Chapter 1

After six years of marriage, Lucas finally agreed to have a proper wedding ceremony.

Just before the wedding, his adopted son suddenly fell gravely ill, and Lucas took him abroad for treatment.

Worried, I rushed over, only to find him throwing a simple wedding ceremony with Eliza, his sister-in-law, right there on the street.

There he was, kneeling on one knee, telling Eliza, "Once we're back home, we'll have to get back into our roles.

"No one knows us here, so let's enjoy it while we still can."

I heard Zane, his adopted son, calling Eliza "Mom", and the three of them made a perfect family.

Silently, I returned home and replaced the bride's name everywhere it showed up... all of it now listed as Eliza.

Then I called my teacher.

I asked, "Is there still a chance I can get a small role in your new musical?"

She sounded surprised for a moment, then her voice bubbled with excitement and joy. "Are you sure?

"Of course. You were the successor I believed in back then. The troupe will be going to Kryndel in two weeks. Can you make it?"

"Yes, I'll be there on time," I replied.

Once I finished talking to my teacher, the wedding planning team called again.

A staff member said, "Hello, Ms. Hart. We received your request—just to confirm, do you really want the bride's name changed to Eliza?"

After I confirmed, they triple-checked, sounding a bit nervous before carefully asking, "So, are we actually switching the bride? What about everything we've already planned?"

"The bride will get in touch with you in a few days," I said, keeping my voice calm.

After I hung up, the bitterness came rushing back.

Lucas Reed and I had been together for years, and right before we got married, his brother Travis Reed died unexpectedly.

His wife, Eliza Reed, was pregnant at the time, and Isabel Reed couldn't bear to see her become a widow so young, so she came up with this wild idea—she wanted Lucas to take care of her as well.

By coincidence, I was also found to be pregnant. After a fierce confrontation, Isabel relented and proposed that Eliza's child, Zane Reed, be adopted by Lucas.

After that, Eliza went abroad, and Lucas and I hurriedly registered our marriage. I became a stepmother at a young age, and with it came a flood of rumors and gossip.

Lucas kept using Travis' death as an excuse to delay the wedding ceremony until now.

I was all smiles, preparing every detail with a hopeful heart.

Out of concern for Zane, I put the preparation on hold and searched the hospital they had told me about for what felt like ages.

To my shock, on a bustling street, I ran into Lucas —the very man who was supposed to be with Zane for surgery.

What I saw was Eliza in a wedding dress, right there with Lucas.

She covered her mouth, tears brimming, staring in disbelief as Lucas got down on one knee and offered her a ring.

I was frozen in place.

I couldn't believe that Lucas actually had feelings for Eliza, his sister-in-law.

"Mom, Dad, I want you to be together forever." Zane ran up and wrapped his arms around them, his face twisted with distress. "I don't want Dad to marry that woman."

At the mention of me, Lucas's smile faded. He glanced at Eliza, his eyes filled with helplessness and pain.

He said, "I don't want this either, buddy, but there's no choice.

"Your mom and I can't be together. We have our own lives."

Then he turned to Eliza again, his gaze soft but unwavering. "But just for today, we can let ourselves be free."

The crowd exploded in cheers, and it felt like thunder crashing over my head.

I staggered back, helpless, watching them locked in a passionate embrace, kissing like no one else existed.

The photographers snapped away, freezing their happiness into frame after frame of wedding photos.

When it was over, Lucas helped Eliza with her dress.

I drifted silently behind them like a ghost, invisible and forgotten.

Eliza suddenly began to sob, her eyes full of tender emotion and reluctance.

She said, "I'll be getting married soon. What will happen to Zane?"

Lucas rushed to comfort her, panic flashing in his eyes. "Hey, don't cry, Eliza. Zane still has me."

"You know that's not what I mean," Eliza whispered, biting her lips.

Lucas replied, "Relax, Millie won't have any children. Over the years, I've been making sure she takes contraception. Once we return, I'll get sterilized. She'll only ever care for Zane."

Hearing Lucas say that, Eliza's tears faded, and she managed to smile.

I just felt betrayed. A chill ran down my back, leaving me stiff and numb.

For six years, Isabel never missed a chance to mock me for not being able to get pregnant.

Every single time, Lucas would step in to defend me. "It doesn't matter if Millie has a baby or not—I'll never pressure her. Besides, we have Zane."

Those words once touched me deeply, but now they just sent chills down my spine.

I couldn't stay any longer that day and awkwardly ran back home.

I looked at the gift boxes I had carefully chosen, lined up, waiting for Lucas to come back and select them with me.

Then my eyes fell on the half-written wedding invitations. The joy and excitement I had felt before had turned into a deep, aching pain.

I locked myself in my room and cried for days until my throat was raw and I could no longer speak.

Today, after I had finished telling the wedding planning team, I let out a heavy sigh.

Since they couldn't be together officially, I would give them a little help.

I was ready to step back and let them be happy.