Chapter 1

Xavier Blackwood's childhood sweetheart didn't want to be tied down by marriage.

The night before their engagement, she ran away.

Later, he got engaged to me because I looked seventy percent like her.

At the ceremony, he didn't kneel and ask, "Will you marry me?"

Instead, he whispered, "When she comes back, you have to give this spot back to her."

From that day on, I became a mere shadow of his first love.

Everyone looked down on me, laughing behind my back about how I was Xavier's loyal little doormat.

His friends didn't even hide their contempt when they were drunk.

"I've seen desperate women, but never a simp like her. She has zero dignity."

"Look at that fawning expression on her face!"

They all thought I was head over heels for Xavier. Even Xavier believed it himself.

When his sweetheart finally returned to the country, everyone waited to watch me crumble.

What they didn't know was that the only reason I stayed by Xavier's side was because he looked exactly like the man I actually loved.

...

After two years of being engaged, Xavier and I finally headed toward the altar.

However, when the wedding ceremony began, I was the only one standing there.

I followed the officiant's instructions and completed the entire process alone. All the parts involving the groom were either simplified or skipped.

Xavier's father was so furious that his blood pressure spiked, and he was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

The guests in the audience were buzzing with whispers.

They all had one question: Where was the groom?

Yeah.

Where was he?

Before the wedding started, Xavier had received a call from Serena Thorne and left immediately.

Serena had asked him, "Xavier, I heard you're getting married today. I flew back just for this. Do you remember your promise from two years ago? You said as long as I agreed, you'd swap the bride at any time. Does that still count?"

The phone was on speaker, so I heard every single word clearly.

Xavier glanced at me, then gave her a serious two-word answer: "It counts."

Serena let out a flirtatious giggle.

"Forget it! I'm just teasing. I'm not done having fun yet, and I don't want to be tied down. But I really am back. I want you to pick me up from the airport!"

Her voice was melodic and seductive, like she was casting a spell.

Xavier didn't hesitate for a second. He grabbed a set of keys for a supercar from one of his buddies and raced to the airport.

The entire bridal party followed him in a grand procession.

At that moment, we were less than two hours away from the start of our ceremony.

Xavier didn't return until after three in the afternoon.

The guests had already scattered, leaving behind nothing but a mess of half-eaten food and trash.

I was still wearing my white lace wedding gown, sitting at the head table, staring blankly at the cold dishes.

I never even got the chance to change into my reception dress.

After the hollow ceremony ended, people just started leaving.

Xavier and Serena finally walked into the ballroom, surrounded by his group of arrogant friends.

The man looked dashing in his custom suit, his red tie mocking the supposed joy of the day.

The woman wore a white French-style dress, her wavy hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked effortlessly sexy.

This was the first time I had ever seen the famous Serena Thorne in person.

Our features were indeed similar, but our vibes were worlds apart.

She was the pampered daughter of a wealthy family, radiating confidence and arrogance. I was reserved and cautious in everything I did.

The two of them were laughing and talking, their eyes full of affection.

From where I sat, they looked like the perfect couple.

"Xavier, you're back?" I smiled and stood up to greet them as they approached.

His friends didn't hide their mockery.

It was like they had the word "Simp" written across their foreheads just for me to see.

"The wedding is over, and the food is cold. If you want a wedding feast, you'll have to wait until the next time I get married."

I ignored their judgmental stares and made a light joke to break the ice.

Serena looked at me casually, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

She tilted her head, her eyes curving into crescents.

"You must be Nora Wells."

"I'm so sorry. Xavier missed the wedding because he was picking me up. You aren't mad at me, are you?"

"He's so troublesome. He knew the wedding was starting, but he insisted on coming to get me himself. He made me look like the bad guy."

Her voice was like silver bells, but her eyes were locked onto mine. She was waiting for me to snap or break down.

I simply shook my head with a smile, signaling that I didn't mind.

She didn't give up and pushed further. "So, since there was no groom, was the wedding canceled? I bet you and your family are the laughingstock of the city right now."

A few people nearby snickered.

I clenched my hands together, suppressing the urge to slap both of them.

"No, I finished the wedding by myself," I replied politely with a smile.

"By the way, Xavier, your father wants you to go back to the family estate. He has something to discuss with you."

After answering Serena, I turned my gaze to Xavier.

At the mention of his father, a flicker of panic finally crossed Xavier's calm eyes.

"I got it." He paused, then asked cautiously, "Is my dad… is he angry?"

I kept smiling but didn't give him an answer.

Ha!

If you were a successful businessman who invited all your important partners, old friends, and relatives to your son's wedding, only for him to never show up, how would you feel?

Xavier had ground his father's dignity into the dirt.

I was embarrassed, sure, but the Blackwood family was the real loser here.

This incident was enough to make them the joke of high society for a long time.

After a long silence, I heard Xavier speak with a hint of guilt.

"I'm sorry, Nora. We ran into an accident on the way back, so we got delayed."

That was unexpected.

In the two years since our engagement, this was the first time he had ever used that tone with me. It felt strange.

I gave a gentle reply, "It's fine."

I didn't bother calling out his pathetic lie.

The round trip from the hotel to the airport took three hours.

Whether there was an "accident" or not, this wedding was never going to happen normally.

But that was okay.