Met My True Love Afrer Escaping the Billionaire Twins

Before my wedding, I went to find my fiancé with a pregnancy test in hand, intending to surprise him. Instead, I overheard a heated argument between two men on the terrace. "My dear brother, didn't you personally send her to my bed just to get revenge for Elena?" The man, identical to my fiancé, twirled a USB drive in his hand, a wicked smirk playing on his lips. I had been with my fiancé for seven years, yet I had no idea he had a twin brother. What was worse, I never realized that during those passionate nights when I thought my fiancé was finally showing me affection, the man lying beside me was actually his twin. And all of this happened simply because their "savior" despised me. To repay his debt to her, my fiancé tacitly allowed this humiliation. It turned out that the love I had cherished for seven years was nothing more than a twisted game of revenge the brothers had orchestrated together, all to please another woman. Chapter 1 On the afternoon I found out I was pregnant, I drove to the Johnson estate in Long Island. This was where, in just one week, Gavin and I were set to have our wedding of the century. I clutched the pregnancy test tightly in my hand, picturing the look of surprise on Gavin’s face when he saw those two red lines. As soon as I stepped onto the second-floor terrace garden, a heated argument made me stop in my tracks. “Gavin, do you really have to be so boring?” The voice was flippant and malicious, laced with a cynical laugh. “Just give this video to the DJ and have it projected on the big screen right when you exchange rings. It’ll be a hell of a show!” I held my breath and peered through the gap in the French windows. Two men stood on the terrace. One wore a dark gray bespoke suit, his back straight as a pine tree. That was Gavin, my fiancé of three years, the man I loved. The other… had a face identical to Gavin’s! But this man’s shirt collar was unbuttoned, his expression wicked, and he was twirling a black USB drive in his hand. Twins? I had been with Gavin for seven years, yet I never knew he had a twin brother. Gavin snatched the USB drive from him, his brow furrowed, his tone filled with disappointment, as if scolding a hopeless child. “Kalen, that’s enough.” His voice still had that elegant, cello-like quality, but it was cold. “We can cancel the wedding, we can make her leave, but there’s no need to ruin her reputation with such dirty tactics.” “That is the bottom line of a gentleman.” “Gentleman?” The man called Kalen laughed so hard he leaned back, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. “My dear brother, why are you pretending to be a saint now?” Kalen leaned back against the railing, lit a cigarette, and looked at Gavin with mocking eyes. “Didn’t you personally design this whole setup to get back at Ivy for ‘bullying’ Elena back in school? Just to let Elena vent her anger?” “You were the one who said a hypocritical woman like Ivy doesn’t deserve true love.” “And you were the one who personally delivered her to my bed.” Boom— The thunder outside and Kalen’s words exploded in my mind simultaneously. I felt all the blood in my body freeze in an instant. To let Elena vent her anger? Delivered… to his bed? “Stop talking,” Gavin interrupted him in a low voice, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. “Elena is your childhood friend, too. If she hadn’t risked her life to drag the two of us out of that fire years ago, we would have been nothing but ashes.” “Ivy shouldn’t have targeted Elena in school, causing Elena’s depression to relapse. That was her biggest mistake.” “I just wanted to teach Ivy a lesson, to let her know what it feels like to have one’s feelings toyed with.” Gavin sighed, a look of twisted justice in his eyes. “I originally just didn't want her competing with Elena for resources anymore. I wanted her to use these seven years of her youth to atone for her sins. But I never intended to ruin her completely!” Gavin took a deep breath, his tone carrying a hint of inexplicable emotion. “Besides, after all these years, she’s been punished enough.” “Anyway, I’ll give her a huge trust fund as compensation. It’ll be enough for her to live a wealthy life in Europe.” “Provided she disappears from Elena’s and my world forever.” Upon hearing this, Kalen blew a smoke ring, his lips curling into an amused, mocking smirk. He tilted his head, staring dead at Gavin. “Tsk tsk. Punished enough? And now you want to compensate her?” “My dear brother, don't tell me you’ve played the part for so long that you’ve actually fallen in love with her?” Gavin’s back stiffened instantly. Then came his voice, cold and hard as iron, without a shred of hesitation: “Absolutely not.” “I would never fall in love with such a manipulative, malicious, and hypocritical woman.” I clamped my hand over my mouth, stifling any sound. My nails dug deep into my palm, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. Absolutely not. Manipulative. Malicious. Hypocritical. So, that was how he saw me. For seven years, he didn't see me when I blistered my hands learning to cook just to cater to his picky appetite. He didn't see me when I drank until my stomach bled and ended up in the hospital just to help him secure difficult business deals. We had spent over two thousand days and nights together, and I had laid my bare heart out before him. Yet, he would rather believe a clumsy lie concocted by someone else years ago than turn back to look at the real me even once. That overwhelming sense of injustice and despair washed over me like a tidal wave, suffocating me. It turned out that for the past seven years, what I thought was honey was actually poison. But... in those years, I was the one being bullied. I thought Gavin was busy with work, flying to London often, which was why we spent so much time apart. Turns out, he just didn’t want to face me. And during those countless nights of passion, the man whispering sweet nothings in my ear, taking me again and again… Was this wicked-looking rogue in front of me, Kalen. “Fine, whatever you say, Mr. Philanthropist.” Kalen shrugged, looking indifferent. “I’m bored of sleeping with her anyway. Her body is incredible, sure, but that stupid look on her face—crying tears of gratitude over a single word of concern from you—it really makes me sick.” “Elena, that pure, innocent little flower, is much more lovable.” “By the way, Elena’s plane lands tomorrow. Are you really planning to propose to her right after revealing the truth?” Gavin didn’t answer immediately. He turned around, looking at the flowers and ribbons already set up in the estate. In those deep eyes, a complex emotion I had never seen before flashed by. There was satisfaction, relief, and perhaps a hint of… reluctance? But soon, that reluctance was replaced by cold indifference. “This is what I owe Elena.” Gavin adjusted his cuffs, returning to his lofty, elite demeanor. “Ivy stole Elena’s happiness. Now, it’s time to pay it back.” I stood in the shadows, looking at the man I loved to the bone. He was still so handsome, so respectable. Even when plotting such a heinous deception, he could make it sound so dignified. To repay a debt, for that so-called “savior” Elena. He didn’t hesitate to throw my dignity and chastity into the mud to be trampled upon. I looked down at the crumpled pregnancy test in my hand. The surprise I had felt earlier had now become the greatest irony. The child in my belly… I didn’t even know who the father was. Was it the brother, a beast in human clothing? Or the cynical, playboy younger brother? Disgusting. An unprecedented wave of nausea rose in my throat. I took one last deep look at the two devils on the terrace. Silently, I turned and left the estate that was about to become hell. The rain outside was getting heavier. I tore the pregnancy test into pieces and threw it into the sewage of the drain. Just like burying my dead love. Chapter 2 I don’t remember how I managed to drive out of the Johnson estate. The rain was pouring down, and even with the windshield wipers frantically swaying back and forth, they couldn’t clear the blur in front of my eyes. Kalen’s vicious laughter and Gavin’s cold verdict echoed in my ears like a curse, repeating over and over again. Elena… that name was like a curse. Just because she had been injured saving someone in that fire, everything she did was forgiven by Gavin as "trauma response." But I couldn't forget. In our years at St. Andrews Private High School, she was the queen reigning from above, while I was the mud beneath her feet. Just because I refused to help her cheat, she led the cheerleaders to corner me in the locker room, cut up my uniform, and dunked my head into the toilet while flushing it. She spread rumors that I was the kind of girl who would sleep with anyone for money. She had those rich playboys hide needles in my dance shoes, watching me dance on