Wait for me in the garden." The next second, footsteps were heard again, gradually fading away.

Emma had attended numerous dinners here and was very familiar with the layout. When she heard about the garden, she knew where Marcus was going.

She left the restroom and walked around to the storeroom at the end of the hallway. Through a gap in the window, she saw Marcus hurrying over. Claire, who had been waiting there, flew into Marcus' arms.

He didn't resist at all. He held her waist intimately, tightly as if he wanted to rub her into his own body. "You're seducing me again. Have you forgotten so quickly about not being able to get out of bed a few days ago?"

For the past few days, he had been with Emma all the time. So she knew instantly which days he was talking about.

The night they left the Donovan family's old house, Marcus did not return all night, staying out until morning. He came back with kiss marks and ambiguous scratches on his body.

Claire held Marcus's waist and raised her head while still in his arms. Marcus stared at her for two seconds, lowered his head, and kissed her fiercely. The two hugged each other as they wiggled about. The sound of their lips entangling sounded particularly loud in the quiet little garden.

Claire deliberately bit his mouth. Marcus suddenly pulled himself out of lust, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Are you looking for trouble? I warned you not to leave any marks in obvious places.

"Emma will give me hell if she sees it."

Claire was not afraid of his ferocious appearance at all, and deliberately rubbed her chest against him.

"Why don't you just make up an excuse for it? She won't doubt you.

"I prefer you being so fierce to me in bed. Did you like the maid outfit last time? Come to my place again tonight, okay? I have prepared new tricks this time..."

She rose onto her toes and whispered something in his ear. Marcus pursed his dry lips impatiently, pinched Claire's chin, and kissed her fiercely again.

Emma stood behind the window, watching everything that happened through the crack. Her whole body went cold.

Although she already knew that Marcus and Claire were together, she was shocked to see it with her own eyes. She felt as if someone had wrenched her heart. Emma held onto the window frame, almost losing her balance.

By the time she calmed down and left the storeroom, Marcus had already left Claire and was looking for her.

When he spotted Emma, he rushed toward her, forehead dotted with sweat. "Where did you go just now? I was so worried when I couldn't find you."

Emma's eyes deliberately locked onto the corner of his bitten lip. "You were not there when I came out of the bathroom, so I went for a walk in the garden. What happened to your lip?"

Marcus suddenly became flustered. A layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead again. "Which garden did you go to?"

Emma pulled up a mocking smile and turned away, no longer looking at him.

"It's the garden at the back. A lot of people are there. Why do you look so nervous?" She saw him sigh in relief.

"No, I was just worried that I couldn't find you after you ran off on your own."

Claire was standing on the stage at this moment, talking about the help the Donovan family had given her over the years. But her eyes were always looking over to Marcus.

Marcus looked across the crowd at Claire on the stage, thinking about the gift she said she would give him later that night in the garden.

His muscles tensed up, and when he unconsciously pursed his lips, the wound at the corner of his mouth was pulled open. Then, he remembered that he had not answered Emma's question.

"It must have been the weather. I got a blister on my lip—it was accidentally broken, but it's no big deal."

Emma sneered inaudibly, turned around, and walked away. "I'm tired, I'm going home."

Marcus suddenly felt inexplicably flustered. He grabbed Emma's wrist tightly and said, "I'll tell my parents, and then I'll go back with you."

A few minutes later, Marcus took Emma away from the dinner and headed towards the old house.

"Mom said she wanted us to stay at the old house for one night. We will go back tomorrow."

Emma did not protest.

She returned to the house, washed up, and lay down on the bed. After days of physical and emotional exhaustion, she drifted into a light sleep. Beside her, she could hear the faint tapping of a phone screen—and Marcus's quiet chuckle.

After quite a while, there was a noise beside him. Marcus gently woke her up, kissed her lightly, and said, "Mom wants to talk to me. Call me if you need anything."

Emma nodded and turned around, pretending to fall asleep again.

After Marcus tiptoed away, Emma sat up. She heard the faint sound of footsteps heading toward the study. After a moment's hesitation, she quietly followed.

There was light coming through the crack under the study door. Kate's voice, suppressed in anger, was heard.

"How many times have I told you that Emma is a good girl? Now that you have her, you should have gotten rid of all the dirty women around you. Instead, you are tangled up with Claire, and you let other people find out about it.

"Have you ever thought about what would happen if someone told Emma about what you did?

"Marcus, you are an adult. I don't want to lecture you. But I can't watch you do something you will regret later just for the sake of excitement!"

Kate's words crashed Emma down.

