02

Hearing me drive him out, Arthur's face twisted with rage in an instant. He stared at me, a warning in his tone：“Victoria, don't do something rash that you'll regret.”

“If I really leave, you're the one who'll end up crying.”

I looked at him steadily, listening to his words, not a trace of guilt in them.

In that very second, the Arthur I loved rotted away completely in my heart.

“Arthur, I don't want to send what you look like right now to your friends' and parents' phones. But if you keep disgusting me, again and again, I can't promise I won't.”

The certainty on his face cracked.

He gritted his teeth and gripped Amelia's hand：“Fine. Victoria, you've really outdone yourself.”

“Don't come crying and begging me later.”

The door slammed shut with a bang, and every sound was locked outside. Silence rushed in.

I sat on the couch for a long time.

I'd met Arthur five years ago.

At the beach, he'd pulled me from the water when I was drowning.

Back then I couldn't remember anything. All I felt toward the world around me was fear.

He was the one who walked with me along the roads, trying to help me remember, who showed up in time on every frightening night to stay by my side.

I'll always remember the day I got the job. He stood downstairs holding a bouquet, looked at me earnestly, and said：“Victoria, even with no memory, don't be afraid. Walk forward. I'll always be right behind you.”

Just five years. The man who promised forever rotted away in a single night.

I tidied the room and took a shower.

The night wasn't as unbearable as I'd thought. I fell asleep quickly.

Early the next morning, a knock at the door woke me.

When I opened it, a maid carrying gift boxes walked in with a respectful smile.

Gabriel followed behind her in a crisp suit, his gaze landing on me, a hint of amusement rising in his eyes, his tone teasing：“Miss Victoria, you're more……alluring than I imagined.”

I glanced down. My pajama collar had slipped, baring my collarbone and the skin below, two long, straight legs left exposed.

My face went up in flames at once.

I stammered out an apology and turned to change, only to hear a very soft laugh behind me.

When I came back out, the room was packed with gift boxes, and Gabriel lounged against the couch, leisurely scrolling his phone.

Hearing me come out, he looked up, gave me a once-over, and smiled：“Mm. Very pretty.”

Then he went on：“I came today because I felt I should explain my family to you.”

“My full name is actually Gabriel Morningstar.”

I finally grasped the weight of that surname and stared at him, dazed.

He nodded：“Yes. The very Gabriel you're thinking of.”

I sucked in a cold breath. One name came to mind—the current Mafia Don was the Morningstar family.

A thought flashed through me. I wondered if Arthur, for the sake of his so-called brotherhood, had any idea what kind of person he'd crossed.

Amelia had probably never once told him who her fiancé really was, either.

Gabriel leaned in, the distance closing abruptly, those eyes staring straight into mine, his voice dropping low：

“I'm very satisfied with you. The people I don't care about, I can let walk away easily. But the one I want——” His cool lips brushed the corner of mine, a scorching light in his eyes. “has only ever been allowed to be mine.”

The moment his words landed, he pulled a gun from his pocket and pressed it into my hand. “A gift. For protection. My fiancée can do as she pleases. I share that right with you.”

“Anyone who dares come give you trouble, just send them to meet God. Leave the rest to me.”

“Wait for me to come marry you in two days. My dear bride.”

He pressed a kiss between my brows and left cleanly, a satisfied smile on his face.

I stood in the living room clutching that gun, stunned for a long while.

My phone rang. An unknown number.

The instant I picked up, Arthur's frantic voice slammed in：“Victoria! Amelia's card got frozen, we're stuck at the hotel, hurry up and transfer the money over!”

I let out a soft scoff, hung up, and blocked him.

Half an hour later, a furious Arthur came storming back in with Amelia.

03

“Victoria, how can you be so heartless?!”

Arthur demanded, his neck flushed red, Amelia nestled against his side, their fingers laced together.

“Do you have any idea? Amelia and I had to max out every credit card just to pay for that room!”

“You two stayed at a hotel,” I looked at him, “why should I be the one paying for it?”

His lips moved, his gaze sliding away, then suddenly landing on the gift boxes Gabriel had sent.

A smug smile spread across his face：“Victoria, stop pretending. You say you don't want to marry me, but here you are secretly buying wedding supplies. In this place, who else could you marry but me?”

Amelia took over, her tone as if she'd suffered some enormous injustice：

“Victoria, as the saying goes, brothers are like limbs, women are like clothes. Even though I matter more to Arthur than you do, I can't bear to see him put in a difficult spot.”

“So I'm willing to be gracious and accept you. But no matter what, I'm the one who married Arthur first.”

“I can wrong myself for Arthur's sake and share him with you. But to make up for it, you'll cover the expenses for all three of us, and do the housework.”

I almost thought I'd heard wrong.

“Victoria, I know you have no other choice. I'm willing to take a step back and show you mercy.” She reached out to grab my hand. “I hope you'll quit while you're ahead.”

The diamond ring on her outstretched finger stabbed at my eyes.

I stepped back, my throat tight, and pressed Arthur：“The matching ring on her hand—did you give it to her?”

A flicker of awkwardness crossed Arthur's face.

He paused two seconds, then opened his mouth：“Victoria, stop fixating on little things. Amelia is my wife now. She's been gracious enough to accept you. You should be grateful.”