stage with bloodied feet just for their amusement. I even thought about ending my life at one point. Until Gavin appeared. He wasn’t like those lecherous rich kids. He wore a well-fitted suit, like a true gentleman, and shielded me from all the malice. When he found out my only family—my grandmother—had severe heart disease and needed expensive medical treatment, he immediately arranged for her to stay in the best private nursing home without saying a word. Late at night after my part-time job, he would pick me up in his understated black Maybach, hand me a warm cup of Earl Grey tea, gently stroke my head, and say, "Ivy, you are strong. You deserve the best in this world." Once, when my grandmother had a sudden heart attack, he used his family’s helicopter to snatch her back from the hands of death. That day, looking at his tired yet gentle profile, I swore in my heart: whether rich or poor, I would love him for the rest of my life. Thinking back now, those tender moments late at night, those sweet words that made me blush… They were all Kalen acting. After enjoying my body, that devil must have been laughing at my stupidity with Gavin, right? "So stupid, sleeping with her boyfriend's brother for three years without knowing." "So stupid, actually thinking the heir of the Johnson family would fall in love with a girl from the slums." I slammed on the brakes, slumped over the steering wheel, and let out a heart-wrenching wail. So stupid. Ivy, you really are so stupid. Just then, my phone rang abruptly. It was the head nurse from the nursing home. "Mrs. Smith! It's bad! Your grandmother is suddenly having trouble breathing. Her condition is critical! We need to transfer her immediately!" My mind went blank with a loud buzz. Like a madwoman, I turned the car around, floored the gas pedal, and rushed toward the nursing home. However, on the only road leading to the nursing home, a red Ferrari was parked horizontally in the middle of the road, blocking the way. It was Gavin’s car. The ambulance carrying my grandmother had been forced onto the shoulder, its sirens wailing piercingly in the void. I scrambled out of my vehicle and pounded frantically on the Ferrari’s window through the pouring rain. “Move! Please, move! The ambulance needs to get through!” But the person in the driver's seat ignored my desperate screams. “Oops. Bad timing. The car broke down,” the driver drawled through the glass. It was Kalen’s voice. “Elena sends her regards. Consider this a little lesson for upsetting her.” “A life is at stake! My grandmother is in there!” I collapsed onto my knees in the muddy water, screaming until my throat was raw. “I beg you, move the car! I’ll do anything! Just move it!” “Anything?” Kalen’s voice was cold and detached from behind the glass. “Too bad I’ve lost interest in you. You can wait for the tow truck.” Then he cranked up the rock music, completely drowning out my pleas. The ambulance was blocked for a full forty minutes. By the time I finally arrived at the hospital, the lights in the emergency room had gone out. The doctor took off his mask and shook his head regretfully, "She arrived too late. If she had been here forty minutes earlier, maybe there would have been hope." My legs gave way, and I fell to my knees with a thud. Those aged hands were now cold. Grandma struggled to open her eyes, her clouded gaze searching the empty hospital room. "Gavin... Is Gavin here..." "Grandma wants... wants to thank him in person..." I took out my phone with trembling hands and dialed Gavin's number over and over again. No answer. I sent text messages like crazy. [Gavin, please answer the phone. Grandma is dying. She wants to see you one last time.] [As long as you come, I won't hold anything against you. Gavin, please...] [Gavin...] Tears blurred my vision, mixing with the rain on the screen, distorting the words. Even if he just treated me as a plaything, even if this was a scam. As long as he could appear now, as long as he could let Grandma go peacefully, I could pretend I knew nothing. I could continue to be that fool. But there was dead silence on the other end of the phone. The light in Grandma's eyes gradually faded. She held my hand tightly, using her last bit of strength to say intermittently: "Ivy... be happy... don't... hate..." The electrocardiogram turned into a piercing straight line. "Grandma!!!" I slumped by the bed, crying my heart out. The only person in this world who loved me was gone. That night, I sat alone on the cold bench outside the morgue, handling Grandma's funeral arrangements. Until 3 AM, my phone screen lit up. It was a notification for a special follow. Elena had updated her Instagram. The picture was a group photo taken in the VIP channel of JFK Airport. In the photo, Gavin, who was always calm, noble, and unsmiling, was now holding a huge bouquet of champagne roses. He looked at Elena, his eyes full of the joy of regaining something lost and doting affection. The caption read: [Welcome Home, My Hero. Turns out no matter how far I go, as long as I look back, you are always there.] I looked at the timestamp in the lower-left corner of the photo. It was exactly the moment I was kneeling in the rain begging Kalen to move his car, and the ambulance was blocked. So that was it. He was affectionately picking up his "white moonlight" at the airport. And his good brother, to "vent anger" for this "white moonlight," intercepted the ambulance on the road and killed my grandmother. Gavin, you don't even know how much blood is on your brother's hands. You think you are repaying a debt. Actually, you are committing a sin. I didn't cry. I just calmly turned off my phone and completely deleted the photo set as my wallpaper. The next morning, the rain stopped. I went to an old church on Fifth Avenue first. I took off the priceless pink diamond ring Gavin gave me when he proposed, along with all the jewelry he had given me over the past three years, and put them all in the donation box. The priest looked at me in surprise, "Child, these things are too valuable. Are you sure?" "These are dirty things." I looked at Jesus on the cross, my voice calm without a single ripple. "Exchange them for money and donate it to those in need. Consider it... accumulating some good karma for Gavin." Walking out of the church, I dialed an international call. It was the Human Resources Department of the International Red Cross. "Hello, this is Ivy. Is the application I submitted before still valid?" The person on the other end seemed surprised, "Dr. Ivy? Of course, it's valid. But didn't you say you were getting married and withdrew the application?" "I'm not getting married anymore." I looked at the hypocritical blue sky in the direction of Long Island, my voice cold as ice. "Please send me to Damascus, or any place on the front line of war." "The more dangerous, the better. The sooner, the better." "No problem. There happens to be a medical team leaving next week." "Good." Hanging up the phone, I glanced at the calendar. Next week. It happened to be the day of my wedding with Gavin. That’s fine. I’ll leave on that day. Chapter 3 Considering the unknown dangers of the war zone I was heading to, I decided to bury my grandmother in a cemetery on Long Island. I bought a sterling silver cremation pendant and placed a lock of Grandma's silver hair along with a small amount of her ashes inside, wearing it close to my heart. The rest of her ashes were laid to rest underground. I knelt before the damp tombstone, clutching the pendant tightly in my palm. The cold metal pressed painfully against my skin. "Grandma, rest easy. I will take your love with me and do something truly meaningful." "I will live on, for both of us." It was evening by the time I returned to the Johnson estate. Before I even entered, I could hear elegant violin music and laughter drifting from the living room. Gavin was hosting a small family dinner tonight to celebrate Elena's return. I pushed the door open, bringing the damp chill of the rain and the cemetery with me, looking completely out of place in this warm, luxurious world. "Ivy, you're back?" Gavin was standing by the fireplace, holding a wine glass. Seeing my disheveled state, he frowned slightly, as if I had embarrassed him. He walked over quickly and gentlemanly took my wet coat, though his tone carried a hint of reproach. "Look at you. Go change your clothes quickly. There are two important people I want you to meet." I followed his gaze. On the leather sofa sat the man I hated to my core, Kalen. And the woman surrounded like a star, Elena. Even though I knew the truth, seeing that face right in front of me still triggered an uncontrollable physical tremble. Gavin's voice sounded in my ear, filled with a self-righteous warmth: "Elena is a childhood friend I grew up with. Kalen is my twin brother. They just got back from Switzerland specifically to attend our wedding." Elena was wearing an expensive