She had known everything Marcus had done—and helped him hide it. Everyone else in their circle also knew about Marcus and Claire.

She naively thought that everyone was kept in the dark. It turned out that she was the only one who didn't know.

"If that's the case, what do their blessings mean? Were they just enjoying the show?" she wondered.

The voices in the study continued, but Emma could no longer hear what they were saying. She returned to the bedroom and crawled under the blanket, trying to keep herself warm.

Emma fell into a trance and then drifted into a deep sleep. During the night, she noticed Marcus came back once, staring at her for a long time.

After a while, his phone kept ringing. Shortly after a few rapid rings, he stood up, hesitated for two seconds before leaving.

The next morning, Marcus didn't even come back.

Kate pushed the breakfast prepared by the servants in front of Emma. The older woman looked at her lovingly and explained, "Marcus said that he had something to do at the company, so he left in a hurry early this morning. If you have nothing to do, you can stay with me here. It might help with the boredom."

Looking at Kate's calm expression, Emma was stunned for a moment. If she hadn't heard her conversation with Marcus last night—if she didn't already know the older woman was aware of Marcus's affair—she would have really thought that her kindness was genuine.

She laughed at herself in her heart, but her face looked calm and composed.

There was less than a week left before she left. Emma didn't want to make her departure more difficult.

"The wedding planner contacted me yesterday, and there are some things to confirm. Marcus and I have been preparing for this wedding for a long time. We hope everything goes perfectly. I will come visit you another day."

Kate maintained her perfect smile and did not stop Emma.

After breakfast, Emma left the Donovan family's old house and went to the wedding planning company. She did not lie. She did have something to do there today.

Last week, when she'd asked to change the bride's name to Claire, she told the planners she would give them the updated materials for the replacement.

Marcus had been with Emma all week, and she took advantage of Marcus's shower time to look through his computer and cell phone. That's when she found out that Marcus had not only gotten a marriage certificate with Claire, but they'd also taken wedding photos and planned a honeymoon.

Emma had transferred the wedding and intimate photos from Marcus's devices to her own phone. She handed them to the staff at the wedding planning company and helped them update the remaining details.

Once everything was done, Emma suddenly felt a void in her heart. But it was not as painful as she had imagined.

After leaving the wedding planning company, she recalled the medical tests she had undergone some time ago. The results should be ready, so she drove to the hospital.

When parking, she saw that Marcus's car was also in the parking lot outside the hospital.

Before she could reach the reception to get her results, she saw Marcus and Claire walking out of the obstetrics and gynecology department.

They were smiling. Marcus carefully stood behind Claire, looking like a newly married couple preparing for pregnancy.

Emma thought her heart had long been numb, but she still felt a prick when she saw them.

Claire saw Emma first, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. She moved closer to Marcus and spoke deliberately.

"Ms. Caldwell, I didn't expect to meet you in the hospital. Are you visiting the OB-GYN too? Is it because you are pregnant?" When he suddenly heard Emma's name, Marcus instinctively pulled his hand and looked up.

He became nervous. A layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead instantly. "Emma, why are you here?"

"I'm here to get my test results," Emma replied coldly, her eyes meeting Claire's deliberate taunt.

Marcus hurriedly walked up to her and explained in a panic.

"Emma, I met Claire on the way to the company. She was accidentally injured. Since she's someone our family has sponsored, I had to help her. When I arrived at the hospital, I found out that she was pregnant, so I... sent her here for a check-up."

Emma took a deep breath, easing the stabbing pain in her heart. "Ms. Garrison was still worried about faking a marriage to comfort her mother a few months ago, and now she is pregnant. This is quite a surprise. Congratulations."

Claire looked at Marcus with a loving gaze, which made him break out in cold sweat again.

"Thank you, Ms. Caldwell. I've been pregnant for more than two months—twins. Last night, the baby's father was being rough and hurt me in bed, but it's not serious. He couldn't come as he had things to take care of. Fortunately, I met Mr. Donovan on the way..."

"Since you're fine, I won't stay around any longer. Emma, have you gotten your report? I'll drive you home." Marcus interrupted Claire's chattering and stepped forward to hold Emma's hand.

Emma pulled her gaze away from Claire and shook her head calmly.

As if he were very worried about her and Claire being in the same space, Marcus quickly pulled her away. After receiving the test results, he quickly left the hospital. Emma was like a puppet, letting Marcus take her away.

When they were together, she said that if Marcus betrayed her, she would make sure he would never be able to find her.

She intended to keep this promise and also prepared a big gift for him on the wedding day.

