Sylvia POV

“Leave me alone!” My voice cracked as I struggled against the guards blocking the entrance.

“How can you stop me from entering my own wedding hall? I paid for this reservation myself!”

The two men didn't even look moved, one of them folded his arms and stared at me like I was some nuisance he wanted gone.

“You're a con artist, miss. Stop causing a scene and leave before we throw you out.”

For a second, I could only stare at him.

A con artist?

The words didn't even make sense.

“My husband is inside,” I said, pointing toward the hall. “He's waiting for me.”

The second guard snorted. “You think we're stupid? What kind of bride arrives at her wedding alone?”

The men exchanged amused looks. “You're probably some bitter ex trying to ruin the ceremony. ”

The words landed like a slap.

“No.” I shook my head immediately. “No, you've got it all wrong. Vincent is my fiancé. Today's our wedding.”

My voice sounded desperate even to my own ears. “Please. Just let me in.”

The guards exchanged looks. “You must be dreaming,” the first guard said.

“Please,” I begged. “Just let me inside.”

“You need help, This wedding is for Mr and Mrs Vincent Sky, which is ongoing already ” the first guard muttered.

Before I could argue again, l I saw a group of men approaching the entrance. I recognized them immediately. They're Vincent's subordinates.

I felt relief immediately. Atleast, someone who knew me. Without thinking twice rushed toward them.

“You know me, right?” The words tumbled out desperately.

“Please tell them who I am. They won't let me inside.” The men stopped.

One of them looks at me very well. Then his eyes widened slightly.

“Wait.” He pointed at me “Isn't this the maid Mr. Vincent brought to the party the last time?”

The world seemed to stop.

Maid?

My smile vanished in that seconds. “What?”

Another man looked me over from head to toe. “Why is she wearing a wedding dress?”

A few of them started laughing. My fingers tightened around my bouquet. Surely I had heard them wrong.

The last time Vincent introduced me to these men, he called me his girlfriend.

“Poor thing,” one of them said.

“She actually showed up.”

But they didn't stop laughing. A ringing started inside my ears.

“What are you talking about?” I whispered.

The men looked at each other.

Then one shrugged. “Mr. Vincent told us he found you wandering around in the countryside.”

I blinked. “What?”

“He said you had some mental issues.”

The bouquet nearly slipped from my fingers.

“He felt sorry for you,” another added casually.

“Said you became attached to him and started imagining things.”

“No that's not possible.” The word escaped my lips before I could stop it.

Vincent would never say that. He can never say that.

“He even let her pretend she was his girlfriend,” someone said.

“Honestly, the boss is too kind.”

A burst of laughter followed..“But I never thought she'd actually believe he was marrying her.”

Their voices faded into noise. I couldn't hear them anymore. My heartbeat thundered inside my ears.

My hands were shaking. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

Vincent loved me, He proposed to me. He spent five years with me.

Five years couldn't have been a lie..Could they? I swallowed hard.

The lump in my throat wouldn't go away.

After several more minutes of arguing, the guards finally allowed me inside.

The moment I stepped into the hall— My world shattered.

All I could see was Vincent, standing at the altar. Smiling and happy, beside him stood another woman.

Wearing the wedding dress that should have been mine. The priest held their joined hands.

The guests watched with admiration. The rings were already being exchanged.

It was as if my breathing has stopped. But my feet moved on their own.

Around me, whispers spread through the crowd. “Who is she?”

“Why is she wearing a wedding dress?”

“Isn't that the bride?”

“No... the bride is already at the altar.”

“How did she get inside?”

The voices came from every direction. But I couldn't focus on any of them. My eyes remained fixed on Vincent.

The man who had promised to spend forever with me was now staring at me as though I was the problem.

When I finally reached the altar, his expression darkened.

“Why are you here?” he asked coldly.

For a moment, I could only stare at him.

Why was I here?

The question hit me so hard that my mind went blank. This was our wedding day. He was standing at the altar with another woman, yet he was looking at me as if I was the one who did him dirty..

The bride beside him shot me an irritated look, but I barely noticed her. My eyes remained fixed on Vincent.

