Chapter 1

On the morning of my wedding, my wealthy bride was swapped out for a widowed fishmonger from the local seafood market.

The groomsmen instantly burst into mocking laughter.

"Since when did you develop such heavy tastes, Austin? You don't even mind a woman who has already popped out a kid?"

"The sole heir of the Campbell family marrying a fish-gutting widow! This is going to be the biggest joke in the entire city!"

Then, the family driver's son walked up to me with a smug sneer.

"Who told you to treat me like a servant last time and order me to drive for you? Your sister and Camilla planned this on your biggest day just to get even for me."

Everything clicked in an instant.

My sister and my fiancée had pulled this humiliating stunt just to vent his frustration.

With bloodshot eyes, I turned to look at my sister. She merely waved her hand with utter indifference.

"It's just walking through the motions at the venue. Bear with it."

"Your engagement with Camilla hasn't changed. We won't actually make you marry a fishmonger."

1.

Our family butler, who had arrived with the wedding convoy, slapped his thighs in sheer panic when he saw the bride.

"This is absolute madness! Miss Pierce, you've been engaged to our young master for over a decade! Are you really going to stand by and watch him marry a widowed fish seller?"

I turned my gaze toward Camilla Pierce.

My nominal fiancée was clinging tightly to Trevor Hayes's arm. They were even wearing matching couple outfits right in the middle of the wedding party.

Hearing the butler mention the engagement, Camilla furrowed her brows in disgust.

"Everyone knows our childhood betrothal was nothing more than an immature joke."

"Trying to use that ridiculous contract to hold me hostage now? Keep dreaming."

Our engagement had been blessed by both sets of parents and announced across the entire state.

Yet, she denied it without batting an eye.

Every promise she had ever made was now reduced to a punchline.

Trevor subtly shifted his hand, intentionally showing off the matching couple ring he shared with Camilla.

"Everyone is waiting for the reception dinner, Austin. Don't waste any more time and hurry up with your new bride."

My older sister, Evelyn Campbell, chuckled with impatience.

"It's just a prank to give Trevor a laugh and cheer him up."

"You're not actually going to sign the papers with her. Just suck it up, and it'll be over."

My fingernails dug deeply into my palms as sharp pain tore through my chest.

I looked around the room at those sneering, mocking faces.

I knew very well that Evelyn and Camilla had orchestrated this grand spectacle just to break me.

Their sole goal was to turn me into a laughingstock.

All of this was just to put a smile on Trevor's face.

They expected me to flee like a humiliated coward.

I refused to give them the satisfaction.

I walked steadily toward the bed, dropped to one knee before the quiet woman, and pulled out the ring box.

"Will you marry me?"

A suffocating silence fell over the room.

What followed was Evelyn's fury and Camilla's sudden panic.

Evelyn rushed forward, trying to yank me up by my collar.

"Austin, have you lost your damn mind?! You're really going to marry a fishmonger?!"

"I told you, this is just for show!"

Camilla pulled Evelyn back, glaring down at me with chilling contempt.

"Let him do it!"

"Can't you see through his pathetic trick? He's using reverse psychology to make us think he'll actually go through with it."

"He has pulled this desperate routine more than once."

She wasn't entirely wrong. Ever since I was discharged from the hospital, I had noticed how both my sister and Camilla blatantly favored Trevor.

Back then, I had intentionally worked myself to exhaustion and collapsed, hoping they would come visit me in the hospital.

Yet, they never showed up once.

Even when they reached the hospital entrance, a single phone call from Trevor was enough to pull them away.

In their eyes, I had become a scheming hypocrite desperate for attention.

Today, however, I wasn't throwing a tantrum.

Trying to win back the hearts of two women who no longer loved me was simply exhausting.

"Is he for real? I'm definitely skipping a wedding with a fishmonger. Talk about dropping classes!"

"Honestly, I can't wait for Trevor and Camilla's wedding instead. Now that's a match made in heaven."

I completely ignored the taunts coming from Trevor's circle of friends.

My eyes remained locked onto the quiet woman sitting on the bed.

Her red lips curved slightly as she extended a slender, delicate hand toward me.

When she spoke, her voice carried an undeniable, effortless elegance.

"Sure. I'll marry you."