I said：“Just answer me. Did you give her the matching ring or not?”

Things had come this far. I no longer cared about Arthur, the man.

But those rings were another matter.

The ruby cabochons on them had been cut and polished from the only ruby necklace I'd had on me when I lost my memory.

Had he ever once thought—if I were deported, those rings would be the only thing I'd be allowed to take with me out of the country, my last safety net?

“Take it off.” I stared at Amelia. “Give it back to me.”

She cradled her hand and stepped back：“Victoria, don't push it. I've already agreed to share Arthur with you, and now you want to snatch my ring too……”

Arthur frowned and stepped in front of Amelia, sighing softly, his tone softening as if coaxing a misbehaving child：

“Just let Amelia keep it. I've already taken a bride; not even a matching ring to show for it—how does that look? In two days when we marry, you can just buy another pair. There's no harm in me wearing one on each hand.”

I let out a scornful laugh, baffled at where, even now, he found this confidence.

“Not just hers.” I looked at him. “The one on your hand, give that back too.”

His pupils contracted, and he ground his back teeth：

“In two days I'll be your husband. How can you treat me like this? Victoria, I spoiled you too much before. That's why you keep pushing further and further.”

I ignored his words and reached out to pull the ring off Amelia's hand.

The instant my fingers touched her, her body lost its balance, exaggeratedly, and she dropped to the floor.

She lifted her reddened eyes and spoke, pitiful and pathetic：“I said I'd give the ring back. Why did you have to shove me?”

At that, Arthur shoved me hard. I crashed into the corner of the table, a sharp ache spreading up my spine from my back.

He carefully helped Amelia up, gathering her tenderly into his arms, and looked down at me：“Victoria, we're not giving the rings back. What are you going to do about it?”

His gaze swept the tabletop. He picked up the diamond necklace Gabriel had sent and placed it in Amelia's palm：“This one's nice quality. Consider it your apology gift to Amelia.”

Holding Amelia, he didn't even look back：“Victoria, I'll keep my promise and marry you. But that temper of yours—you'd better fix it.”

I gave a cold laugh.

Bracing on the table's edge, I stood up, slid my hand into my pocket, and felt the gun.

I raised it and clicked off the safety.

“Arthur.” I heard my own voice, cold as ice. “Give me back what's mine. Or I'll shoot.”

04

Arthur's spine stiffened as he turned around. He saw the gun in my hands, and his face went dark.

But the moment his eyes met mine, he turned fearless again：“Victoria, stop the act. You love me so much—you'd actually pull the trigger?”

I pulled the trigger.

“Bang! ” A deafening crack. The bullet grazed his arm, leaving a streak of blood.

He glared at me in disbelief：“Victoria! You're really insane!”

“Give it back.” I said quietly.

Amelia stared at me, unwilling, but her gaze fell on the muzzle, and with trembling hands she set the ring and the diamond necklace on the floor.

Arthur pulled off his own ring and hurled it furiously at my face.

He looked at me, his gaze heavy, his voice rasping：“Victoria, you'll be punished for what you've done today.”

Then he dragged Amelia out.

I understood his threat. In two days, at the wedding, he'd be waiting for me to come begging.

But he'd miscalculated.

I didn't want his wedding anymore—and I didn't want him, either.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the wedding day, Gabriel sent a stylist to do my makeup. I put on the gown and climbed into the bridal car as he opened the door for me himself.

He was in a crisp suit, his hair combed without a single strand out of place, a faint smile on that sharp, angular face.

I dodged his scorching gaze, only for him to lift a hand and gently turn my chin back.

“My fiancée,” his voice dropped very low, “you look beautiful today.”

“I wonder if Arthur, when he realizes he traded a pearl for a fish eye, will regret it enough to cry.”

Color crept up my cheeks. Before I could pull away, a restrained kiss of his landed on my lips.

At the same time, my phone buzzed again and again inside my bag.

Texts came popping in, one after another.

On the other end, Arthur waited in his suit, smug and unhurried.

“Victoria, if you beg and apologize now, I can still keep my promise and marry you.”

“Stop forcing it. Everyone knows you've loved me for five years. This day, marrying me, is what you've been waiting for.”

“In these short three days, could you really find anyone else but me?”

“You want to be deported too, is that it?”

But every message sank like a stone into the sea.

In the end, Arthur panicked.

Ignoring Amelia's protests, he drove straight to my place.

When he reached the door, all that waited for him was a floor strewn with ribbons.

A neighbor happened to step out and saw him frozen there, asking, puzzled：“Arthur? The bridal car already left—why are you still here? Isn't today your wedding with Victoria?”

It was like a blow to the head. His mind went blank, and it took a long while before he forced out a sound：“The bridal car left? Who is she marrying? Where's the wedding?”

“The church on Nibbin Road, of course. It's your own wedding—how do you not know?”

Arthur stumbled into his car and floored the gas, racing for the church.

By the time he arrived, Gabriel and I had just exchanged rings.

Under everyone's gaze, Gabriel bent down and kissed me.

“Victoria! Please don't marry him!”” Arthur screamed, only to be held back hard by Gabriel's men guarding the door.