Slowly, I stepped forward, then gently pushed her aside and took her place.

“This...” My voice cracked despite my effort to steady it. “This was supposed to be my place, Vincent.”

The hall suddenly become quiet, all eyes focus on us. I waited for guilt to appear on his face, shame or just something.

Instead, all I saw was irritation.

“How did you get out?” he demanded. “And where did you get that dress? I told them to give you your medication.”

Medication?

The word echoed inside my head. It was as if I was dreaming, because since when did I start taking medication? I stared at him, searching his face for some sign that this was all a misunderstanding but there was none.

“So it's true?” I whispered.

The tears gathering in my eyes. “You told everyone I was your maid?”

He didn't answer me, so I just continue.

“You told them I was mentally unstable?” My voice trembled. “You even told the hotel staff I imagined being your bride and was all over you?”

A broken laugh escaped my lips. It sounded unfamiliar, almost hysterical. “Five years, Vincent.”

My fingers tightened around his shirt. Five years of loving him and trusting him.

Five years of believing every promise he made without any doubt.

“Five whole years.”

My chest hurt so badly that breathing felt impossible.

“To everyone, I was just your maid?” I asked, my voice shaking uncontrollably. “The crazy village girl you rescued? The woman who belonged in a mental hospital?”

The tears wouldn't stop.

No matter how hard I blinked, they kept falling.

“How did you lie so easily?” I cried, hitting his chest weakly. “How did you do all this without feeling guilty?”

“Hey!”

The bride snapped angrily and stepped forward..“Take your filthy hands off my man!”

The moment I heard her voice, my entire body stiffened.

I knew that voice.

My head turned toward her immediately.

She was the woman from yesterday's phone call.The woman who answered Vincent's phone.

“So... Vi” My voice came out barely above a whisper. “You were part of this too?”

Vivian didn't look guilty, not even a little, Instead, she folded her arms and looked at me with open contempt.

“Tell me something, Sylvia,” she said. “What exactly made you think you deserved Vincent?”

The question struck me like a physical blow.

For a moment, I couldn't even speak..My mind struggled to catch up with everything happening around me.

Deserved him?

I had given up my career for him. Cut people out of my life for him. Built my future around him.

And she was asking what made me think I deserved him?

Vivian scoffed when I remained silent.

“You're just a delusional girl obsessing over a man who was never yours in the first place,” she continued. “And now you're here trying to paint us as the villains.”

She shook her head. “Honestly, aren't you embarrassed?”

The room suddenly felt unreal. Like I was trapped inside someone else's nightmare.

Any moment now, someone would laugh and tell me it was a prank or even wake up. Because there was no way this could actually be my life.

I looked at her, struggling to understand how another woman could stand there and say those things without a shred of remorse.

“Vivian,” I said quietly, “how can you treat another woman like this just because of a man?”

“Enough, Sylvia!”

Vincent finally snapped.

The anger in his voice cut through the hall. “This isn't funny anymore. It's becoming pathetic and annoying.”

Every word felt like another knife twisting deeper. His eyes were filled with frustration, not guilt. “It’s time you wake up and accept reality,” he said coldly. “I was never going to marry you.”

Something inside me break, before I could think, my hand moved. The slap echoed through the hall.

A gasp rippled through the crowd.

Vincent staggered back slightly, shock flashing across his face.

Tears burned down my cheeks. Years of pain, humiliation, and betrayal exploded out of me all at once.

“Yet you wasted five years of my life!” I screamed, grabbing his shirt again. “Five years, Vincent!”

My hands shook so badly I could barely hold on. “I lost everything because of you!”

My voice broke. “And now you're standing here trying to convince everyone that I'm crazy?”

The tears blurred my vision completely. “Do you even have a conscience, Vincent?”

Sylvia POV

A DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING

I held my head as I leaned against the wall, my vision spinning slightly. I couldn't stop now.

The wedding was tomorrow, and there was still so much left to do.

I had promised Vincent I would handle everything since he was busy with work. Every flower arrangement, every table setting, every guest list adjustment—I had personally overseen them all.

