At the banquet, our two families discussed the wedding details enthusiastically.

Mom looked excited. "Why don't we have it at Bapo Beach? Erin loves the ocean."

Dad chimed in. "That's right. Erin dreamed about going there when she was little. Having her wedding there would be so romantic."

They all looked at me expectantly, and Noah nodded along.

Just then, Heidi said unhappily, "But I think Bapo is too hot. We should go to Cyrul instead. The climate there is so much nicer..."

"Heidi." Mom shot her a stern look. "This is your sister's wedding. Everything should be up to her."

The whole family turned to look at me, seemingly waiting for my decision.

I was about to speak when Noah grabbed my hand. "Erin, let's have the wedding in Cyrul. I'll take you to Bapo for the honeymoon instead."

Mom and Dad both froze, clearly not expecting him to go against me. I looked into his unfathomable eyes and smiled gently.

"What if I say no?"

His brow furrowed slightly, then he smiled and raised his glass. "Then of course we'll do what you want."

Heidi immediately looked upset. She threw down her silverware and stormed off to the restroom.

Noah later made up some excuse and followed her.

"Noah, you said you loved me most just last night! But today you're taking her side!"

Noah kissed away her tears tenderly. "Silly goose, I was just fooling her. Once the banquet is over, I'll have my assistant book every venue in Bapo. By then, she'll have no choice but to go to Cyrul.

"Heidi, don't forget. I'm only marrying her because I owe her. Everyone knows she did me a favor once."

Heidi's eyes reddened. "So you're going to owe her for the rest of your life?"

I stood by the door, listening quietly through the crack, a sliver of hope still lingering in my heart despite everything.

"Of course not." Noah laughed softly. He lifted Heidi onto the restroom counter and bit her lip. "I can't bear to see my darling suffer forever. I'll find a way to escape this marriage. And then everything Erin has will belong to you."

Hearing this, my chest felt like a thousand arrows had pierced it. The pain nearly suffocated me.

Years ago, when Noah's company faced a crisis, I borrowed money from every friend and relative I had. I even mortgaged my house to pull him back from the edge of bankruptcy.

The day the crisis was resolved, he told me that meeting me was the greatest luck of his life. But in the end, it had just been a debt and endless lies.

That day, I leaned against the wall as I made my way back to the banquet hall. Seeing how pale I looked, Mom immediately rushed to support me.

"Erin, why do you look so terrible?"

I forced down the bitterness rising in my throat and said it was nothing.

Noah and Heidi returned one after the other. When he sat down, he unconsciously tugged at his collar to hide the fresh marks on his neck.

Later, they discussed many more wedding details, such as which flowers to choose and which music to play. Whenever they asked for my opinion, I only said, "Whatever Noah wants."

Satisfaction flashed in his eyes. He seemed pleased by how much I relied on him.

But I simply felt my opinion didn't matter. More importantly, I wouldn't be attending anyway.

Finally, Noah asked me one last question. "Erin, when do you want to have the wedding?"

"In two days."

Mom and Dad stared at me in disbelief. Pulling off a wedding in two days was nearly impossible. But Noah confidently squeezed my hand.

"Don't worry, Erin. I'll definitely give you an unforgettable wedding."

I smiled softly and squeezed back. I was about to give him an unforgettable wedding too.

When he stood in front of everyone and looked down the aisle, he'd see no one waiting at the end.

Toward the end of the banquet, I started feeling unwell and decided to leave early. Noah immediately said he'd take me home, but Heidi blocked our path.

She seemed drunk, falling into Noah's arms and whining, "Noah, can you take me home instead?"

"That's enough!" Mom yanked Heidi back.

"Your sister is sick. As her fiance, of course he needs to take her to the hospital."

Noah nodded and pulled me toward the exit. But while driving, he was clearly distracted, running several red lights.

I leaned wearily against the window, feeling nothing anymore. Suddenly, his phone screen lit up. He glanced at it, and the car screeched to an abrupt stop.

I lurched forward without warning, crying out in pain. But Noah didn't even look at me. He tossed the car keys into my lap.