On the way back, Marcus's phone screen kept flashing. When Emma wasn't paying attention, Marcus checked the message. It was a message from Claire.

"Marcus, what do you think is a good name for our child? Can you come over tonight and help me choose?"

Marcus tapped his fingers nervously and muttered a warning before he left.

"We'll talk about the name later. Don't say so many ambiguous things in front of Emma in the future, let her discover our affairs. You won't want to bear the consequences!"

Despite what he said, Emma could still see from Marcus's relaxed expression that he did not oppose Claire's pregnancy. After all, a long time ago, Marcus had mentioned that he really liked children.

Emma noticed that her phone also lit up for a moment, she looked down and saw that it was a friend request from Claire. Knowing it was a deliberate provocation, Emma still clicked on accept.

Just approved the friend request, Claire's message came instantly.

"Emma, aren't you curious about who the father of my child is? I refuse to believe that you could be so slow to react, not noticing Marcus's intimate attitude towards me at all."

Emma looked at the message without replying. She already knew the answer in her heart.

Not receiving a reply for a long time, Claire couldn't hold back and sent another message. This time it was a photo of Marcus and Claire's marriage certificate. Emma had seen it at Marcus's place before, and now, looking at it again, she no longer felt the shock and heartache she had felt at that time.

"Emma, I am the one who registered the marriage with Marcus. Even if you are going to have a wedding soon, I am his lawful and rightful wife. As long as I do not agree to a divorce, you will always be beneath me. Moreover, I now have his children, two of them, and we will never be separated."

"You still don't know how much he loves me. He almost spends time with me every day and he has told many people about my existence. Do you feel pathetic? When others praise Marcus for being good to you, they are just mocking you."

"Do you still remember the dress I wore at the charity gala? It was custom-made by Marcus at great expense for me. Do you treat me like this?"

"He liked me more than you can imagine. Marcus would never like a boring woman like you. What he liked was someone like me who could be open in bed."

Claire sent more photos of her and Marcus in bed again. Emma could only feel endless sarcasm as she looked at her flaunting attitude.

"What are you looking at so intently? Marcus suddenly spoke, pulling Emma out of her complex emotions."

Emma turned off her phone, shook her head, and didn't say much more.

Marcus looked at Emma's calm expression, feeling a sense of panic intensify within him at that moment, as if something was slowly slipping out of his grasp.

He held Emma's hand in his palm, pressed tightly against his leg.

Emma resisted in her heart, realizing she couldn't break free and just let Marcus do as he pleased, leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes to pretend to sleep.

Sensing the soft touch of the palm no longer struggling, Marcus took a deep breath, and the feeling of panic in his heart finally disappeared.

Over the next few days, Marcus made excuses about having some work to finish before the wedding and was not at home day and night. Emma did not deliberately inquire about Marcus's whereabouts, but Claire passed on the news about Marcus to her.

Marcus lied about being busy with work, when in fact he was just going to spend time with Claire.

They went shopping together at the mother and baby store, buying baby supplies for the two children whose genders were still unknown. Claire took a picture of Marcus seriously naming the two children, as well as a photo of Marcus lying on her belly...

"Emma, these days Marcus has been here with me. He must have told you that he is busy with work. I feel a little sorry that you can't see with your own eyes how much he cares for me and the children."

"You said, on the day of the wedding, would he run away with me and the child?"

Emma did not respond to her provocation.

On the day of the wedding, someone did try to run away, but it wasn't Marcus, it was her.

During the days when Marcus was not at home, Emma found it convenient. She cleared out all her belongings from the house.

She bought a small apartment in Chicago without telling anyone, using it as a temporary place to store her things. The memories inside the house belonging to her and Marcus slowly faded away.

The night before the wedding, Marcus suddenly returned home, holding a somewhat familiar photo in his hand.

At that moment, Emma was cleaning up the last few things that belonged to her.

Looking at the empty house, Marcus almost thought he had walked into the wrong door. When he saw Emma in the living room, her face covered in dust like a little kitten, he felt a sense of relief.

"Why did I make myself look so miserable? How did so many things go missing from the house?"

Emma didn't expect Marcus to suddenly come back, so she hesitated unconsciously when she heard the question. Fortunately, in these days, she had already mastered the skill of lying without showing any emotions.

"Cleaned out some unwanted clutter, will purchase new items after the wedding."

Marcus obviously misunderstood Emma's meaning, but Emma did not bother to explain further. He had a gentle smile on his face as he pulled Emma to sit beside him and handed her the photo in his hand.