Everything had to be perfect.

Perfect for him.

If Vincent walked into that hall tomorrow and loved what he saw, then every sleepless night would be worth it.

“Are you going to rest at all?” Lina asked from behind me.

I turned toward my best friend and forced a smile.

“Lina, the wedding is tomorrow. Important people are going to be there. I can't afford any mistakes.”

Her expression tightened immediately.

“Why do I feel like you're the only one planning this wedding?” she asked. “He barely helps, Sylvia. Isn't he supposed to be doing some of this too?”

There it was again.

That look she always got whenever Vincent's name came up.

A mixture of suspicion and frustration.

I knew Lina didn't like him, but she had never really taken the time to know him the way I had.

“Vincent is busy working,” I said softly. “He's trying to give me the best life possible.”

I reached for her hand and squeezed it.

“He's even getting me a diamond ring.”

Just thinking about it made me smile.

“Besides, this really isn't a big deal. I wanted to plan the wedding myself. When everything is finished and he sees how beautiful it turned out, he'll be impressed.”

I could already picture the look on his face.

The thought alone made all the exhaustion feel worthwhile.

Lina stared at me for several seconds before letting out a long sigh.

“I just hope all this stress is worth it,” she muttered.

Her voice softened.

“Because if that man ever makes you cry, I swear I'll make his life miserable.”

A laugh slipped out before I could stop it. “You're too protective.”

“And you’re too blinded by love,” she shot back.

I laughed and shook my head. “Come on. Help me finish this before you start another lecture.”

Lina rolled her eyes but moved closer to help with the decorations.

“I'll help,” she said. “Then you're getting some sleep before you collapse.”

After a brief pause, she added, “You already know I won't be attending tomorrow.”

The reminder stung.

“Lina—”

“No, let me finish.” She pointed a finger at me. “You're going to be there all by yourself. Should I hire people to stand with you? I don't care how expensive it is. I'll pay.”

A smile tugged at my lips despite everything.

“Vincent already arranged the bridesmaids.”

She didn't look convinced.

Lina and I had been friends since college. Somewhere along the way, she had stopped feeling like a friend and started feeling like family.

The thought of looking around tomorrow and not seeing her there left an ache in my chest.

“It’s okay,” I said softly. “Really.”

I squeezed her hand. “You’re getting closer to your dreams, and I’m getting closer to mine.”

The image came so easily. Tomorrow Vincent will be waiting for me at the altar.

My heart fluttered.

“Tomorrow,” I whispered with a smile, “I get to spend forever with the man I love.”

Lina's grip tightened around my hand.“Sylvia.”

The smile on my face faltered slightly.

“Don't you think you've given up too much for him?”

I frowned, but try not to show it. “What do you mean?”

“Your career. Your plans. Everything.” She looked around at the hall. “You built all this. You've been running around for weeks while he barely shows up.”

“Lina—”

“Just listen to me.” Her voice softened. “You can be married and still have something that's yours.”

I reached over and pinched her cheek. “You worry too much.”

She swatted my hand away. “I'm serious.”

I laughed. “Vincent already promised to make me his secretary if I ever want to work.”

The thought made me smile. “And honestly? I don't mind being a housewife.”

Lina groaned immediately. “Oh God.”

“As long as I'm raising Vincent's children, I'll be happy.”

“Mrs. Sylvia Vincent Sky-to-be,” she muttered dramatically.

I burst out laughing. A second later, she joined in.

For a moment, everything felt light again. Then suddenly, I remembered. “Oh no.”

“What?”

“I forgot to call Vincent.”

I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed his number It was busy, Maybe he was still working, I find myself making an excuse for him.

I tried again, and it was still the same.

The knot between my brows deepened. Tomorrow was our wedding. The least he could do was answer his phone.

I needed him to confirm a few things with the hotel before tonight.

I called again.

This time, the line connected Relief rushed through me. “Vincent—”

A woman's voice interrupted me. “Who am I speaking with?”

The words froze in my throat. I slowly pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at the screen.

Vincent's number, then I brought it back to my ear. “Excuse me?”

