Knowing she was heading somewhere dangerous, Noelle decided to give Marie a proper burial. She bought a cremation pendant, tucked a strand of Marie's hair and a pinch of ashes inside, and buried the rest at the cemetery.

She kneeled before the headstone, clutching the pendant at her chest. "Grandma, don't worry. I'm about to do what I've always wanted to do, and I'll keep myself safe."

By the time Noelle returned to the villa, it was already dusk. The moment she stepped inside, she heard laughter in the living room. She froze, and Chester spotted her at once.

He strode over and drew her in. "Come on, let me introduce you to two friends."

A man and a woman stood from the couch and turned to look at her, somewhat malicious mischief flickering in their eyes.

It was Winona and Simon.

Noelle couldn't stop the tremor that ran through her. It was her body's reflex whenever she faced Winona.

Chester sounded happy. "Winona is a childhood friend, and Simon is my twin brother. They just got back from studying abroad and happened to make it in time for our wedding."

Winona waved and flashed a sweet smile. "Elle and I know each other—we were roommates in college."

She bounced forward, slipped her arm through Noelle's, and whispered in her ear, "Right, Elle?"

A flood of images crashed through Noelle's mind. Every time Winona finished bullying her, she would lean in and murmur, "It's just some fun between roommates. Right, Elle?"

Noelle jolted like she'd been shocked and pushed Winona away. The latter landed on the floor, her face full of wounded innocence. "Elle, you still don't like me? I just want to get along with you."

Both Chester's and Simon's expressions darkened. Chester hurried over to help Winona up, his gaze turning chilly. Meanwhile, Simon frowned in displeasure. "Chester, your fiancee's got quite the temper. She's not even part of our family yet, and she's already so full of herself."

Chester sheltered Winona behind him, his tone angry and icy. "Noelle, apologize!"

Noelle stared at the three of them, her hands balling into fists by her sides. She felt her heart tear open as she thought of what she'd overheard the night before, leaving a raw and jagged wound.

She turned in silence to leave.

She'd barely taken two steps when a hand clamped hard around her wrist and yanked, the force nearly making her stumble. She looked up into Chester's eyes, which boiled with rage. "Who said you could go?"

Simon said coolly, "The Gray family is a proper household with deep roots, and manners are very important to us. You need to teach your fiancee a lesson, Chester."

"You're right." Chester's gaze turned frosty. "Elle, you're about to become the lady of the Gray household. You must watch your tongue and your behavior at all times. Reflect on what you did today."

He dragged her down to the basement and shoved her into a room there. Before she could react, the door slammed shut.

The door was tightly sealed, shutting out every trace of light. Only then did Noelle realize it was a windowless, pitch-black room. Her breathing sped up in the pure darkness, and her panic surged. She pounded on the door, but no one answered, no matter how she shouted.

Terror swallowed her whole.

In college, Winona had locked Noelle in a dark room for three days with no sound or light. Time had stretched into a torture that felt endless.

Noelle had had a breakdown then. She'd feared darkness ever since, and claustrophobia had followed. For years now, she'd kept every light on at night, even sleeping that way.

At first, Chester couldn't get used to it. But after learning what she'd been through, he'd held her and soothed her. "It's okay. From now on, we'll sleep with the lights on at home. Don't be scared."

He'd initially tossed and turned in his sleep, waking easily. But each time she offered to try turning the lights off, he'd refused. "Elle, don't force yourself to do anything. I can adapt."

He knew. They all knew. Yet they'd still chosen this as Noelle's punishment, and it was just because she'd pushed Winona.

Noelle curled up in the corner, hugging herself as she trembled, a dull ache throbbing in her chest.

Of course. The tenderness had always been an act. They'd staged it for her sake. Even this dark room was likely designed just for her.

Two days later, Chester opened the door with a pleased smile. "Winona's not mad at you for what happened anymore. Clean yourself up—we're going to try on wedding dresses and pick out rings."

Noelle was taken to a bridal boutique. As soon as she got out of the car, she saw Winona and Simon already waiting inside.

Winona greeted her warmly. "Elle, you're here! I didn't get to congratulate you last time. Chester and I are best friends, so let me keep you company and help you choose the perfect dress today!"

