Gary, who had been slightly hesitant, seemed convinced by that reasoning.

His expression turned smug and righteous as he lowered his voice and said to me, "Mariska is my wife now. I'm giving you a chance to get along with her. If you upset her, don't blame me for not even letting you be the mistress. Hurry up and pay."

Looking at the smug confidence on his face, I almost laughed out of sheer anger.

All that talk about me living off Gary, was just cake leftover from Mariska, a meal she couldn't finish and a house my father bought for me, from which I was kicked out after catching them sneaking around, I was labeled as filthy and toxic woman.

In five years, I once adored those eyes and brows. But the moment he left me at the marriage office, that burning obsession instantly turned cold.

I looked at him now, all that remained was disgust.

I realized just how blind I'd been, how foolish to have wasted five years on such trash.

Seeing me silent, Gary impatiently snatched the wristwatch from my hand. Before I could stop him, he had already unwrapped it and put it on.

He said, "I'm even wearing your crappy gift now. Satisfied? Now hurry up. Keep acting and I really won't bother with you. Even if you kneel and bring me five billion later, don't dream of getting a word out of me."

Gary's buddies took the opportunity to scold me, "Rose, Gary's already giving you face. Don't push it. A little drama maybe cute, but too much just makes people sick."

"Exactly. It's just 2.5 billion pound sterling, it's just pocket change for you. Being so stingy is disgusting. You should learn from Mariska, she is generous and thoughtful. She bought her gift for Gary with money earned from her part-time jobs," they said.

I glanced at the cheap little doll keychain hanging from Gary's phone, completely out of place.

I couldn't help but laugh, "Very thoughtful indeed. What, that keychain is not even worth 9.9 pound?"

Mariska looked like she'd been mortally insulted. Her eyes instantly turned red as she bit her lip, tried to look like a pitiful, strong little flower, "I don't have your kind of money, but everything I buy, I earn with my own hands. I'm cleaner than you. How dare you humiliate me?"

Gary pulled her into his arms protectively and barked at me, "Apologize to Mariska!"

I smiled and shoved the entire receipt list into her arms, "Mm. You're clean, I'm dirty. So let your clean money pay for these gifts for your Gary."

Mariska's face turned ghostly pale. She slumped in Gary's arms as if about to faint.

Gary, burned with fury, slapped me across the face, "Rose, I've had enough! You dare bully Mariska like this? On your birthday banquet, even if you kneel and beg me, I won't agree to the marriage alliance!"

He shot me a glare and stormed out, carrying Mariska along.

In the past, those words would've shattered me. I would've cried, begged, done anything not to be abandoned. But now, I felt nothing.

That slap? Considered it repayment for him save me from the kidnappers five years ago.

A few days later, the jewelry store called. The wedding ring the Gilmore Family custom-ordered for me was ready.

When I rushed over, I saw Gary with his arm around Mariska's waist, they tried on rings. The two of them were pressed close, clearly intimate.

When he saw me come in, Gary snorted and deliberately bit Mariska's ear, make her squeal and swat him playfully.

As if that weren't enough, he grabbed her waist and kissed her deeply, right there, like no one else existed.

After the kiss, Mariska gave me a provocative glance and blushed coyly. "Stop it, so many people are watching."

The professionally trained store staff kept their heads down and eyes averted.

Only I pursed my lips, felt a wave of physical disgust.

Gary raised his brows at me, misreading my expression and squinted smugly, "Since you know you're wrong, come apologize to Mariska on your knees."

But before he could finish, Mariska suddenly gasped, "Gary, this ring is so pretty. I really love it! Hurry and let me try it on."

The staff shook her head apologetically, "Sorry, this ring belongs to Miss Parker. It's a custom-made, one-of-a-kind global limited edition. We can't let you try it on." The clerk carefully picked up the ring and slipped it onto my finger.

Mariska stared at my hand, her eyes glints with resentment and greed.

Suddenly, her eyes reddened with unjustified grievance, "Rose, you know that Gary and I are getting married next week. Are you trying to embarrass me on purpose with this wedding ring?"

Getting married next week? But Gary knew my birthday banquet was next week too, where my father would host my engagement banquet to a marriage alliance partner.

As the daughter of the wealthiest man in North England, my wedding would be the talk of the city.

I looked up at Gary. His gaze flickered and he gave a guilty, awkward explanation, "Just hide somewhere during the ceremony. I'll tell the wedding planners it's a traditional Scotland wedding, swap you out for Mariska as the bride. Once it's over, I'll spend a few days with you. You should be happy with that."

He said it like he was making some noble sacrifice. I was so furious I laughed. All my life, I'd never seen someone so shameless.

A housemaid's daughter stole the place of a heiress for a glamorous wedding was one thing, but expecting me, the real bride, to hide like a rat?

Thankfully, I'd cut my losses in time. The groom had already been replaced.

Gary mistook my silence for submission and ordered, "Anyway, you won't need the ring anymore. Take it off and give it to Mariska."