“Who am I speaking with?” she repeated calmly.

My grip tightened around the phone. “I think I should be asking that question.”

There was silent at first, but then she spoke again. “My apologies for answering his phone.”

Something about her tone made my stomach tighten. “If I'm not mistaken, you're his fiancee. The woman he's marrying tomorrow?”

The smile on my face disappeared. “Yes.”

“Mr. Vincent is currently in a meeting. He asked me to hold onto his phone.”

I stared at the decorations in front of me, suddenly unable to focus on any of them.

A woman was holding Vincent's phone.

Why?

“And who are you exactly?” I asked.

“Vivian.” The answer came smoothly. “I only picked up because you kept calling.”

A strange feeling settled in my chest. The kind of feeling you try to ignore because acknowledging it makes it real.

I swallowed. “Tell him I need to speak with him urgently.”

“Of course.” Sha said, and the call ended.

Slowly, I lowered the phone.

Then nearly screamed when I turned around and found Lina standing directly behind me.

“What the hell!”

My hand flew to my chest. “You scared me!”

Lina didn't laugh, her eyes were fixed on the phone in my hand. “Did a woman just answer Vincent's phone?”:

I hesitated for a second before nodding.b“She said he was in a meeting,” I explained. “Probably someone from work.”

Lina folded her arms immediately.

“Don't start overthinking this,” I warned. “And don't even suggest he's cheating on me. Vincent isn't that kind of man.”

“Maybe,” she said quietly.

Then she looked straight at me. “But don't you think it's strange?”

A small knot formed in my stomach. “What exactly is strange?”

“The fact that some random woman answered his phone instead of his personal assistant.”

At the time, I brushed it off.

When I later questioned Vincent about it, he already had an explanation prepared.

And I believed him, because, I always believed everything he told me.

BACK TO TODAY

I waited for the bridesmaids to arrive, for Vincent to call, for him to walk through the door, smile at me, and tell me everything was fine.

But he never came.

The worst part was that I had no way of reaching him. I didn't have any of his friends' numbers. I wasn't close to his family either. Looking back now, I realized how carefully he had kept me away from every corner of his real life.

Yet I still refused to believe anything was wrong.

I put on my wedding dress myself and came to the venue convinced there had been some misunderstanding.

Only to discover that the wedding was already happening.

The invitations he had distributed were never printed with my name. There weren't even photographs on them. He had simply shown me a few special copies with my name printed on them and let me believe the rest matched.

The realization hit harder than any slap ever could.

Every decoration,n flower arrangement., table setting,every tiny detail I had spent months obsessing over.

None of it had been for me.

I wasn't the bride.

To Vincent, I had been nothing more than an unpaid event planner working tirelessly to create another woman's perfect wedding.

A tear slipped down my cheek.

“Why?” I asked, my voice breaking. “Why would you make me plan your wedding if you were going to marry someone else?”

Vincent didn't look guilty, neither does he didn't look ashamed.

If anything, he looked annoyed that I was forcing him to explain himself.

“It doesn't matter whether you were the bride or not,” he said coldly. “What matters is that the wedding happened.”

I stared at him.

For a moment, I wondered if I had ever truly known this man.

“At least your efforts weren't wasted,” he continued. “The decorations were used. The guests enjoyed themselves. Regardless of who the bride turned out to be.”

His words sliced through me. Not because he was rejecting me.

But because after five years together, after every sacrifice I had made for him, after every dream I had built around us... That was all my pain was worth to him.

Vincenzo point of view

“Don't tell me you just made me lose a contract worth billions of dollars?” I asked.

The man opened his mouth, but no words came out. Sweat dripped down the side of his face as he shook in his seat.

Then he suddenly dropped to his knees.

“Please, Vincenzo. It wasn't my fault,” he pleaded desperately. “Our ship sank.”

I stared at him for a long moment before leaning back in my chair.

“And you didn't sink with it?”

His face turned even paler.

“Vincenzo—”

“You better tell me the fucking truth,” I cut in coldly. “Because if I find out you're lying, I'm afraid it'll be your soul leaving this room to inform your family that you've reunited with your creator.”