white Chanel couture gown, looking like a proud swan. Seeing me, she set down her glass and walked over gracefully in her high heels. "Hi, Ivy." She smiled sweetly, but her eyes glinted with malice. "Long time no see. Thanks to your 'care' back then, I've always wanted to thank you in person." She emphasized the word "care." As she spoke, she affectionately linked her arm through mine, leaning close to my ear like a best friend. The cloying scent of her perfume made me want to retch. "Cat got your tongue? You were pretty loud back in the school bathrooms." My body went stiff, and I instinctively tried to pull my hand away. "Don't touch me." Just as I pulled my hand back. "Ah!" Elena suddenly let out a cry. The red wine in her hand splashed violently all over herself. The dark red liquid instantly stained the pristine white couture gown, looking shocking, like a winding, bloody scar. "My dress... Gavin gave this to me as a welcome gift..." Elena's eyes turned red instantly. Tears swirled in her eyes, stubbornly refusing to fall. "Ivy, I know you don't like me... but today is my welcome party. Why would you humiliate me like this?" "Is it because you're jealous that Gavin treats me well? If that's the case, I can leave..." The surrounding guests fell silent instantly, their gazes piercing me like sharp swords. Kalen sat on the sofa and whistled, looking like he was enjoying the show. "Tsk tsk, sister-in-law's jealousy really lives up to its reputation." Gavin's face darkened completely. He strode over, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over Elena, covering her mess. Then, he turned to look at me. In those deep eyes, there was no anger, only a bone-chilling disappointment. "Ivy." His voice was low and powerful, carrying an undeniable pressure. "You need to apologize." I looked at the three of them. I saw the smugness at the corner of Elena's mouth, the mockery in Kalen's eyes, and the sanctimonious "I'm doing this for your own good" look on Gavin's face. In the past, I would have cried and explained, begging him to believe me. But now, I just found it laughable. "I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I apologize?" I straightened my back and looked Gavin in the eye coldly. "She threw it on herself." "Enough!" Gavin rubbed his brow, seemingly heartbroken by my "obstinacy." "Elena is a guest, and she is my savior. As the future mistress of this house, instead of being magnanimous and tolerant, you publicly embarrassed her." "Ivy, where are your manners?" "It seems the easy life these past few years has made you forget how to be a decent person." With that, he grabbed my wrist. His grip was firm but didn't hurt me. He dragged me all the way to a lounge off the side of the first-floor hall. It connected to the underground wine cellar and was usually very quiet. Gavin let go and adjusted my slightly messy collar, his tone returning to that lofty, suffocating gentlemanly demeanor. "Ivy, you've disappointed me." "You're too emotional right now to be in the banquet hall. Stay here and calm down." "Once you've thought it through and learned how to respect Elena, I'll have someone come get you." He gave me one last deep look filled with "tough love" disappointment, then turned and strode out of the lounge. The door wasn't locked. He didn't restrict my freedom; he was just acting like a strict parent punishing an unruly child. I stood in the empty lounge, listening to his fading footsteps, a sarcastic smile curling on my lips. That was Gavin. Even when punishing me, he had to maintain his facade of decency. However. Moments after Gavin left, the lounge door was pushed open again. This time, it was Elena, who had changed into casual clothes. The grievance and frailty on her face had vanished, replaced by a chilling maliciousness. "Tsk tsk, Ivy, Gavin sure is 'gentle' with you." Elena approached step by step, playing with a spare key she had stolen from the butler. "Just reflecting in the lounge? That's letting you off too easy." I stepped back warily. "What do you want?" "I want you to relive some old memories." Elena smiled eerily and suddenly lunged, shoving the unprepared me toward the side door at the back of the lounge. It was the entrance to the deep underground wine cellar! "Get in there!" Caught off guard, I tumbled into the dark, cold space. *Bang—!* The heavy soundproof door slammed shut behind me. Then came the sound of the lock turning. "Elena! Open the door!" I rushed over and pounded frantically on the door, terror drowning me like a tidal wave. "Gavin only said I had to stay in the lounge! You have no right to lock me in!" Elena's triumphant laughter came from outside, muffled by the door. "This *is* Gavin's idea." She lied without skipping a beat, her tone filled with the thrill of revenge. "He said the lounge is too comfortable for you to truly reflect." "He said since your heart is so black, you should stay in a pitch-black place to wash it clean." "Enjoy yourself, Ivy. I chose this spot specifically because I know you're claustrophobic." "Don't expect Gavin to save you. Tonight, he'll be in my room, comforting my poor, frightened heart." The sound of high heels faded away. The world fell into a dead silence. This was the second basement level. No windows, no light, only the low hum of the central air conditioning. The absolute darkness instantly awakened the nightmare buried deep in my heart. "No... don't go..." I slid down against the door to the floor, shaking violently. Breathing became difficult, as if someone was strangling me. I curled into a ball, clutching the ash pendant against my chest, my nails digging deep into my flesh. I rushed to brace against the door, my voice cracking with fear. "I have claustrophobia! You know that! It's too dark... please don't lock the door!" The memory of being locked in the equipment room by Elena for two whole days back in school was the nightmare of my life. Since then, I had to sleep with the lights on and couldn't handle closed, dark spaces. Gavin knew this. When I told him, he had held me with heartache, promising to be my light. But now, no one heard my cries for help. I curled up, gripping the pendant, sinking gradually into despair. Chapter 4 I don't know how long I lay unconscious in that cold, damp wine cellar. A heavy, dragging pain throbbed in my abdomen, as if a hand were viciously tearing at my uterus. I curled up on the moldy carpet, my clothes soaked in cold sweat, my consciousness fading in and out. Until a click sounded—the lock turning. Harsh light flooded in, and I instinctively shielded my eyes with my hand. Standing at the door was Elena. She was dressed in a bright, glamorous dress, covering her nose and looking at my disheveled state with pure disdain. "Oh my, sister-in-law, I'm so sorry." Though she apologized, her eyes danced with malicious glee. "I was having so much fun these past two days, I accidentally forgot you were down here. Gavin kept thinking you were sulking in your room and refusing to come out for meals." I struggled to stand up, bracing myself against the wall, the cramping in my lower abdomen making it nearly impossible to straighten my back. Not wanting to conflict with her again, I weakly pushed past her and stumbled out. As soon as I reached the living room, I ran into Gavin, who was just about to leave. Seeing my filthy, pale, and wretched appearance, Gavin's brows instantly knitted together, a flash of surprise and displeasure crossing his eyes. "Ivy? How did you get like this?" Before I could speak, Elena, right behind me, rushed forward and clung to Gavin's arm, acting all aggrieved. "Gavin, don't blame Ivy. She might still be mad at me, so she's been hiding and refusing to show her face for the last two days. It's all my fault." Gavin's eyes turned cold instantly. He looked at me and sighed, that familiar expression of disappointment and "tough love" reappearing. "Ivy, when did you become so manipulative?" "Have you stopped caring about your own body just to garner sympathy?" I clutched my stomach, cold sweat dripping from the pain, my voice trembling, "Gavin, I don't feel well... I want to go back to my room and rest..." "No." Gavin glanced at his watch, and his previously cold expression suddenly softened. He walked over, his tone becoming exceptionally gentle, as if coaxing a child: "Come on, my little darling, just hang in there a bit longer, okay?" "I know you're not feeling well, but today is the appointment to try on wedding dresses. You know how important this is to us. You've been looking forward to this day for so long, haven't you?" "Be a good girl, don't be willful." Looking at his tender demeanor, the hardened defenses in my heart traitorously softened once again. Maybe... he really did care about the wedding, about our future? I gritted my teeth, enduring the severe pain in my abdomen, and nodded: "Okay, I'll go." However, when I was led like a puppet to that top-tier