She smiled, clearly waiting to see Noelle lose her composure.

But Noelle showed neither fear nor disgust. She smiled back and said, "Thank you. I appreciate it."

Winona's expression darkened for a split second before she smiled again. Hooking her arms through Chester's and Simon's, she said cryptically, "Then I'll try some on with you. I'm going to be a bride very soon myself."

Noelle offered a calm smile. "Congratulations."

Winona's gaze turned frosty.

From that moment on, any gown Noelle so much as glanced at, Winona would flag down a sales associate and rush to be the first to try it. Each time she came out of the changing room, she would grab Chester's hand. "Chester, what do you think? Isn't it gorgeous?"

And each time, Chester would stare at her as if enchanted. He would shower her with praise. Simon hovered at Winona's side, too. The two of them ignored Noelle completely.

A sales associate sighed with envy. "This bride is so lucky…"

Winona let out a playful yelp and turned to Noelle, who stood off to the side like an outsider. "Sorry, Elle. You're the actual bride. You should've tried first."

She thumped Chester's chest. "Chester, what's wrong with you? How can you leave your own bride standing around?"

The sales associates looked embarrassed, and Simon's lips curved into a mocking smile.

Only then did Chester look toward Noelle. "See anything you like?"

Noelle picked one at random and went to try it on. When she came out, the three of them were already gone.

A sales associate gave her a sympathetic look. "Ms. Johnson said she was going to pick out rings, miss. The two gentlemen went with her. You…"

"It's fine." Noelle took off the dress, handed it back, and walked out.

Soon after, Winona updated her social media with a photo of a diamond ring, embedded with pavé gemstones. "A ring Chester bought at an auction."

Noelle glanced at it, locked her screen, and went back to packing. Beyond clothes and daily essentials she needed to take with her, she gathered up everything else that belonged to her—including the gifts she'd once given Chester—and threw them away or destroyed them.

As for anything Chester had given her, she didn't touch at all.

She had just finished packing a suitcase and slid it into the closet when Chester walked in, holding a blue velvet box. "I bought you this ring at an auction."

Noelle recognized it—it was a free gift that had come with the ring Winona had shared on her social media. She accepted it calmly and set it aside.

Her reaction was so cool that it made Chester frown. His gaze drifted and landed on the trash can, where he saw the couple's mugs she used to cherish.

A flicker of unease crossed his heart, and he raised a brow. "Why'd you throw the mugs away? Are you mad?"

She pressed her lips together. "No."

That only seemed to confirm it for Chester. "Is it because of what happened at the bridal boutique? Winona's just a good friend of mine. We haven't seen each other in years, so of course I paid her a little extra attention."

He wrapped his arms around Noelle. "There's no need to be jealous of her. If there was something between us, we would've gotten together long ago, right? You're my bride, Elle. Don't you understand how I feel about you?"

At that, Noelle's heart lurched. She felt like a fist had clamped hard around it, making a sharp pain shoot through it. Her eyes reddened.

Chester ruffled her hair when he noticed. "I'm sorry, Elle. I upset you."

Hearing that, Noelle's fingers trembled. She curled them into fists, making her nails bite into her palms. In that instant, she wanted to question him. She wanted to peel back his sincerity from his lies, to know whether he'd harbored even a shred of genuine love for her in the past three years.

But she swallowed the words when they were at the tip of her tongue.

Chester's phone rang, and he immediately answered. "Winona? I'll be right there."

After hanging up, he mussed Noelle's hair again. "I've got something to take care of, so don't wait up for me. You'll be the most beautiful bride in a few days."

With that, he turned and left in a hurry.

Noelle sat on the bed and swallowed back her tears.

Two hours later, she finished washing up and got into bed to hit the hay. Just as she was drifting off, the door swung open. Chester, who was supposed to be hosting a party at a bar with Winona, walked in.

He smelled of alcohol. He carelessly ripped open his shirt, tossed back the covers, and pressed down on Noelle.

The instant their skin touched, Noelle's drowsiness was dispelled. She knew with blinding clarity that the man on top of her was Simon.