"I had the repairman fix the first photo of us together after we got together. Take a look and see if it looks exactly the same as before."

Emma took the brand new photo. Under the blooming cherry blossoms, she looked at the camera with a smile in her eyes, while Marcus looked at her in profile in the picture.

This was their first official photo together after she agreed to be with Marcus. Just recently, the photo that was displayed in Marcus's office was torn to shreds by Claire's dog. Since the original photo was long gone, there was no way to print another one.

This was not something Marcus told her, but something Claire mentioned on purpose when she was showing off Marcus's favoritism towards her to Emma.

Now, the photo has been taken by Marcus to be repaired. However, while the photo can be fixed, the emotions can never go back to the past.

Emma said in a flat tone, "I suddenly feel like eating the pasta you made, let's have dinner together tonight."

When she was rescued initially, Emma, who had endured several days of hunger, devoured two bowls of pasta.

Marcus personally went to a small restaurant to learn the skills for a month in order to make pasta with the exact same taste that she liked to eat at any time.

Just treat it as drawing a complete period to the relationship between her and Marcus.

Marcus raised his hand and rubbed her head, agreeing without hesitation.

Just as two bowls of pasta were placed on the table, Marcus's phone started ringing.

Marcus's expression changed from relaxed to serious. After hanging up the phone, he looked at Emma with a mixture of conflict and apology in his eyes.

The words had not been spoken, but he already had the answer in his heart, "Emma, there is a sudden emergency at the company..."

Emma lowered her head and stirred the pasta in her bowl, trying to force a smile but couldn't manage it. "The matters at the company are important, you should go and attend to them. We will have plenty of time in the future."

Marcus hugged her tightly and said, "Emma, thank you for understanding me."

Emma smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Emma, I might be busy until late today, so you don't have to wait for me. I am really looking forward to seeing you in your wedding dress tomorrow."

Emma was held in his arms, answering in a muffled voice, "I'm looking forward to it too..."

Looking forward to seeing his reaction after he found out the bride had been replaced, wondering if he will be very surprised.

After Marcus left, Emma immediately received a message from Claire.

"Emma, the night before your wedding, he was with me the whole time. Why do you think you can compete with me?"

Claire was not surprised that Emma didn't reply to her messages, but she kept sending them, each one harsher and piercing than the last.

Emma turned off her phone and looked at the delicious pasta in front of her, but she had no appetite. It turns out that not only emotions can change, but also people's habits and tastes can easily change.

She tore the photo that Marcus brought back between them, leaving only half of Marcus in the picture. After doing this, she took a relaxing hot bath and quickly fell asleep in bed.

After a good night's sleep, Emma woke up before seven o'clock the next morning.

Looking at the train departure time reminder on her phone, as well as the information that her parcel was currently in transit within the same city, Emma packed up her luggage in a good mood.

Her things had already been sent out several days ago, and the remaining items are what she will need for the next period of time.

Having packed up everything, Emma left the place that had once been her home without looking back.

......

At that moment, Marcus suddenly woke up from Claire's bed. He pressed his chest, feeling the growing sense of panic inside him.

Glancing at the time, Marcus quickly got up and dressed.

Last night he received a call from Claire, who was crying and saying that she had accidentally fallen and hurt her stomach.

When he arrived, he realized that it was just a trick played by Claire to compete for attention. But under Claire's insistence, he stayed.

Marcus left Claire's place early that morning, heart light, humming a tune. Today was the day. Their day.

He pictured Emma in white, walking down the aisle toward him, smiling with teary eyes, ready to be his forever.

Unable to contain his excitement, he texted her:

"Emma, I can't wait to see you at the altar."

Seconds later, her reply came.

"I hope you'll love the surprise I prepared for you—right at the beginning of the wedding."

A playful tease, he thought.

He smiled. Foolishly. Blissfully.

At the venue, the atmosphere was magical.

The string quartet played their soft prelude, the guests whispered praises about how devoted Marcus had been to Emma.

Marcus stood at the altar, eyes fixed on the entrance.

And then—

The bride appeared. White veil. Elegant figure. Slowly walking toward him under a rain of flower petals.

Marcus's heart pounded with joy. This is it.

He reached out, took her hand, and said gently, "Emma, I vow to love and protect you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?"

Under the gaze of everyone, the bride with a veil on her head nodded heavily.

With a beaming smile, Marcus lifted the veil—

And froze.

Standing in front of him, wearing Emma's dress, Emma's ring—was Claire.

Marcus took a full step back, his voice trembling with horror.

"How is it... you?"