Lucas and Quincy slept straight through to noon.

My parents exchanged knowing glances toward the tightly shut bedroom door.

“Ah, young people have energy to spare,” my father chuckled. “But they really ought to pace themselves.”

The serving dish in my hands trembled. The porcelain slipped through my fingers and shattered across the floor.

Mother’s brows drew together in irritation. Then, as if remembering something, she sighed. “Layla, I know you blame us. But Quincy… she’s not like you. Without this strange twist of fate, how many men would truly be willing to care for her for a lifetime? You still have so many years ahead of you…”

I didn’t answer. I crouched and gathered the jagged shards, sweeping them into my palm.

The bedroom door opened. Lucas stepped out, his collar loose, faint kiss marks trailing along his skin. I froze. A shard bit into my finger, and blood welled bright red.

A flicker of disgust crossed his eyes.

Once, I used every little injury as an excuse to draw his attention. At first, he would fuss over me, tending to every scrape. That changed the day I tested the waters and confessed.

From then on, all that remained in his gaze was contempt.

I pressed a tissue to my finger, brushed past him, and dug out a bandage from the medicine kit.

Lucas called out, “Wait.”

I turned. His gaze was locked on my wrist.

The bracelet that had never left my side now lay somewhere in the flower bed outside, where I’d thrown it last night.

I gave him a polite smile. “Lucas, is there something you need?”

His eyes flickered. I had never spoken to him in such a cold tone before.

In my most reckless days, I brushed my ankle against his leg under the dinner table. Later, he cornered me by the sink, spitting that I was shameless.

I’d laughed and asked how he could be so angry if he truly felt nothing. I laughed until I cried.

Back then, I still hoped he’d see me for who I was. He never did. Not once did he doubt Quincy. His love for her was absolute.

He stayed silent, and I had no patience to linger. I turned and walked away.

He didn’t even ask if my finger hurt.

I told my advisor, a man pushing fifty, that I was taking a leave of absence. He frowned, puzzled.

“I’d been planning to keep you on for research, but Mr. Zahn went so far as to invite the renowned geologist Mr. Shaw to be your doctoral supervisor. All you had to do was wait six months. Why the sudden change of heart?”

I blinked. “You mean Lucas?”

“Of course. I know he’ll be your brother-in-law. He really treats you well. Your sister is a lucky woman.”

Yes. Very lucky. Lucky enough that he could extend affection even to someone he despised—just to please her.

A bitter taste spread in my mouth.

“My sister is lucky indeed. But I’ve decided to join the Snow Mountain Wildlife Protection Project. I want the reality of fieldwork over theory. My mind’s made up, Professor. Please approve it. I’ll speak to my family myself.”

He studied me for a long moment, then sighed. “All right. If that’s your decision, I won’t stop you. You’ll always be welcome back.”

After the paperwork, I ran into my junior, Landon. He chatted about his research breakthroughs and the bonus the professor had given him.

Before we parted, he said, “We’ll see each other again someday.”

I didn’t answer.

In the evening, a car pulled up beside me. Inside were Lucas and Quincy.

Once I got in, Quincy smiled knowingly. “Layla, so that’s where you’ve been hiding all afternoon. Busy with a date, huh?”

Lucas caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. “Most campus romances don’t last,” he said sharply. “They spend all day mooning over each other, then break up after graduation. It’s a waste of time and energy. Layla, even if you’re upset, don’t get involved with some shady guy just to make a point.”

In his mind, I was still sulking because he’d marry my sister.

The words stuck in my throat. I turned to the window and stayed silent.

Quincy’s eyes lit with an idea. “Oh, silly me, I nearly forgot. I’ve already gotten engaged, so it’s time for Layla to start looking. I’m going to a gathering tonight, and it’s going to be full of heirs and young business elites. Why don’t you come? If you don’t meet someone you like, at least you’ll make some friends.”

So that was why they stayed out so late. They were attending one social gathering after another.

Lucas’s expression was dark as a storm cloud, but he said nothing.

I didn’t want to ruin the last two days before I left by turning things into a fight, so I simply nodded.

At dinner, Quincy tapped my shoulder, her smile bright and calculating, and made sure every man present knew I was single.

One by one, they raised their glasses to me, joking that I’d have to “look after” them in the days ahead.

Glass after glass went down. My stomach churned until I thought I might be sick. Covering my mouth, I slipped toward the restroom.

One of the men who’d been most eager with his toasts followed. An arm snaked around my waist, his breath hot against my ear before his teeth grazed my skin.

“Layla, why didn’t you drink a few more with me?”

Weakly, I tried to push him away, but he continued to press against me and murmured, “That’s naughty of you. Now, how should I punish you?”

The hallway swam before my eyes. My limbs refused to cooperate, no matter how I struggled.

Through the haze came a muffled grunt—and then I was pulled into a familiar embrace.

I tilted my head up to find Lucas’s face, his eyes burning with fury.

His hand clamped around my arm, and in the next instant, he shoved me hard against the wall.

Pain exploded across my back as he stepped in close, his shadow swallowing mine.

“Layla, can you not survive without a man?”

It was the first time Lucas had ever come this close to me willingly.

Alcohol dulled my fear, leaving only a bitter kind of amusement. I laughed.

“Lucas, I’ve done exactly what you wanted. I’ve kept my distance. So why are you still so angry?”

Lucas’s jaw tightened, his fingers digging into my cheek.

“What I wanted was for you to focus on your own life, not throw yourself away like this.”