luxury bridal shop, all my illusions shattered in an instant. It wasn't just the two of us. Kalen and Elena had come along too. As soon as I stepped into the shop, I felt a bone-chilling cold rise from the soles of my feet. It turned out that his gentle coaxing and pleading just now weren't for our wedding at all. It was just to get me, the official fiancée, to be there so Elena could humiliate me to her face and satisfy her vanity. Elena flitted through the rows of wedding dresses like a social butterfly, while Kalen and Gavin, the twins with supposedly distinct personalities, circled her like two loyal knights, never leaving her side. "Gavin, do you think this mermaid dress suits me?" "Kalen, does this one with the veil look good?" Elena held up haute couture wedding dresses meant for the bride, posing with them one by one. Gavin stood behind her, his gaze focused and tender. "This one makes your skin look fair. It suits your temperament." Kalen chimed in from the side, "Our Elena looks good in anything. You'd make the most beautiful bride!" The shop assistants looked at each other, then surprisingly, all flocked around Elena, serving her attentively. "This lady really is a natural clothes hanger..." Meanwhile, I, the actual bride, sat alone on a cold bench in the corner, my face pale as a sheet. The dragging pain in my belly was getting worse. No one looked at me. No one even cared if I tried on a wedding dress. In their world of three, I was like a superfluous intruder, a prop that existed solely to complete the wedding procedure. After a long time, a shop assistant finally remembered me. At Elena's signal, she awkwardly walked over holding a dress. "Miss... this is what Elena 'hand-picked' for you." I took it with trembling hands. It was a bridesmaid dress made of cheap material and a dull color. Even the size was wrong; it was huge, like a sack. "Are you sure... this is for me?" "Yes." The assistant dared not meet my eyes. "Elena said your temperament is more simple and you couldn't pull off those elaborate main gowns. This minimalist style... suits you better." I turned to look not far away. Gavin was bowing his head to help Elena adjust her skirt hem, his movements careful as if he were holding a rare treasure. As if sensing my gaze, Gavin looked back. Seeing the shabby dress in my hands and the dead silence in my eyes, he frowned slightly. He seemed to sense that something was off. "Ivy..." He hesitated, his tone probing. "If you don't like this one, I can pick another—" "I love it." I cut him off, a mocking smile curling on my lips. I was leaving soon anyway. What did it matter what I wore? Perhaps, in his heart, the love I had guarded with my life for so many years was just like this cheap dress—ill-fitting and unpresentable. Holding the rag-like dress, enduring the excruciating pain in my abdomen and the bleeding in my heart, I forced out a smile uglier than crying. "Fine. Since you chose it, I'll wear it." After trying on the dresses, they wanted to go choose rings. I couldn't hold on any longer and used feeling unwell as an excuse to stay in the car. Gavin didn't insist I stay; he even seemed somewhat relieved. "Then rest in the car. Don't go in and spoil the mood." Watching the three of them leave, I took out my phone. Elena's social media had indeed been updated. [Some things are mine without me even having to fight for them.] The photo showed the priceless pink diamond ring, "Heart of Eternity," sparkling on her slender finger. That was the ring Gavin had won at an auction with a high profile, promising it would be my wedding ring. Now, it had become a toy to make Elena happy. Back at the estate, Gavin came to my room. He handed me a blue velvet box. "This is your ring." I opened it to find a plain band with only tiny diamond chips. "Where's the pink diamond?" I asked, knowing the answer. Gavin looked a bit unnatural but quickly recovered his matter-of-fact tone. "Elena just got back and needs some jewelry to keep up appearances. That pink diamond is too flashy; it doesn't suit you. Besides, she's not in good health, and being in a good mood helps her condition." "Ivy, be reasonable." Gavin sat down beside me and wrapped his arm gently around my shoulders, his tone as soft as if he were coaxing a petulant child. "It’s just a ring. It doesn't prove anything. You know you’re the only one in my heart." "After the wedding is over, I’ll make it up to you with an even better one. Okay?" I looked at his face, so full of apparent deep affection, and felt a wave of desolation wash over me. I used to be so pathetically in love with this gentle side of him. In the past, whenever he softened his stance and spoke in that tone, I would compromise without a second thought, abandoning all my boundaries. Only now did I realize the truth: he simply didn't care about me. In his eyes, I was just a plaything he could dismiss with a few sweet words. He thought that as long as he tossed me a piece of candy, I would willingly swallow all the humiliation and do the very things I hated. "Okay." I accepted the plain band calmly. "I won't make a fuss." Gavin touched my head with satisfaction. "I knew you were the most reasonable one." Just then, his phone rang. It was Elena. "Gavin... I had a nightmare... I'm so scared..." Gavin's face instantly turned anxious, a nervousness I had never elicited from him. "Don't be scared, I'm coming right over." He hung up and gave me a hurried glance. "Elena has an emergency. I'll come back later." With that, he turned and left without a shred of reluctance. It was late at night. I took some painkillers and lay in bed, drifting in and out of sleep. Half-awake, the door was roughly pushed open. A strong smell of whiskey approached. Before I could react, a heavy body pressed down on me, hot, rough hands tearing at my pajamas. "Mmph... let go..." I struggled desperately but was pinned down by the wrists. The man buried his face in the crook of my neck, his movements wild and urgent, without a hint of pity, only beastly desire. "Elena... my Elena..." He shouted that name in my ear, lost in passion. *Boom—* My mind went blank. By the moonlight outside the window, I saw the face that was identical to Gavin's but twisted with wickedness and drunkenness. It was Kalen. He mistook me for Elena. Or rather... In the countless nights over these three years, those crazy moments I hadn't noticed, every time he entered my body, he was thinking of Elena! This was a complete, filthy game of substitution! To protect Elena's purity, Gavin directed Kalen's lust towards me. And Kalen used me as a tool to fantasize about Elena! Disgusting. An unprecedented nausea almost suffocated me. I felt the fruit knife under my pillow. In that moment, I really wanted to kill him. But the instant the knife tip pressed against his back, I stopped. No. Killing him now would be letting them off too easy. I let go, allowing the knife to slide under the bed. I lay with my eyes open, staring fixedly at the ceiling. My tears had run dry, and my heart was completely dead. Chapter 5 My stomach turned violently. Even though I was pinned to the bed and overpowered, I used every ounce of strength to shove away the man reeking of alcohol and lies. I shrank back against the headboard, trembling all over as if I had touched something filthy. Kalen stumbled back from my push. He didn’t get angry; he just frowned at me for two seconds, then raised an eyebrow and let out a wicked laugh. "Still mad?" He rubbed the space between his eyebrows. That gesture, that expression—it was exactly like Gavin’s. Even his voice, soaked in whiskey, was indistinguishable from his brother’s. If he hadn't cried out Elena's name in his lust earlier, and if I hadn't learned the secret of the twins, I wouldn't have been able to tell them apart. He leaned in close again, his hands bracing on either side of me, the tip of his nose almost touching mine. "Ivy, stop making a fuss. I already explained it to you today. If I really had feelings for Elena, I wouldn't have agreed to marry you." Kalen lowered his head, intending to kiss me. My eyes went wide, and I violently jerked my head to the side. "Ugh—" An intense wave of nausea surged up my throat. I pushed him aside, ran barefoot into the bathroom, and retched violently into the toilet. Physiological tears streamed down my face. My stomach was empty, but it felt like I was trying to vomit up my internal organs. Dirty. Everything was just so dirty. Kalen watched my back, his brow slightly furrowed, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. Inside the bathroom, I slid slowly down the cold tiled wall and collapsed on the floor. The door wasn't fully closed. Outside, Kalen’s voice rang out abruptly, tinged with surprise: "Elena, did you hear that? This woman keeps retching. Is she pregnant? Just my luck. If she spawns a brat, and the truth comes out later, what if I get stuck with this broke woman?" My