Time passed quickly, and the wedding day was finally here.

  Jun looked at herself being dolled up in the mirror, surrounded by busy makeup artists and stylists in the brightly lit dressing room. In three hours, she would marry Liam before all their guests and their parents.

  Thinking back to st night, she and Liam were enjoying a pleasant candlelit dinner at his apartment when he was unexpectedly called away for an urgent work meeting. Being a very understanding partner, she naturally let him go, but she knew it was just a secret affair at another home.

  In the end, she spent all night waiting for him, but he never returned. Since the food had already turned cold and unappetising by morning, she threw them away.

  On her way to the wedding venue, Jun called Liam multiple times, but he didn’t answer any of her calls. Instead, she received a text from him, reassuring her that he would be there on time for their wedding.

  Once Jun realised the message was unlike what Liam would send her, she figured Mei was the one behind it and stopped responding, unconcerned. Soon, Liam would understand the tragedy that was approaching him. After all, she could only begin her revenge once he had committed. His infidelity would give her ample reason to retaliate against him and without her forgiveness, there would be no opportunity for his redemption.

  Just the thought of it brought a smile to Jun’s face. Only she knew the reason for her happiness wasn’t about being a bride, but rather because she had been preparing for this day for a long time.

  The time for Liam’s downfall.

  With her makeup finally finished, Jun looked at the mirror and softly smiled, perfectly portraying the look of a satisfied bride. Right after, her photographer called her for a quick photoshoot in the reception area, where she found Liam standing there in a daze.

  Surrounded by the cheerful bridesmaids and groomsmen, Liam looked oddly out of pce. Despite the celebratory atmosphere around him, his expression was far from happy. In fact, the deep furrow between his eyebrows exposed his anxiousness, as if he was deeply concerned about something.

  Jun walked towards him, lightly tugging at his sleeve until he snapped his attention back to her. He offered her a slight smile in return, but there were subtle hints of alienation in his gaze.

  Concerned by Liam’s abnormal silence, Jun asked, “What’s wrong, Liam? Are you feeling tired?”

  But Liam was unmoved by her words.

  He gave her a sharp gnce before pulling away from her grasp. Giving her the usual practiced smile, he said nonchantly, “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Let’s have our pictures taken now, shall we?”

  Knowing that he wouldn’t give her a straight answer even if she pressed on, Jun stared at Liam for a moment before slowly stepping back. With her eyes downcast, she slowly nodded.

  After their pictures were done taking, they still had two hours before their wedding ceremony officially began. With plenty of time left, Jun stayed with her bridesmaids, catching up on the test topics, while Liam broke away from his groomsmen to receive a work call. He took one st look at Jun before quietly slipping away.

  When Liam was finally out of sight, Jun looked back, gncing at the spot where he had been standing.

  …

  An hour ter, in the dressing room, Jun was resting with her eyes closed before the panicked groomsmen burst in, searching for the missing groom. The sudden commotion startled her awake, but she quickly composed herself, stood up, and asked about the situation.

  The room suddenly fell deathly silent as the groomsmen shifted uncomfortably at her question. Their eyes darted away, avoiding her piercing stare.

  Finally, unable to withstand the intense scrutiny, one of the groomsmen finally admitted that they had been unable to reach Liam for the past hour. In fact, they had already exhausted every method, leaving no stone unturned, but still found no traces of him.

  And coming to the dressing room was their final, desperate option.

  The bridesmaids gasped in horror. One almost fainted from the shocking news.

  But Jun remained silent, her expression unreadable, betraying nothing of what she was thinking. Then she pulled out her phone and attempted to reach Liam by call and text, but all of it went straight to voicemail.

  A clear sign he was unavaible.

  Seeing this, Jun put down her phone and immediately addressed Liam’s personal secretary directly, picking her out from the group of bridesmaids.

  “Miss Lay, expin yourself.”

  Lay stared in shock. Her heart almost jumped out of her chest as she was unexpectedly dragged into the spotlight by Jun. Nervous, she wanted to feign innocence, but Jun’s all-knowing gaze made pretending impossible, even if she wanted to. Without much of a choice, she reluctantly confessed to speaking with Liam before he left.