Noelle's body went rigid, and her face drained of all color. She threw all her strength into shoving Simon off her and curled up at the head of the bed.

He frowned at her before lifting a brow. "Are you still mad?"

He rubbed his temples, his mannerisms exactly like Chester's. Even his voice, soaked with alcohol, was indistinguishable.

If Noelle hadn't heard that Chester had kept himself chaste for Winona, she wouldn't have been able to tell them apart.

Simon leaned in again, caging her in with his arms on either side of her, their noses nearly touching. "I already told you that if I had feelings for Winona, you and I would never be getting married."

He moved to kiss her. Her eyes widened, and she jerked aside, gagging.

She retched until her eyes turned red; she couldn't stop. She shoved Simon away and ran for the bathroom.

He watched her, his brows knitting and eyes glinting.

In the bathroom, Noelle slid down the wall, ending up in a squat on the floor. Outside the door, Simon's voice cut in abruptly. "You guys heard that, right? She's gagging. Don't tell me she's pregnant."

A burst of startled chatter followed. One of his buddies shouted, "Don't let this get out of hand, Simon! What if she clings to you after the truth is out?"

Noelle stiffened, and her blood ran cold. It hit her that Simon's phone had been on a call the whole time.

Winona's voice came through. "Chester, Simon, this is too much…"

"Too much?" Chester's tone was icy. "She's been targeting you for ages. This is the punishment she deserves."

Winona sounded worried. "But what if she really is pregnant?"

After a beat of silence, Chester and Simon said in unison, "That's impossible!"

Chester sounded merciless on the other end of the line. "Even if she is, we'll make sure it's taken care of. Right, Simon?"

Simon's Adam's apple bobbed. "O-Of course."

For some reason, he felt a sudden, sharp twist in his chest. The next second, he saw Noelle open the door and stare at him, her face as white as a sheet.

His heart sank. He hurriedly hung up and stepped forward. "What's wrong, Elle? You look awful. Are you feeling okay? Are you… Pregnant?"

Noelle held his gaze and curled her lip. "No. My stomach's just acting up."

…

The following morning, Noelle went to the hospital for her scheduled abortion.

The attending doctor knew her and tried to persuade her otherwise before the procedure. "Elle, the baby already has a heartbeat at seven weeks, and all the indicators look good. Are you sure you want to terminate?"

Noelle nodded, looking steady. "I'm positive."

It was noon by the time she left the hospital. Chester called, and his car pulled up at the entrance moments later. He hopped out and guided her into the passenger seat. "Come on, I'm taking you to lunch."

They rode in silence, a small smile playing on Chester's lips the whole time. The song playing in his car was Winona's favorite from their college days. It was also the one Noelle hated most.

As soon as they reached the restaurant, they saw Winona and Simon already waiting for them.

Winona pointed at the cake on the table. "Elle, I crossed the line yesterday, so I queued for this trending cake to apologize. You have to try it."

During the meal, she kept reminiscing about her, Chester, and Simon as kids.

"Chester and Simon have always spoiled me. When we played house, they'd fight over who got to be my groom!

"Once, I climbed a tree and couldn't get down. Chester sprawled on the ground to be my cushion.

"In middle school, some boys cornered me, and the two of them got hurt badly trying to protect me. They were in the hospital for ages."

Chester and Simon laughed along. The three of them chatted warmly, while Noelle stayed silent.

Winona suddenly turned to her. "Elle, why aren't you saying anything? Do you have a problem with me? I know we had misunderstandings in college, but I hope we can be best friends now that you're marrying Chester."

She lifted her glass and smirked at Noelle.

Noelle didn't move for a long moment or even look at her. She suddenly clutched the front of her blouse as her breath came in gasps. Angry red hives spread across her forearm, forming a shocking and raw sight. She fumbled for her bag.

"You're having an allergic reaction!" Chester shot to his feet, reaching for her bag.

Noelle had a severe peanut allergy. She was usually careful, but in case of accidental exposure and no time to get help, she always kept an EpiPen in her bag. It was something that could save her life when seconds mattered.

She'd already grabbed the EpiPen when Winona said weakly, "Chester, I feel awful…"

She also clawed at her chest, her face looking pale as she fell back.