Chapter 2

I stood there like a puppet whose soul had been sucked out, frozen in place. The air felt thick and suffocating. The whispers that had filled the room moments ago had vanished, replaced by silence. Every gaze—shocked, sympathetic, disdainful, or gloating—stabbed my dignity like a thousand tiny needles.

Zachary's face was drained of all color as he frantically tried to shut off the speakers, but the panicked emcee and staff, still in shock, clumsily blocked his way. Sasha, ashen-faced, had collapsed in her seat, wishing she could disappear.

"No... It's not what it looks like... Whitney, please, let me explain!" Zachary finally broke free and lunged toward me, reaching for my hand.

His voice, which used to be pure music to my ears, now made me feel sick to my core.

With a sudden burst of strength that even surprised me, I broke free from his grip.

At that moment, it felt like the shackles deep inside my soul were finally gone. All those clues I'd ignored, hidden beneath the haze of love, came into my mind like a wave.

When his company was struggling with cash flow, an "anonymous investor" conveniently showed up. Later, I learned it was Sasha's father, on the condition that Zachary had to get engaged to me.

My designs were somehow leaked at key moments, and the awards always went to designers who were close to Sasha.

After my parents died in a car accident, Zachary pretended to be devastated and helped me with the funeral. But when I was at my lowest, he quietly took over my company.

And then there was Sasha, my best friend—or so I thought. She was always whispering in my ear about how much Zachary loved me, telling me, "Don't be so tough. Women should lean on men sometimes." But after I gave everything to Zachary, she used my money to live a life of luxury.

One by one, all those things that were thought to be "coincidences," "misunderstandings," or "signs he loved me" finally showed their monstrous, ugly truth.

I was just pathetically naive.

No, it was worse than pathetic. I was hopelessly foolish.

The agony that once tore through me was gone. In its place surged fury and a clear understanding of everything that I'd never had before.

It was as if I'd been asleep for a thousand years, and now, with my eyes snapped wide open, I could finally see the truth.

I slowly lifted my head, my gaze sweeping over Zachary's pale face before landing on Sasha, who was shaking uncontrollably.

My voice was utterly emotionless, yet it sliced through the silence of the hall, reaching every corner.

"Zachary. Sasha." My words rang out.

I paused, meeting their terrified eyes, a cold smile tugging at my lips.

"This wedding is over," I said.

"No, Whitney! It's not what you think. Someone set us up. It's all a misunderstanding!" Zachary was still trying to deceive me, reaching for me again, his eyes full of panic and pleading.

There was a time when that look would have made me waver, tossing aside all my principles.

But now...

"Set you up?" I snorted, my voice low but dripping with sarcasm. "Zachary, Sasha, with acting skills like yours, it's a crime you haven't won an Oscar yet. Too bad I don't like the script for this little drama."

I gracefully yet resolutely removed the white veil that once symbolized purity and commitment. Now, in my hands, it was nothing but a joke. I tossed it to the floor without hesitation, as if I were throwing away something disgusting.

Then I turned to the audience—my relatives, Zachary's business partners, and the people we used to call friends.

"Ladies and gentlemen," I said, my voice calm but resolute, "thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to witness what was supposed to be my wedding to Mr. Nelson. Or rather, the grand scheme masterminded by Mr. Nelson and Ms. Haney to snatch my property. Now the curtain's fallen, so feel free to leave."