We were close—so close I could see the faint tremble of his lashes and the reflection of myself in his eyes.

Pain flared where his grip pressed into my skin until my eyes watered.

He froze at the sight of my tears and abruptly let go.

The space between us widened again.

I rubbed my shoulder, listening as his voice turned cold and precise.

“I don’t know how things ended up like this between us, but I need to make one thing clear.

“From the moment your sister saved my life, I decided I would love only her for the rest of my days.”

He drew in a slow breath, each word deliberate.

“I expect you not to cause a scene at tomorrow’s wedding.”

…

At the wedding venue, giant LED screens blazed with the proposal video on an endless loop.

A red carpet ran between rows of roses in full bloom. Guests drifted past, clinking glasses with Lucas.

He smiled, warm-eyed, his fingers laced tightly with Quincy’s.

When the emcee asked him to share their love story, Lucas’s voice carried warmly across the hall.

“Our first meeting was on the day of the avalanche.”

Quincy’s expression twitched ever so slightly, but he didn’t notice.

“I thought I would die on that mountain, but Quincy carried me to safety. Because of me, she can never again take part in the extreme sports she loved.”

His voice thickened. “From that moment, I swore to spend my life repaying that debt.”

It was the sort of speech meant to move people to tears, yet my parents’ faces—and Quincy’s—were stiff and unmoved.

“And now,” the emcee beamed, “I invite you to exchange rings.”

Keeping my gaze low to avoid Quincy’s venomous stare, I stepped forward with the ring box.

The moment I flipped it open, I froze—the rings were gone.

My mind went blank.

Quincy’s voice broke the silence first.

“Where are the rings?”

Her tone was gentle, but the steel beneath it was unmistakable.

“Did you hide them?”

Then she sighed in mock helplessness. “I know you have feelings for Lucas and never wanted to accept our relationship. But you’re not a child anymore. You can’t throw a tantrum on a day like this.”

All eyes in the room locked on me. The weight of their silent judgment pressed down until I could barely breathe.

Somewhere in the crowd, whispers slithered through the air.

“The Stone family’s been prestigious for decades. How did they raise such a shameless daughter? Seducing her own brother-in-law, tsk tsk.”

“If she can betray her own sister, whose man will she steal next?”

“Isn’t Quincy in poor health? Poor girl, to have her own sister take her man.”

“Lucas is the Zahn heir. The Stone family is nothing compared to them. No wonder Layla would stoop so low—she’s after money.”

Lucas’s brow furrowed. “Layla, hand over the ring now, and I’ll pretend none of this happened.”

Tears welled in Quincy’s eyes.

“Layla, if you have something against me, we can talk about it at home. Why must you embarrass me like this, make me unable to hold my head up in front of everyone?”

Her voice was soft, her fragility so artful that even her questioning sounded delicate and pitiable.

Lucas slipped an arm around her shoulders, murmuring comfort. When he turned to me, every trace of patience was gone.

“Layla! The ring—now!”

I hadn’t stolen it. I didn’t even know where it was.

I stayed silent, searching his gaze for the slightest hesitation.

There was none. Only that same deep-seated disgust.

Quincy reached out, her hand warm on my arm. “Layla, just give it back. No one will blame you.”

Her grip tightened. I fought back without thinking. In the struggle, two wedding rings tumbled from me, striking the floor with a metallic chime.

They spun twice before coming to rest, gleaming under the lights.

Proof. Proof enough to damn me beyond redemption.

I stood frozen as the world blurred around me.

“It… it wasn’t me…”

My mother’s voice lashed out like a whip. “Still lying? Do you think everyone here is blind? The rings fell from you! If you didn’t hide them, who else could have? How did I raise a child like you? Layla, you’ve disappointed me.”

Quincy stepped in with a sigh. “Forget it. We’ve found them—that’s what matters. I’m not angry. Let’s continue with the ceremony.”

Her light tone left me no room to speak, nailing the shame onto me for good.

I started to protest. “It was Quincy who handed me the dress and the ring box—”

The sharp crack of Lucas’s palm across my cheek cut my words short.

Pain flared hot, ringing in my ears. His eyes brimmed with contempt, and for a moment it felt as if I had never known him at all.

“Quincy has already chosen to forgive you, and you still throw mud on her?!

“Do you have to ruin this wedding to be satisfied?”

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

I cupped my face, tears spilling before I could stop them.

I had always known how much Quincy meant to him. I had never realized how little I meant in his eyes.

It was like a hole had been torn in my chest, icy wind rushing in until I couldn’t breathe.

“For the last time, Lucas, I didn’t steal the ring.”

His face hardened into something vicious. He grabbed my collar and dragged me toward the door.

“Get out. You’re not welcome here.”

The old injury in my ankle screamed under the violent pull, pain stabbing deep into my bones. I trembled, and although Lucas saw it, he didn’t slow.

He threw me out without dignity. The heavy doors slammed shut behind me.

The staff on either side glanced over, sympathy in their eyes.

I staggered to my feet. The joyful music from inside twisted like a knife in my ears.

I lowered my voice. “Lucas, you’ll regret this.”

If everyone here wanted me gone… so be it. I would disappear from their world forever.

I packed my things and headed straight for the airport.

Before boarding, I sent Lucas a single picture—one I had taken after rescuing him when he was unconscious.

The timestamp was clear as day.

The caption read: [Congratulations on your wedding.]

A second later, my phone began to buzz violently.