body went rigid. He hadn't hung up the phone. A stunned silence came from the other end of the line. A chill ran instantly down my spine, and my nails dug deep into my palms. Then, Elena's hypocritical and malicious voice drifted into my ears: "Kalen, don't be too harsh... If Ivy really is pregnant, that's a human life." "Harsh?" Kalen’s voice came through, cold and devoid of any warmth. "She targeted you like that in school and almost got you killed. This is the punishment she deserves." "As for being pregnant..." Kalen paused, his tone becoming exceptionally cruel. "Impossible. Even if she is, we deal with it cleanly. We can't leave any loose ends, right?" For some reason, my heart felt an inexplicable unease. The next second, I opened the door. I looked at him with a pale face and hollow eyes. Kalen's heart seemed to skip a beat. He quickly hung up the phone and stepped forward, trying to support me. "What's wrong, Ivy? You look terrible. Are you feeling sick somewhere? You aren't actually..." I stared at him, looking at this hypocritical face, and forced the corners of my mouth into a mocking smile. "No. Just my stomach acting up. I feel nauseous." At noon the next day, Gavin's car stopped punctually at the estate gates. He seemed to be in a good mood, personally getting out to open the door for me. "Ivy, I'm taking you to lunch. To make up for the unpleasantness yesterday, I booked your favorite French restaurant." The ride was silent. Soft jazz music echoed in the car—Elena's favorite genre. Gavin had a smile on his lips, his fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel. He was clearly in high spirits. As soon as we arrived at the restaurant, I saw Elena and Kalen already seated at the best window table waiting for us. Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows was the bustling streetscape of Manhattan. "Ivy! Over here!" Elena waved enthusiastically, pointing to a delicate salad already placed on the table. "I was out of line yesterday and made you unhappy. This is the nut and quinoa salad I ordered especially for you. It's the signature dish here, very healthy. You must try it." I looked at the salad, my pupils constricting slightly. I had a severe nut allergy, especially to peanuts and cashews. Just a tiny bit of powder could cause my windpipe to swell, or even send me into shock. Elena knew this. Gavin knew this too. Just as I was about to refuse, Gavin pulled out my chair and gently pressed my shoulders to sit me down. "Eat it, Ivy. Elena ordered it especially for you. Don't reject her kindness." "She even specifically instructed the chef to use top-tier ingredients." I looked at Gavin's trusting eyes and Elena's expectant smile. The words of refusal stuck in my throat. If I didn't eat it, I would be "unreasonable" and "still jealous." I took a deep breath, picked up my fork, and poked at the salad. It seemed to contain only vegetables and quinoa; no visible traces of nuts. Maybe she really just wanted to apologize? I forked a small bite and put it in my mouth. Seconds after swallowing, a familiar, terrifying stinging sensation exploded in my throat! Not only were there nuts, but they had been ground into a fine powder and mixed into the salad dressing! She did it on purpose! "Cough... cough..." I dropped my fork and clutched my neck with both hands. My windpipe began to close up rapidly, breathing became difficult, and a large red rash quickly spread across my face. "Ivy? What's wrong with you?" Gavin frowned at me, seemingly thinking I was acting again. I struggled to grab my handbag beside me. Inside was my lifesaver—my EpiPen. Because my allergy was severe, I carried it with me everywhere. Just as my fingers touched the strap of the bag. "Ugh... Gavin... help..." A weak moan suddenly came from across the table. Elena was clutching her chest, her face instantly flushed red, gasping for air in big gulps, her body going limp as she fell backward. "I feel like vomiting... I can't breathe... is it my asthma..." "Elena!" Kalen, who had been watching Elena, reacted quickly and caught her. "Brother! Elena is having an asthma attack! She looks like she's in bad shape!" Gavin's hand, originally reaching out to me, turned sharply in mid-air. He glanced at me, struggling to breathe with a face full of rash, and then at Elena, lying in Kalen's arms as if she were about to stop breathing the next second. In Gavin's eyes, Elena, who had saved him from the fire, was always more fragile and in need of protection than the "strong" me. He turned without hesitation and rushed to Elena. "Quick! Lay her flat!" Gavin shouted anxiously, completely forgetting about me. I was having trouble breathing now, and my vision was starting to blur. With trembling hands, I finally fished the EpiPen out of my bag. I pulled off the cap, lifted my skirt, and prepared to inject it into my thigh. This was my only chance at survival. Just as the needle was about to pierce my skin. A dark shadow lunged at me, and a hand ruthlessly snatched the pen from my grasp! It was Kalen! "Hand it over! Elena is fading fast, and you only care about yourself?" I looked up in disbelief, trying to snatch back my lifeline. "No... that's... mine..." I forced the broken syllables from my throat. Due to the severe allergic reaction, my fingernails were already turning purple. I looked desperately at Gavin. He was my fiancé; he knew I would die without that pen! "Gavin... help me..." Gavin looked at me, struggling in pain, and then at Elena. In that moment, a flash of intense pain and conflict crossed his deep eyes. But he didn't stop Kalen. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his voice hoarse and agonized. "Ivy... be reasonable. Elena is frail; she can't hold on. You're a doctor. You're stronger than she is." Tears slid from the corners of my eyes. I watched helplessly as Kalen plunged my life-saving medicine into Elena's thigh. And my fiancé just looked at me with anguish, making a promise that sounded incredibly hollow in that moment: "Ivy, just hold on. I promise I'll get the top medical team in New York to save you right now! I'll cure you, no matter the cost!" The medication was administered. Elena "miraculously" caught her breath, leaning weakly into Gavin's arms and weeping. "Gavin... I thought I'd never see you again..." "It's okay, I'm here." Gavin hugged her tightly, like holding a regained treasure. He scooped Elena up and strode out of the restaurant. Kalen followed closely behind: "Brother, I'll go get the car! I'm still worried; we should take Elena to the hospital for a check-up." The three of them left in a whirlwind. Just as lively as when they arrived. In the huge private room, I was the only one left. I collapsed on the floor, my throat completely locked, only able to make a broken wheezing sound like a damaged bellows. In my blood-red vision, I saw their retreating backs, leaving without looking back. From beginning to end, Gavin never once looked back at me. Then, my consciousness plunged into darkness. Chapter 6 I lay in the ICU, unconscious for a full day. When I woke up, my throat burned like I had swallowed a handful of razor blades. Gavin sat by the bed, suited up and looking as dignified as ever. Seeing me wake up, he reached out to hold my hand, his face wearing just the right amount of concern. "Ivy, you're finally awake. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?" I snatched my hand back as if I'd been electrocuted and closed my eyes, refusing to look at his hypocritical face. Gavin didn't get angry. He patiently tucked the quilt around me, a hint of helpless explanation in his tone. "Ivy, I know you're angry with me. But the situation was critical. Elena has a history of asthma; if we didn't medicate her immediately, lives would be at risk." "And you... you're a doctor. I knew you understood how to save yourself, and your physical constitution is better than hers. I thought you were just acting that severely to spite me." "We're getting married soon; we're a team with shared interests. You should understand my difficulties, right?" At that moment, Kalen leaned against the doorframe, twirling his car keys, his slouching posture and tone full of mockery. "Yeah, sister-in-law, my brother had no choice. Who told you to always be so jealous? If you hadn't put on that show, we wouldn't have misjudged the situation." My hands clenched tightly under the covers, nails nearly breaking. Listen to them. They almost killed me, stole my life-saving medicine to save someone faking illness, and in their mouths, *I* became the one who was insensible and ignored the big picture. I felt sick at heart, but I didn't argue anymore. "I want to rest." Seeing my attitude soften, Gavin let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, get some good rest. I'm going to check on Elena. She's fine physically, but she was terrified." Only when their footsteps completely faded did I snap my eyes open. I