“Oh, right.” Vicky suddenly took an elegant invitation from her bag and handed it to me.

“We’re getting married next month. You have to come. I want you to be my bridesmaid.”

She smiled stiffly. “You were my best friend in college. You should come and share my happiness.”

I took the crimson invitation and opened it.

The wedding was to be held at midnight at the Wells family’s old estate.

My fingertips traced those few words.

It was such a strange hour. Vicky must have been blinded by her dream of becoming the CEO’s wife, since she thought nothing of it.

Midnight was the darkest hour of the night.

In my previous life, my wedding had been held at this exact place and this exact time.

Back then, I only thought the Wells family had peculiar traditions.

It was not until much later that I understood the true meaning of that ceremony.

Did she really think what she was holding was an invitation to live happily ever after?

I raised my head and met her hopeful gaze. I smiled and agreed.

“Sure. It’s such a big occasion. I will definitely be there.”

On the day of the wedding, I arrived early at the Wells family’s old estate.

The car drove down a long, shaded lane and stopped before a massive traditional courtyard house.

When I opened the door and stepped out, a gust of cold wind rushed toward me, carrying the faint scent of decay.

There were several bridesmaids. They were Vicky’s college friends.

They all looked uneasy as they took in the eerie surroundings.

“Vicky, this place feels kind of creepy.”

“Yeah. Why would anyone hold a wedding here? This doesn't look like a wedding venue at all.”

Inside the dressing room, Vicky sat before the mirror in a pure white wedding gown.

Her face was glowing with barely contained excitement and joy.

When she heard the questions, she waved them off.

“You don’t understand. This is called style.”

“The Wells family is a century-old family. They have traditions. Nicholas said this is the family’s most important ceremony, and it has to be held in the old estate to receive the ancestors’ blessing.”

Her words convinced the girls who had never seen much of the world.

They immediately started gushing with admiration.

“So that’s why. The rich really are different.”

“Vicky, you’re so lucky. Nicholas treats you so well.”

I sat quietly in the corner, watching them praise Vicky. Her face was full of hope for the future.

She was probably imagining that after tonight, she would officially become a part of the Wells family. She thought she would transform from an ordinary girl into someone untouchable.

However, she had no idea what awaited her.

The night wore on.

The entire estate was deathly silent. Only the sound of the wind rustling through the trees broke the stillness.

The banquet lacked the lively atmosphere it should have had. The courtyard was filled with white candles.

The bridesmaids were no longer smiling. Their faces had gone pale as they huddled together.

Only Vicky remained lost in the dream she had woven for herself.

Finally, the antique clock on the wall struck twelve times.

The ringing echoed through the air, as though coming from another world.

A man in a black robe stepped onto the stage. His face was expressionless as he announced in a flat tone, “It is time. Please welcome the groom.”

Everyone turned toward the corridor leading to the back hall.

Vicky’s eyes were bright with anticipation as she lifted her gown. She was ready to greet her groom.

Nicholas appeared in a black suit, and his face was colder than ever.

He was not holding flowers.

In his hands rested a black wooden memorial tablet.

On it was a name—Joseph Wells.

Beside it, there was an enlarged photo of a young man who looked exactly like Nicholas.