"No," I sneered coldly. "Gary, where did you even get the confidence that I must marry you?"

Gary froze, then scoffed like he'd heard the world's funniest joke, "Do you even hear yourself? Who else would want a shameless, clingy mutt like you if not me?"

Before I could react, he yanked the ring off my finger and shoved it onto Mariska's.

But the ring was a size too small. No matter how hard she pushed, it wouldn't fit. Tears welled in her eyes as she whimpered, "Rose, if you didn't want to give it to me, you could've just said so. Why hurt me like this on purpose?"

Gary was furious, he snatched the ring and stormed into the restroom. He flushed it down the toilet five times.

Then came out with his arms around a weeping Mariska, but not before shouted at me in disappointment, "If Mariska can't wear it, you, a venomous woman, don't deserve to either."

The ring was gone. I had no idea how I'd explain this to Frank, until he called first to comfort me.

He said he'd already ordered a new custom ring overseas and promised it would arrive in time for my birthday banquet. He told me not to worry.

I relaxed and on my way back, I dropped by the studio to pick up the wedding dress my mother designed for me before she passed.

But as soon as I walked in, the front desk staff said, "Miss Rose, Mr. Osborn is upstairs."

For five years, no one around me knew I'd been obsessively in love with Gary to the point of self-destruction.

Even in the one area I valued most, my work, Gary acted like he owned the place. That thought made my heart sink.

I rushed upstairs and the scene I walked in on made my blood boil all the way to the top of my head.

Mariska was standing in front of the mirror, pose flirtatiously in the wedding dress my mother had designed for me.

She asked, "Gary, do I look good in this wedding dress?"

Gary replied, "Of course you do. My Mariska, wearing this gown, is the most beautiful bride in the world."

My mother was once an internationally renowned fashion designer.

Before she passed, seriously ill, she pushed through her pain to sketch the design and sew this wedding dress by hand. Just so I would have the most beautiful gown for my wedding.

After her death, this dress became my one and only keepsake.

Back when Gary and I first got together, he would hold me and say gently, "Rose, you wearing this dress, is the most beautiful bride in the world."

Now it felt like I'd just been slapped hard across the face. My ears rang.

I shouted, "Who gave you permission to touch my things? Take that dress off!"

Gary's face darkened immediately, "Rose, you bullied Mariska and took her ring, let her have the wedding dress as an apology."

My expression turned icy, my tone firmed and unyielded, "I said, take it off!"

Gary, humiliated by my attitude, roared in anger, "That's enough, Rose! If you keep this up, even if you crawl to me on your knees, I won't attend your birthday banquet. You'll be the one embarrassed."

He threatened, "I'm warning you, know your place, or you'll regret it."

Mariska stepped in delicately, "Forget it, Gary. Since Miss Parker doesn't want to, I'll return it to her."

She ran into the changing room, but came out holding a pile of torn fabric and said, "Oh no, Miss Parker, I'm really sorry. I didn't know the dress was such poor quality. I barely tugged on it and it ripped to pieces. Good thing I didn't wear it to the wedding, how humiliating would that have been?"

I stared at the shreds of my mother's dress in my hands, every thread stabbed like a knife.

Gary, seeing my devastated expression, acted magnanimous, "Well, it's ruined now. Doesn't matter, it wasn't worth much anyway. Just be ready in a week. Transfer all your father's assets to me. Not a single penny left behind. After Mariska and I finish our wedding, you can officially be my mistress. I'll give you 300 pound a month as compensation."

I watched them walk away, they laughed and chatted …

I lowered my eyes, colder than ever. One week later, we'll see if you're still laugh.

My father threw me a grand birthday banquet. Besides the other three major families in North England, many business partners also attended.

When Gary arrived, everyone rushed to flattered him, "Gary has the look of great fortune! He and Miss Parker are a match made in heaven."

"After today, Gary will be the top man in North England! Please, remember us little companies when you feast."

Gary, basked in their praise, looked smug and superior.

When I appeared in a stunning gown, his face instantly turned sour. He leaned over and said, "You're dressed way too flashy, how are you supposed to hide? Go find a maid outfit, stay in the bathroom and don't come out all day."

I didn't even glance at him. His face darkened with fury. "Rose, if you ruin my wedding with Mariska, don't expect me to ever look at you again."

At that moment, my father and the lawyer emerged from the study. He smiled at me. "My dear daughter, since you chose your husband yourself, go ahead and make the announcement."

Gary watched me walk toward him and smirked smugly.

But the next second, I walked past him and linked arms with the man stood behind him.

I said, "Dad, the one I chose to marry … is Frank Gilmore."

In that moment, the entire hall fell silent, you could hear a pin drop. Even the air itself seemed to freeze.

Bang! A sudden loud crash echoed through the room.

Gary roared in a frenzy, "No! That's impossible! There must be some mistake!"

"No ... how can this be ... You love me! You said you'd only marry me in this life. How can you marry someone like Frank, that pretentious creep?"