quickly pulled my phone out from under the pillow and dialed a number. "Hello, is this 'Truth Livestream Studio'? I want to book a global livestream order for next week... Yes, the Johnson family wedding." Hanging up, I subconsciously reached for my chest. It was empty. My heart stopped. The silver pendant necklace containing Grandma's hair and ashes was gone! That was the only memento Grandma left me! I panicked instantly, ignoring my physical weakness, rummaging frantically through the bed and under the pillow like a madwoman. Just then, my phone vibrated. It was a WeChat message from Elena. A video. The background was the hospital's luxury VIP bathroom. Elena's manicured hand was holding my necklace, hovering over the toilet bowl. The lid of the pendant had been unscrewed. "Oops, are these the old hag's ashes? They look so dirty." With her malicious laugh, she tilted her wrist. The gray-white powder drifted down into the swirling water of the toilet, instantly swallowed by the flow and disappearing without a trace. The video ended with the loud roar of the toilet flushing and Elena's smug voiceover: [Want to find your grandma? Go look in the sewer.] "Ah—!!!" I stared at the screen and let out a bloodcurdling scream. Overwhelming anger and despair made my vision go black. I ripped the IV needle from the back of my hand and rushed out of the ward barefoot. I ran all the way to the VIP ward upstairs. The door was ajar. I pushed it open and saw Elena touching up her makeup in the mirror by the sink, still toying with the now-empty silver pendant. "Elena! How could you!" I roared and lunged at her, trying to snatch back the pendant. Elena saw me through the mirror. She didn't dodge; instead, the corners of her mouth curled into an eerie smile. Just as my hand was about to touch her, she suddenly screamed and threw herself backward violently, slamming into the sink. "Ah! Ivy, don't hit me!" At the same time, the door behind me was pushed open with force. "Ivy! What are you doing!" Gavin's commanding roar rang out. Immediately after, a powerful hand clamped down on my wrist. He didn't hit me, but the immense resistance made it impossible for me to move an inch. Gavin forcibly pulled me away, shielding Elena behind him. Kalen rushed over to help the "trembling" Elena up, looking nervous. "Elena, are you okay?" Elena shrank into Kalen's arms, weeping like a pear blossom bathed in rain, still clutching the empty pendant tightly. "Gavin... I just wanted to return the necklace I found to Ivy... but she started cursing me as soon as she came in and tried to push me..." "I don't know what I did wrong... Is it because of me that you guys left her at the restaurant? Is she blaming me..." What a perfect victim. I trembled with rage, pointing at Elena's hand, my voice so hoarse it was unrecognizable. "She's lying! Gavin, she is lying!" "She poured Grandma's ashes into the toilet! She flushed Grandma's ashes away!!" I cried and shouted, trying to rush over to show Gavin the empty pendant, trying to take out my phone to show him the video. "Enough!" Gavin grabbed my shoulders, pinning me firmly to the spot. He looked down at me, his deep eyes now filled with disappointment and disgust. "Ivy, haven't you made enough of a scene?" "Ashes? That is clearly just an ordinary decorative necklace! To frame Elena, you'd even make up such a vicious lie...and even use your grandmother to make such a sick joke? " I froze. Trembling, I took out my phone. "I have a video... she sent it to me..." I opened the chat window. It was blank. Retracted. Elena had retracted that video long ago. "What video?" Gavin glanced at my phone screen and sneered. "It's blank. Ivy, are you hallucinating?" "No... it's not..." I looked at him in despair. "Gavin, believe me just this once... it really was her..." "Gavin, don't blame Ivy..." Before I could say a word, Elena, hiding behind them, suddenly interrupted. Her rims were red, and her voice dripped with grievance. "Actually, I can understand her. She's just jealous of the bond we share from growing up together, jealous that you treat me so well. She feels like I stole your attention, that's why she hates me so much. She'd even go as far as fabricating such terrible things to slander me..." "But I really didn't..." What terrible acting. What obvious manipulation. I stared dead at Gavin, waiting for his rebuttal, waiting for him to defend me like he used to. Even if it was just one sentence: "Ivy isn't that kind of person." But there was nothing. Gavin stood there in silence. He didn't stop Elena's accusations, nor did he refute a single word. He just looked at me quietly with those deep eyes that had once professed love to me. There was no trust in that gaze, only a silent acquiescence and disappointment. "Sister-in-law, making up such lies just to fight for favor, cursing your own grandmother's ashes, and even trying to hit someone. Your heart... tsk tsk." I looked at these two men in front of me. One was the fiancé I had loved for seven years, speaking of morals and justice but stabbing me with every word. The other was the devil who had possessed my body for three years, full of mockery, kicking me while I was down. And the real murderer, Elena, was hiding behind them, flashing me a triumphant, vicious smile. In that moment, I felt the blood in my body turn ice cold. I stopped explaining, and I stopped crying. I just stared fixedly at the empty pendant, stared at Elena's face. "Fine." I heard myself say in a dry voice. "I saw it wrong. It was my jealousy acting up." "I apologize." Gavin let out a sigh of relief, the knot in his brow finally loosening. He stepped closer and gently smoothed my messy hair. His tone softened, oozing with a performative "kindness." "I'm glad you've finally come to your senses, Ivy." "Elena truly has a good heart. She never intended to come between us. You both mean the world to me, and I really hope you can let go of your prejudice and just get along with her. Okay?" "Be a good girl. Stop being so difficult." "Kalen, take her back. Find two nurses to watch her; don't let her run around again." I was taken back to that cage filled with the smell of disinfectant. This time, I didn't struggle. Chapter 7 After lying in the hospital for just half a day, Gavin came. He was dressed in a casual, British-style equestrian outfit, looking handsome and upright, completely out of place in the pale, sterile hospital room. "Ivy, get ready. Come with us to the private hunting grounds on the North Shore of Long Island." I leaned against the headboard, my body still weak, and shook my head feebly. "I don't want to go... I want to rest..." "Stop throwing a tantrum." Gavin interrupted me, his brow furrowed as if he were looking at an unreasonable child who only knew how to act out. "Elena specifically suggested going horse riding to relax and ease the tension. She said she doesn't mind your previous 'misunderstanding' and wants to use this opportunity to reconcile with you." "Ivy, you've changed." He looked at me, his eyes filled with a complicated mix of regret and accusation. "You were never like this before." "This is your best chance to apologize to Elena and repair your relationship. As the future mistress of the Johnson family, you must learn to be magnanimous and sociable. Don't disappoint me again." Apologize? Apologize to the murderer who flushed my grandmother's ashes down the toilet? I looked at Gavin's hypocritically righteous face and found it utterly absurd. But I had no strength to resist, nor did I want to argue anymore. Because I knew that in this man's heart, right and wrong had long been twisted by his bias. Like a soulless doll, I was forcibly taken from the hospital and stuffed into the car. In the hunting grounds, the deep autumn red leaves covered the mountains, creating a picturesque scene. Elena, dressed in a red riding outfit, sat atop a snow-white warmblood horse, looking valiant and heroic. Where was the frail appearance of someone who had "just returned from death's door"? Kalen rode a black horse, guarding her left side, the two of them chatting and laughing. Seeing me being led over by Gavin, Elena immediately flashed a sweet smile. "Ivy, are you feeling better? I specifically asked the stable to save the gentlest mare for you, so don't be afraid." I watched her performance coldly, saying nothing. Gavin helped me onto the horse, whispering a warning in my ear, "Behave yourself later. Don't wear that funeral face; it's bad luck." The group headed deeper into the forest. Gavin and Kalen flanked Elena, the three of them chatting happily, reminiscing about childhood events. I followed behind, like a superfluous ghost. As we reached a steep slope, Elena suddenly reined in her horse and looked back at me, a strange glint flashing in her eyes. "Ivy, your horse seems a bit agitated. Don't get too close to me..." Before she finished speaking. Using her body as cover, she