  “He… Mr Cole had mentioned he was going to the airport.”

  “Why?” Jun asked, her tone cold.

  “Because there’s someone he had to meet.”

  “Who?”

  Lay paused, her shoulders slumping slightly before a sigh escaped her lips. Guilt weighed heavily on her conscience. Given the current circumstances, hiding it would only bring about more repercussions. She knew there was no other option but to tell Jun the truth.

  “…Mei Grene,” Lay whispered. “Mr Cole went to the airport to look for her.”

  In an instant, Jun’s stoic expression faltered. A sly smile gradually spread across her face as her indifferent gaze traced the scarlet fabric of her wedding dress to the anxious secretary across from her.

  “Mei,” Jun mumbled, the name lingering on her lips before she chuckled. “I understand.”

  “So she’s more important than his wedding or his bride.”

  As the words left her lips, the room grew instantly colder. A chilling dread filled the room, suffocating everyone. It was as though the devil had descended.

  Overwhelmed by a terrifying fear that left her breathless, tears welled up in Lay’s eyes, and she began to cry. All of the sudden, she felt like she had made a huge mistake.

  Jun returned to her seat, her legs crossed as she propped her chin in her hand, a thoughtful expression on her face. Against all odds and expectations, she decred, “Let’s proceed with the wedding. My groom will come.”

  Hearing that, everyone stared at Jun in disbelief.

  What could she be pnning?

  …

  Upon hearing the news that the groom had abandoned his daughter for another woman, Father Lee was nearly consumed by fury. He wanted to order his men to seize Liam back, but fortunately, his reason prevailed, preventing an embarrassing outburst that could have ruined his daughter’s otherwise perfect wedding.

  Looking at his calm, obedient daughter, her face serene despite everything, Father Lee felt a sharp pain in his chest at the injustice she faced. Raising her so carefully, never had he allowed her to be subjected to such humiliation. So, for his daughter’s sake, no matter what, he would support her, waiting by her side for Liam, regardless of whether he would ever show up.

  That’s his duty as her dear father.

  Once the familiar wedding song began, Jun and her father entered the hall, walking down the aisle towards the altar. It was a solemn moment, charged with unspoken tension, and everyone watched in anticipation. Even though there was no groom at the altar, their steps remained firm and confident.

  When Jun finally stepped onto the altar, the murmuring crowd fell silent, all eyes upon her. Feeling the weight of everyone’s attention, a gentle smile curved her lips as she began her speech.

  “Everyone, thank you for joining me today to celebrate this long-awaited reunion. Words can’t describe how grateful I am to see each and every one of you here. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, I have no choice but to make a painful decision right now. As you all can see, Liam is absent at his own wedding, which leaves me to wonder… who will now stand in as the groom?”

  “I have no desire to postpone or call off this wedding, so…” Jun scanned the faces in the crowd, her gaze finally resting on the forlorn man. “Will my handsome groom, whose smile could even melt the coldest heart, please come forward now?”

  Once Jun said that, she locked eyes with a stunned Xavier, his lips slightly parted, bck eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and disbelief.

  For a moment, Xavier thought he was being delusional, but Jun’s burning gaze told him otherwise. He felt his throat tightened, a lump forming as the darkness lurking in his eyes threatened to overflow.

  No doubt Jun was waiting for his decision, urging him to answer.

  Xavier slowly rose to his feet before the crowd, his intense gaze fixed on Jun, as he made his way towards the altar, each step barely audible on the marble stone floor. Underneath the dazzling crystal chandelier, the light reflected off his strong back, outlining him with a thin yer of radiant, almost holy halo.

  When Xavier finally reached the altar, Jun watched him step towards her, inching even closer, before he knelt and proposed to her with a diamond ring. Without a single hesitation, he asked, “Will you marry me?”

  Anticipating this moment, with a hint of amusement in her eyes, Jun smiled at him, but she didn’t answer him immediately. Leaning closer, she rested her hand atop of his, which held the velvet box. She said, “Give me your hand.”

  Taken aback by her unexpected request, Xavier hesitated. After a pause, he nodded, allowing her to hold his hand.