The man nearly collapsed. “Please don't kill me, Vincenzo.”

Ignoring his begging, I reached for the knife on the table and grabbed his hand.

The blade hovered over his finger.

A strangled cry escaped his throat.

I was just about to bring it down when the office door burst open.

“Boss, there's a problem.”

Caden walked in without waiting for permission.

My hand froze, ana slowly, I looked up.

“What problem?”

Without taking his eyes off me, Caden signaled the guards standing nearby.

“Take him away.”

The idiot scrambled to his feet before the guards could even touch him. They dragged him out anyway.

The moment the door shut, I turned back to Caden.

“What happened?”

His expression became serious. “Sylvia Browne.”

Every muscle in my body went still. “What happened to her?”

“Vincent Sky ruined the marriage.”

The knife slipped from my fingers and sank into the table.

Caden continued. “He called Sylvia a delusional maid with mental problems in front of everyone.”

My jaw tightened.

For years, I had stayed away, I had convinced myself that Vincent genuinely loved her.

I thought he had finally changed.

Looks like I gave him too much credit.

“So no wedding happened?” I asked.

“A wedding happened,” Caden replied. “The bride just wasn't Sylvia.”

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Who?”

“Vivian Stanley.”

That name made me bit my lips. The Stanley family, he was definitely looking for someone who's influence marches the Morgan. He was marrying for influence, power and money. Everything Vincent had ever been obsessed with.

I slowly wiped the blood from my palm and laughed once.

A cold, humorless sound let my mouth. “He planned this.”

Caden remained silent.

Vincent knew exactly what he was doing.

If I had known he was marrying a Stanley, I would have stopped it before it even began.

The bastard hadn't simply betrayed Sylvia. He had calculated every move from the beginning.

"Prepare the car. We're going there now."

Caden looked at me. "And what exactly are you planning to do? The wedding should be over before we get there."

I glanced at him.

"I said prepare the car."

He didn't argue again, because he dare not to..

««THE WEDDING RECEPTION <<»»

The convoy came to a stop in front of the hotel.

The moment the door opened, I stepped out. My gaze swept across the entrance—and stopped.

Sylvia.

She stood near the reception hall, her wedding dress stained from dragging against the floor. Her makeup was ruined. Tears streamed down her face as two guards stood nearby, enjoying every second of her humiliation.

"You lied about being the bride," one of them sneered. "Even after they threw you out, you're still here embarrassing yourself. Don't you have any shame?"

The other guard laughed.

"Leave her alone. I'm enjoying this."

"What are you enjoying?" his colleague shot back. "Do you know how much damage this could do to the Sky family's reputation?"

Sylvia didn't seem to hear them, She just stood there crying.

Cursing Vincent.

Begging for answers that nobody intended to give her.

My jaw tightened. "Caden."

That was all I said.

He understood immediately.

The men behind us moved.

By the time the guards realized something was wrong, they were already pinned down.

"What the hell are you doing?" one of them shouted, struggling.

Caden walked forward and drove his fist straight into the man's face.

The guard hit the ground hard.

"How dare you mock a woman?" Caden asked quietly.

"She's trying to ruin the Sky family's reputation!" the other guard yelled.

The next punch shut him up.

I watched without saying a word.

The Sky family's reputation?

Interesting.

If I wanted to destroy the Sky family, there wouldn't be enough pieces left to rebuild it.

The only reason that family was still standing was because I hadn't decided otherwise.

My attention returned to Sylvia. She looked smaller than I remembered.

Broken.

Like someone had taken everything she had and left her with nothing.

I started toward her.

The sound of my shoes echoed against the marble floor, and she turned.. the moment she looked back, her heel caught the edge of her gown.

Her body tilted.

A gasp escaped her lips.

And before she could hit the ground, I reached her. My arm wrapped around her waist, her body crashed against mine.

For a second, she just froze.

Then she looked up. Those red, swollen eyes met mine.

And something inside me snapped.

Vincent Sky.

You should have prayed she never cried because of you