secretly flicked a coin with her fingers, hitting her own horse right in the eye. "Neigh—!" The originally quiet white horse, in pain, reared up in fright and neighed frantically. "Ah—! Help!" Elena screamed, letting go of the reins and tumbling off the horse's back, landing heavily on the grass. "Elena!" Gavin and Kalen jumped off their horses almost simultaneously and rushed over like madmen. "My leg... it hurts so much..." Elena clutched her ankle, pointing at me with teary eyes. "Ivy... I know you hate me... but how could you throw a stone at my horse..." If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext. I was at least five meters away from her, my hands tightly gripping the reins the entire time. I hadn't moved a muscle. "I didn't," I said calmly, my voice flat. "You still dare to deny it!" Kalen roared, rushing over to drag me off the horse and shoving me hard onto the ground. "I saw you raise your hand with my own eyes! You're just jealous of Elena and want to kill her!" Gavin checked Elena's ankle and only sighed in relief after confirming it was just a sprain. Then, he stood up and walked toward me step by step. In those deep eyes, there was no longer helplessness, only cold judgment and disgust. "Ivy, I gave you countless chances along the way." "I thought you would reflect and apologize. I didn't expect your heart to be this vicious." He looked around the desolate, dense forest and made a decision. "Since you like such barbaric behavior, then stay here and experience the cruelty of nature properly." "Tonight, you stay in this deep mountain camp. No tent, no sleeping bag. Reflect on your actions." Kalen immediately understood, grinning maliciously as he threw all the spare camping gear from the car back into the trunk, leaving me only a bottle of water. "Gavin! This is deep in the mountains! There will be wolves at night! And I'm afraid of the dark!" Although my heart was dead, physiological fear still made me tremble. "It's dangerous here..." My voice trembled as I made one last desperate attempt. "Gavin, after all, Ivy is a girl. Leaving her alone out here in the middle of nowhere... isn't that too cruel? What if something happens to her?" Elena leaned against Kalen's chest, looking up weakly, her eyes brimming with kindness and compassion. "How about... I stay with her? Maybe I can talk to her, help her work through her issues." Hearing this, Gavin's gaze toward Elena softened even more, filled with tenderness and pity. But when he turned to look at me, that tenderness instantly morphed into utter disappointment. "Look at Elena. Even after you hurt her like this, she's still looking out for you." "And you? You're still making excuses for yourself." He scoffed, his heart hardening completely. "No. She needs to be alone to truly reflect on what she's done." "She brought this on herself." Gavin's voice was as cold and hard as iron, leaving no room for negotiation. But as he turned to get in the car, his gaze swept over my pale, deathly still face, devoid of even a single word of defense. In that instant, his steps paused. A sudden, unexplained sting pricked his heart. The old me would cry, make a scene, and argue vehemently that I was wrongly accused when aggrieved. But the current me just stood quietly in the wind, like a husk drained of its soul, looking at him with hollow eyes as if looking at a stranger. This dead silence panicked him more than any hysteria ever could. "Gavin, hurry up and drive, my foot hurts..." Elena moaned at the right moment, interrupting his thoughts. The hesitation in Gavin's eyes vanished instantly. "Let's go." The engine roared. The off-road vehicle kicked up dust and mercilessly disappeared at the end of the forest path. I was abandoned. In the primeval forest as night fell. I didn't cry, nor did I shout. I just hugged my knees, leaned against a dead tree, and watched the sky turn completely black bit by bit. That night, the cold wind bit to the bone, and the howls of unknown beasts came from the distance. But I felt no fear. Because my heart had already died with Grandma the moment I saw that video of her ashes being flushed away. Until the next morning. It wasn't Gavin who came to pick me up, but a ranger from the hunting grounds. "The young master said if you've reflected enough, you can leave on your own. The convoy has already returned to the city." "The Master Kalen said that if you've finished reflecting, you can leave on your own. The convoy has already returned to the city." The ranger didn't even offer me a ride; he just drove away after delivering the order. Dragging my frozen legs, I moved down the mountain step by step. I walked for four whole hours, blisters forming on my feet, my shoes soaked with mud, before I finally returned to the city. I stood on the bustling street, looking at this prosperous, indifferent world. I didn't go back to the estate, nor did I go to the hospital. There were no longer any family or loved ones for me there. I walked into a roadside internet cafe and opened that familiar email inbox. Lying quietly inside was a final confirmation letter from the International Red Cross: [Dr. Ivy, your transfer order has been approved. The medical charter plane to Damascus will take off in three days. Please confirm if you will report on time.] Three days later. It happened to be the day of my wedding with Gavin. I looked at that date, and my originally numb heart finally beat once. I tapped the keyboard and replied with one word: [Confirmed.] Chapter 8 It was the final day before the wedding. I had to return to the Johnson estate to retrieve my passport and ID. As I reached the top of the spiral staircase, Elena blocked my path like a phantom. At that moment, Gavin and Kalen were downstairs in the study discussing the wedding flow, leaving the hallway deserted. Elena dropped her facade of fragility. She crossed her arms, looking down at me with a smirk full of malice. "Ivy, how do you even have the face to come back?" I clenched my fists and stared at her coldly. "None of your business. Move." "Tsk, still so tough?" Elena leaned in a step closer, lowering her voice to a whisper filled with provocation. "I'll let you in on a secret. That day in the forest? Gavin knew I was faking my injury the whole time. But he still chose to take me away and leave you there like a dog." "Oh, and about those ashes... I didn't actually flush them down the toilet. I mixed them into the dog food for the estate's mastiff. I watched that dog lick the bowl clean." *Boom—* The last string of my sanity snapped. "You vicious bitch!" My eyes turned red, and I lunged at her, losing all control. However, Elena was prepared. She side-stepped and shoved me hard. "Go to hell!" My body was already weak. My foot slipped, and I lost my balance instantly. "Ah—!" With a short scream, I tumbled down the high spiral staircase. The world spun. The steps acted like blunt weapons, battering my spine and limbs over and over. Finally, I landed heavily on the marble floor of the first floor. A tearing pain ripped through my abdomen, as if something was being forcibly stripped from my body. A stream of warm liquid flowed down my legs, staining the expensive carpet red. Blood. So much blood. "What happened?!" The study door burst open, and Gavin and Kalen rushed out. Seeing me lying in a pool of blood, Gavin's pupils constricted violently. "Ivy!" He rushed over, intending to pick me up. "Ah! Gavin... I'm so scared..." At the top of the stairs, Elena covered her mouth, her body trembling as she let out a terrified cry. "It was Ivy... she suddenly went crazy and tried to push me... but she lost her footing and fell... so much blood... I'm so scared..." Gavin paused mid-motion. He looked up at the "traumatized" Elena, a flash of heartache in his eyes. Kalen frowned, his tone actually carrying blame: "Sister-in-law, can't you just behave? The wedding is tomorrow, and you have to cause a bloodbath? Are you trying to curse us?" I couldn't speak from the pain. I could only grip his collar tightly, tears mixing with cold sweat streaming down my face. " The baby... save the baby..." Gavin froze, his gaze finally landing on my blood-soaked dress. Realization dawned on him. His face changed color, and he scooped me up, rushing toward the door. Kalen stayed behind to comfort Elena. "Don't be afraid, I'm here. That crazy woman brought this on herself; it has nothing to do with you." --- When I woke up from the anesthesia and was wheeled back to the ward, my belly felt empty, and there was a gaping hole in my heart. The doctor held the medical chart, shaking his head regretfully. "You arrived too late. Plus, your body had suffered from extreme cold and emotional stress recently. We couldn't save the baby. It was a formed boy." I lay on the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, dry-eyed. The door opened. Gavin walked in. "Awake?" He placed a food container on the bedside table, a