Chapter 2

Perhaps the air conditioning in the dressing room was blasting too high, because a deep chill seeped into my bones the more I thought about it.

Corinna reached out to grab my hand, but I shoved her away.

I looked straight into her eyes. "Get my tuxedo back right now. I don't want him wearing my clothes."

Corinna frowned impatiently. "Stop throwing a tantrum, Logan. It's just a ceremony. We can always hold another one later."

The annoyed purse of her lips and the irritation in her eyes stabbed straight through my heart.

"Forget the tuxedo for a second," I said coldly. "Even if he wanted a mock ceremony, did the bride have to be you?"

Was he truly using his illness to make absurd demands, or were you just looking for an excuse to indulge your lingering feelings for him?

Having her true motives exposed made her face twist in anger.

She brushed past me, gathering the hem of her gown as she stormed toward the door.

"Dating you is completely exhausting," she snapped over her shoulder. "You're so controlling and never give me any face. You just have to make everything ugly for everyone."

Was I the one who didn't care about her dignity?

Was I the one being overly controlling?

The sudden click of the door locking from the outside snapped me out of my daze.

Panic seized me, and I rushed forward, kicking the door hard. "I don't agree to this! I spent months preparing for this wedding! It's not just some meaningless ceremony to me!"

Through the thick wooden door, Corinna's irritated voice filtered in.

"Can you stop being so heartless? He might die soon! What's wrong with letting him have this one moment?"

He might die soon.

Just because of his sickness, I had tolerated his intrusion into our lives for years. Now, I was expected to hand over my own wedding and my bride without a fight.

Was I the one who made him sick?

I grabbed the door handle, forcing my voice to remain dead calm. "Corinna, think very carefully about what you're doing. Don't you dare regret this."

The silence outside lasted for a second before her decisive footsteps echoed down the hallway and faded away.

I slid down against the cold door until I hit the floor, feeling completely hollow inside.

He really managed to ruin my wedding.

Darren got exactly what he wanted.

The phone on the vanity table buzzed frantically.

It was an incoming call from my parents.

Before I could answer, the call ended.

The dressing room was located right behind the main banquet hall. Through the single wall separating us, I could clearly hear the shocked gasps and commotion erupting from the crowd.

Moments later, guided by the smooth-talking officiant, polite applause rippled through the room.

Darren's account sent another video to my phone.

The camera was pointed at the massive projector screen. Every single romantic portrait Corinna and I had spent weeks shooting had been altered using AI face-swapping technology to replace my face with Darren's.

All those hours spent posing under the scorching sun, the sore backs and aching feet, and the endless adjustments to make every shot perfect―all of it had become a gift for Darren.

That hurt more than any cruel word Corinna had thrown at me.

Even though my hands trembled with rage, I forced myself to tap on the next video.

On screen, Corinna gracefully walked down the spotlighted aisle straight toward him.

In the shadows beside the stage, my parents were frantically looking around for me with pale faces, only to be held back by two security guards.

Seeing that broke something inside me.

Tears finally spilled from my eyes, dripping onto my parents' faces on the glowing screen.

I was the one who chose the wrong partner. Why did my parents have to suffer this humiliation with me?

I couldn't bring myself to watch any more videos.

Listening to the hollow celebration on the other side of the wall, my mind gradually cleared.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, slowly took off the ill-fitting backup suit, and put my street clothes back on.

In the end, only relief remained.

Thank God we hadn't signed the legal marriage license yet.