  Seeing this, Jun chuckled, pleased by his obedience. Then, from her bouquet, she plucked the smallest rose, using its stem to gauge the size of his ring finger. With a roll and a twist, she crafted a simple but delicate rose ring.

  And in front of everyone, Jun got down on one knee, offering Xavier the ring she had just created.

  Gasps and murmurs filled the hall, but Jun ignored them as she stared at him, sliding the rose ring onto his finger.

  In a voice full of unusual sincerity, Jun vowed to Xavier. “I, Jun, take you, Xavier, to be my husband, from this day forward, for the better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

  Hearing her heartfelt vow, Xavier’s eyes widened in surprise, and his hand jerked, the ring nearly slipping from his grasp. Disbelief washed over his face, but it was soon repced with a wide grin. He carefully took Jun’s hand, his touch gentle yet firm, and pushed the diamond ring onto her finger.

  Once it was secured, he pressed her fingers against his lips, his gaze undeniably possessive but tender.

  “I, Xavier, take you, Jun, to be my wife. From now on and for eternity, I promise to love you and only you. I will be a loyal and faithful man, putting you before everything else.”

  With that decration, Xavier pulled her close, holding her tightly against him. A beaming smile appeared on his face, his heart pounding rapidly, filling him with warmth he had never known.

  The dream that was once impossible became reality. Unexpectedly, Jun chose him.

  With a gentle hand on Jun’s cheek, Xavier leaned in and captured her lips in a slow, tender kiss, a sigh escaping from his lips. Eventually, he deepened the kiss, the taste of her lips sweet and intoxicating, possessing his soul and mind entirely. When they finally pulled away, a thin, almost invisible strand of saliva clung to their lips, a lingering trace of their connection.

  In an instant, a blush crept up his neck and stained his ears a fiery red.

  Jun chuckled, nestling her head in the crook of his neck, enjoying his breathless excitement.

  In the end, a single cp broke the silence before it escated into thunderous appuse, along with a chorus of congratutions.

  Father Lee sighed wearily as he watched Jun give him a smile. He was relieved, knowing she was content with this arrangement. Now that the groom has been changed, an expnation is in order.

  As for the rest of the guests and associates, though the sudden change left them stunned for a moment, they all wisely chose to say nothing, offering only smiles and congratutions. To them, it made no difference if Xavier or Liam became the groom. After all, with such a capable heiress at the helm, the Lee corporation’s future was secure, rendering the new son-in-w’s role insignificant.

  Meanwhile, David’s face flushed with shame and anger, when he saw a stranger, not his son, standing at the altar as the groom. It was an opportunity of a lifetime, but his foolish son had thrown that all away. Even contacting him was now impossible.

  Whereas, Lily had a smile pstered on her lips even after the caretaker took away the tablet from her hands. Even though Jun had married someone else, she felt no resentment towards her because she had long thought of Jun as her daughter. No matter what choice Jun had to make, she wanted her to be happy. That was what mattered most to her.

  …

  When Liam reached the airport, he quickly got out of the cab. He raced inside, scanning for a familiar silhouette. Realising his search was pointless, sudden images from Mei’s ptop fshed in his memories, and he frantically checked the departure board for the flight number.

  Once he saw the flight was deyed, he excitedly pulled out his phone to call Mei, only to discover it was turned off. It seemed that he had forgotten that he had silenced his phone to avoid calls that might weaken his resolve.

  For a moment, he hesitated, but finally, he turned it on once more.

  As soon as his phone was on, a barrage of missed calls and messages popped up. Liam clutched his phone tightly, ignoring all the calls and messages from everyone until he saw one with Jun’s name on it. A wave of guilt suddenly crushed him, but he quickly dismissed it.

  After all, one could always have another wedding, but the pain of losing someone dear was a wound that would never fully heal. Had he continued on with the wedding, he would surely lose Mei. So how could he accept it?

  As such, knowing he had to disappoint someone, he chose to disappoint Jun since he believed that she, more than anyone else, would surely understand his actions.

  But little did he know, his decision would come to haunt him ter on.