look of pity on his face. "I've settled the medical bills. This is a nutritious meal from the hospital cafeteria. Eat it while it's hot; you need to recover." "The doctor said you miscarried. Since the child is gone, just focus on getting your health back." "We... are still young. We can have children later." "Where is Elena?" I asked, my voice raspy. Gavin adjusted his cuffs, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world: "She was terrified. She's on an IV in the ward next door. Kalen is with her." "She kept crying earlier, saying it was her fault and that she shouldn't have argued with you. Look, Ivy, how kind she is." "You can't fully blame her for this. It... it was just an accident." I looked at the man in front of me. He was still so handsome, so gentlemanly. He even thoughtfully opened the food container for me and placed the spoon by my hand. "Eat. The wedding will proceed as planned tomorrow. I'll make it up to you after we're married." I didn't take the spoon. I turned my head and looked through the half-open door to the hallway opposite. Elena was sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed out by Kalen for some fresh air. Seeing I wasn't eating, Gavin assumed I was throwing a tantrum again. He sighed, turned around, and walked out. He walked toward Elena. He crouched down, gently holding Elena's hand and wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. He looked so careful, so tender, as if Elena was the one who had just miscarried and lost a child. "Don't cry, it's not your fault." Gavin's voice was gentle enough to drip water. Even across the hallway, I could hear every word clearly. "Ivy has a strong constitution; she'll be fine in a couple of days. But you, your health is fragile. Don't hurt yourself over such a small matter." "Gavin... the baby..." "It doesn't matter." Gavin stroked her head. "As long as *you* are okay." *As long as you are okay.* I watched that scene. I watched the harmonious picture of the three of them. I watched Gavin completely disregard my child just to comfort that murderer. Suddenly, I felt the last trace of pain vanish from my body. What remained was an endless numbness. The greatest grief is a silent, dead heart. So this is what that feels like. I slowly turned my head back, refusing to look at them for even another second. I picked up the spoon and ate the lukewarm meal, mouthful by mouthful. Mechanical chewing. Mechanical swallowing. I needed strength. I needed to survive. Gavin didn't know. Along with the departure of that child, the Ivy who loved him died completely in this cold afternoon. Chapter 9 The next morning. There were only twenty-four hours left until that grand and absurd wedding. Dragging my body, which was still throbbing with dull pain from the D&C surgery, I returned to the master suite in the Johnson estate for the last time. The place was filled with the luxury and bustle of pre-wedding preparations. On the lawn below, workers were setting up white floral arches. The bedroom was packed with couple's items, and stacks of high-end gift boxes tied with white ribbons sat on the table. In the huge wedding photo on the wall, Gavin wore a tuxedo and looked at me with deep affection, while I smiled like a fool who thought she owned the world. I walked to the fireplace and lit the wood inside. The dancing flames illuminated my pale face. I began to clear out everything related to him from the past seven years, like taking out the trash. The first thing thrown into the fireplace was the thick kraft paper diary. It recorded every detail of our love. [2019, Gavin turned down a multi-million transnational contract to fly back from London overnight for my birthday, personally baking me an imperfect cake.] The flames licked the paper. He did make it, and the candlelight and embrace that night were real. But I later learned that he rushed back because Elena casually mentioned she wanted red velvet cake from a century-old shop in London. He bought the shop's recipe and gave it to Elena as a souvenir. And I only deserved the failed product he made for practice, with burnt edges. Back then, I was moved to tears, not knowing he gave the most expensive "thought" to Elena and left the "practice" scraps for me. [2021, I was hospitalized, and Gavin stayed by my bed for three days and three nights without closing his eyes, growing stubble.] This was also true. But while he guarded me, his hand clutched his phone tightly, his earphones constantly connected to a voice call with Elena. Just because Elena said she was afraid of the dark alone in Switzerland, he video-called her for three whole nights. While holding my hand with the IV drip in one hand, he used the other to order a priceless pink diamond for Elena on his phone, just because she said the hospital white was too monotonous and she wanted something sparkly. So, his love wasn't fake. It was just too cheap, too crowded, and too clearly distinguished between "primary" and "secondary." He gave his complete, expensive, unreserved love to Elena. Then he packaged the remaining, insignificant scraps as "deep affection" and doled them out to me. And while I was weeping with gratitude, he was probably marveling at his own "generosity" and "balance." I watched the items carrying beautiful memories turn to ashes in the fire without shedding a tear. A dead heart sheds no tears. After disposing of all the letters, photos, and dolls, I took out the black velvet gift box I had prepared long ago. It was the wedding gift I originally intended for Gavin—a pair of custom cufflinks. Now, I replaced it with another "grand gift." I took out the plain diamond ring stained with my blood from my pocket. When I fell down the stairs yesterday, it cut my palm and witnessed the departure of the flesh and blood in my womb. The blood had dried, dark red stains clinging to the cheap diamond, looking shocking. I threw it into the box. Then, I put in a legal document that had already been notarized—[Declaration of Severance of Relationship] and [Commitment to Waive All Property Gifted by the Johnson Family]. At the end of this document, I signed my name and pressed a red fingerprint. After doing all this, I closed the lid and tied it with a black ribbon. I called the estate butler. "Please deliver this to the President's Office of the Johnson Group. It must be opened by Mr. Gavin Johnson personally. Just say it's... a pre-wedding surprise." The butler took the box without asking questions, just bowing respectfully. He didn't see the card hidden in the interlayer of the gift box. It didn't have my name on it, just a line of neat but resolute English: [To Gavin: From the person you never truly knew.] Watching the butler walk away, I took one last look around this luxurious but cold prison. Goodbye, Gavin. Goodbye, my absurd, laughable, and self-sentimental seven years of youth. 3:00 PM. I changed out of my designer clothes and into a simple windbreaker, carrying a marching pack, and appeared at the private tarmac of JFK International Airport. A transport plane painted with the Red Cross logo was waiting for takeoff. The huge engines roared, surrounded by rushing medical personnel and mountains of relief supplies. "Dr. Ivy! Over here!" The team leader waved at me, looking anxious, his voice somewhat broken in the wind. "The war situation in Damascus has escalated; we need to take off immediately. Are you sure you want to go with us? That's a real battlefield; people die at any moment." I walked up the ramp facing the whistling wind, without looking back at the prosperity behind me. "I'm sure." "Compared to there, New York is the hell that suffocates me." As soon as I sat down, I took out my phone. Dozens of missed calls flashed on the screen. All from Gavin. And countless iMessages popped up: [Ivy, where are you? The wedding rehearsal is about to start; the priest is waiting.] [Stop throwing a tantrum and come back. Elena is here too; she says she wants to see you in that dress. Don't disappoint her.] [Kalen said he didn't find you in the bedroom, only a pile of ashes. What on earth is wrong with you?] Looking at these words, I only found them incredibly ironic. Even now, he still thought I would choose him, still thought I loved him. He had no idea that I was no longer in his script. I didn't reply. I calmly took the SIM card out of the phone. I snapped it with my fingers. *Snap—* The small card carrying all my past connections and concerns broke into two pieces. I raised my hand and threw them into the trash bag. Even if there were bullets and plagues ahead. As long as there was no Gavin, no Johnson family. For me, it was heaven. "Let's take off." I said to the captain. The plane taxied, accelerated, and soared into the clouds. Through the porthole, I watched the bustling, indifferent city below grow smaller and smaller until it was completely hidden by the clouds. Gavin. This time, I really don't want you anymore.