On the day of the wedding, it was almost noon, yet my fiancé still hadn’t come to pick me up.

Dressed in my wedding gown, I waited at the door, finally spotting the limousine.

But stepping out of the car was not my groom—it was a dog in a tuxedo.

Holding the leash was my fiancé’s first love, Lily Harper.

She smiled and said, “I used Tarot cards to predict for Eric Collins, and they showed that the wedding ceremony would bring him misfortune. So Eric decided to let this dog take his place in the ceremony.”

Tears streamed down my face as I questioned my fiancé, but Eric only said, “This dog has been with me since childhood. He’s like a brother to me.”

“It’s only standing in for me at the wedding, not in the bedroom.”

I called my future mother-in-law, but Margaret Collins thought I was being unreasonable.

Impatiently, she said, “If you truly love Eric, you shouldn’t let him take such risks.”

“Lily’s reading showed bad luck—you’d better believe it might be true.”

Heartbroken, I turned instead to Daniel Walker, who had pursued me for ten years.

When Eric’s family heard the news, they nearly went mad.

On the wedding day, as noon approached, Eric still hadn’t appeared.

The scheduled time had long passed, and no one had come to fetch the bride.

The photographers and stylists looked at each other, faces full of pity as they glanced at me.

I even overheard whispers: “Could the groom have run away?”

Embarrassed, I walked to the door, scanning the distance, but still saw no limousine.

I called Eric.

A woman answered instead: “Sophia, are you getting anxious? Sorry, we’ll be right there.”

My brows furrowed. “Who are you? Where’s Eric? Let me talk to him.”

She ignored my question and cheerfully said, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Eric arrives safe and sound.”

Then she hung up.

I tried again—no answer. One more time—the phone was off.

I stood at the doorway, restless and uneasy.

Just then, the limousine finally arrived.

Excited and relieved, I lifted my gown and hurried forward in high heels.

But when the car door opened, a half-human-sized German shepherd leapt out.

Startled, I screamed and stumbled backward, tearing my dress as I fell.

Then I heard laughter.

Lily jumped down from the car, tugging at the dog’s leash.

“Sorry, Sophia, I forgot to hold onto the leash just now.”

The dog bared its teeth at me, barking fiercely, and I didn’t even dare look it in the eyes.

A moment later, Eric got out of the car.

To my shock, he wasn’t even wearing a tuxedo—just casual clothes.

I grabbed his arm. “Eric, hurry and change.”

But Eric said, “Get in the car first. There’s no time. Once we’re at the venue, just explain that we were delayed by traffic.”

I climbed in, only to realize Eric didn’t follow.

Turning back, I saw Lily pushing the dog into the seat beside me.

The beast nearly pounced on me. Terrified, I screamed and bolted from the car.

Eric’s temper flared—not at Lily, but at me.

He pointed at me and snapped, “Sophia Bennett! What’s wrong with you? Don’t you want to get in the car?”

I shot back, “This is our wedding limousine! Besides the driver, it should only be the bride and groom inside. Why bring a dog?”

Lily smiled sweetly. “Sophia, today he is your groom. The two of you should ride together.”

“I’ll sit with Eric in the second car,” Lily Harper said.

I thought I had misheard.

Staring at Eric Collins in shock, I asked, “So the groom today is… this dog?”

Eric nodded impatiently.

I cried out in anguish, “What about you? Aren’t you the one I’m supposed to marry?”

Eric replied, “Lily read my fortune with Tarot cards. If I go through with the ceremony, it’ll bring me misfortune. So the dog will take my place.”

“I’ve raised this dog since I was a child—he’s like family. What’s wrong with letting him be my stand-in?”

“Sophia, you’re usually so understanding. Can’t you just make a little sacrifice for me?”

I nearly fainted from anger. “Eric! So it’s because I’m understanding that you think you can bully me like this?”

“What kind of bride marries a dog? Is there such a thing anywhere in the world?”

“You know how much I’ve been looking forward to this wedding. You know how much I love you.”

“How can you bear to make me the laughingstock of everyone?”

The more I spoke, the more it broke me, until I covered my face and sobbed.

Lily piped up cautiously, “Sophia, a wedding is just a formality. Why make Eric risk misfortune just for something that doesn’t really matter?”

“Would you rather he suffer harm, just to satisfy your vanity?”

Hearing this, Eric’s eyes grew even colder as he looked at me. “Sophia Bennett, do you even love me?”

I lifted my tear-streaked face and stared at him. “Do you love me? If you did, would you humiliate me like this?”

At that moment, Eric’s phone rang.

On the other end was Margaret Collins, his mother.

“Why aren’t you back yet? The guests are getting restless,” she barked.

Eric answered, “Sophia refuses to come.”

Margaret exploded, “Put her on the phone!”

I took the call, but before I could say anything, she was already shouting:

“Sophia, where did you pick up this nonsense? The limousine is here and you’re throwing a tantrum? Trying to raise your price, are you?”

“Let me tell you, the Collins family may be wealthy, but we’re not fools. If you don’t want to marry, there are plenty of women lining up to take your place.”

I quickly tried to explain, “No, it’s not that! Eric and Lily brought a dog and want me to go through the ceremony with it.”

Margaret was a very traditional woman, so I thought she’d stop Eric. But to my disbelief, she said lightly, “I already knew.”

“Lily’s reading showed that Eric would face misfortune if he held the wedding. Better safe than sorry—let the dog do it.”

“You’re marrying my son, so you should put his well-being first. Stop making trouble out of nothing.”

Then she hung up.

I stood there, stunned.

Eric sneered. “Still not getting in the car?”

I looked at the dog inside and shook my head.

“Forget it then,” Eric said coldly.

He took Lily’s hand. “Let’s go.”

Lily asked softly, her voice brimming with joy, “Eric, are you not holding the ceremony anymore?”

Eric replied indifferently, “Of course it will be held. If Sophia wants to throw a fit, she can take a cab to the venue herself.”

“But it looks like she doesn’t want to get married anymore,” Lily said.

Eric glanced at me through the window and mocked, “Not marry? She wouldn’t dare. Give her some time—she’ll swallow her pride and come crawling over.”

With that, the wedding convoy drove away.

Tears fell silently from my eyes.

Everyone assumed I couldn’t bear to lose this wedding.

Eric thought so too.

It was only because Eric Collins was the heir to the wealthy Collins family that people thought I was reaching above my station.

I was just an orphan, taken in by Robert Collins, his grandfather.

To outsiders, it seemed like I had climbed too high, that I should grovel before the Collins family and cling to this chance to “rise above.”

But no one knew the truth—Robert had personally and respectfully invited me to live with the Collins family. The word “adoption” was just for appearances.

And back then, it was Eric who had pursued me relentlessly.

He accompanied me whenever I went shopping, replied instantly to every message, remembered every little thing I liked.

I was moved by his sincerity, and that was why I agreed to marry him.

I never imagined that after he proposed successfully, he would turn so cold.

Perhaps… he never loved me at all.

At that moment, the photographers and stylists approached cautiously.

“Miss Bennett, we…”

I gave a bitter smile. “You can all go. I’ll transfer the final payment to your accounts. My wedding is canceled.”

They nodded silently, gave me a sympathetic look, and left.

With a sigh, I turned to head home and change out of my gown.

But just as I reached the doorway, a sudden roar startled me.

I turned and saw a motorcycle charging toward me.

I jumped back in fright.

The bike screeched to a halt, and two thugs leapt off.

They smirked, “Hey beauty, wearing a wedding dress—who are you trying to seduce?”

Shocked and furious, I snapped, “Leave right now, or I’ll call the police.”

They exchanged a glance and sneered, “Go ahead. We’re regulars at the station anyway.”

One of them lunged at me while the other pulled out his phone, leisurely recording.

I ran, screaming for help, but there was no one around.

In high heels, I couldn’t move fast. Before long, they cornered me against a wall.

I struggled to push one of them away, but he was far stronger. His hands clawed at my gown, ready to tear it apart.

Then, at that critical moment, a tall figure’s cold voice rang out: “Stop.”

The two thugs froze.

Before they could react, the man moved with lightning speed and knocked them both down.

Only then did I recognize him—it was Daniel Walker.

I hurried to him, my eyes misting. “Thank you… thank God you came in time.”

Daniel shook his head. “I wasn’t in time. I was here all along.”

That one sentence made tears spill from my eyes.

Daniel and I had known each other since childhood; our families were old friends.

When I chose to marry Eric, he had gotten drunk and called me, saying he would never bother me again—but that he would always wait.

I thought he wouldn’t show up today. I never imagined he had been watching over me all along.

After the thugs fled, Daniel was about to leave.

I called out to him: “I’m supposed to get married today, but I’m missing a groom. Interested?”

His body trembled.

When he turned back, he wore a forced casual smile. “And what kind of groom would I be? Temporary? Part-time?”

I laughed. “Lifelong. Full-time.”

His eyes lit with unrestrained joy. “Yes. Yes!”

As if afraid I’d change my mind, he pulled me into his car and told the driver, “Get us to the County Clerk’s Office as fast as you can!”

I looked at him in surprise. “Do you even have your documents with you?”

Daniel nodded seriously. “I’m always ready to marry you.”