"Erin, go to the hospital yourself today. Something urgent came up at the company. I have to go."

Before I could say anything, he'd already flagged down a cab and left. I had a pretty good guess what was happening. Fighting the dizziness, I forced myself into the driver’s seat and followed him.

The car eventually stopped in front of a bar. Noah rushed inside like a madman.

"Sir, this lady had too much to drink at the bar and this man was harassing her..."

Before the employee could finish, Noah's fist connected with the drunk's face. His movements were brutal, each punch landing with sickening force. He was usually so composed and aloof, but now his face twisted with a rare, violent fury.

Several bouncers rushed forward to stop him, but he shoved them aside effortlessly. He grabbed the man by the collar.

"Tell me. Where did you touch her?"

"I didn't touch her! She was the one coming onto me!"

Another vicious punch sent blood flying from the man's mouth.

The crowd immediately started whispering. "Isn't that the CEO of Starlight Group? He's actually brawling in public!"

"But his fiancee isn't this woman, is she? Isn't he worried his fiancee will see this and get jealous?"

"Please. This is Noah Levine we're talking about. Plenty of women would kill to marry him. Having a few mistresses is normal for someone like him."

I watched the scene unfold through the car window. My numb heart still managed to ache.

Just then, Heidi rushed forward to stop him. "Please, stop! You're scaring me..."

Noah's hand froze mid-air. The violence drained from his face, replaced by a tenderness and adoration I'd never seen before.

He pulled Heidi tightly into his arms. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

I buried my face against the steering wheel and let the tears fall, one by one.

On the drive home, the fever made me sluggish. I drove straight into an oncoming truck.

The car flipped through the air. I was pinned beneath the wreckage as flames slowly consumed everything around me.

If there was a next life, I hoped I'd never see Noah again.

When I woke up again, Noah was gripping my hand tightly. His eyes were bloodshot, like he was about to cry.

"Erin, you scared me to death. I thought I was going to lose you."

He pulled me into a tight embrace, his voice choking. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone on the side of the road. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

"Thank God you're okay. I really wouldn't know how to go on living if something happened to you..."

He kissed my hair, his voice still trembling with lingering fear. But I only felt the irony of it all.

I pushed him away coldly. "You're hurting me."

Noah immediately let go and apologized.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke. "Why were you in a car accident on Second Street? That's nowhere near the hospital."

"A friend called me at the last minute. He lives nearby."

I hated lies, yet here I was, lying with such ease.

Noah's brow furrowed immediately, his tone tinged with jealousy. "What friend? Who would ask you to go out while you were running a fever?"

I wanted to laugh. Hadn't he done the exact same thing, abandoning his feverish fiancee on the roadside for his mistress?

I made up a random name to brush him off, then claimed I wasn't feeling well and asked him to leave.

Shortly after, the company called. "Erin, we heard you were in a car accident. About the overseas assignment..."

"I'm still going. I'll be on that flight tomorrow."

I stared out the window at a plane crossing the sky, my resolve stronger than ever before.

After hanging up, I immediately steadied myself against the wall to handle my discharge paperwork for tomorrow. Suddenly, Heidi burst into the hospital room.

She put on a show of concern, her fake sympathy making me sick. Unable to take it anymore, I shoved her away.

"Heidi, stop pretending! I know everything about you and Noah!"

She froze for a moment, then laughed. "Oh? I didn't expect you to find out. But do you know something else? Because of this accident, you can't have children anymore."

I froze, staring at her in disbelief.

Heidi smiled lightly. "Noah decided to keep it from you after all. Makes sense though. This is the perfect reason for a future divorce. Why would he reveal it early?

"Since you already know the truth, why are you still clinging to him so shamelessly? Noah says you love him, but I think you just love his money and power. That's why you won't leave, right?

"Erin, you're really pathetic."

"Say that again!" I raised my hand to slap her, but a hand caught my wrist firmly.

"Erin, what are you doing?" Noah stormed in, his face dark.

Heidi immediately put on a wounded expression. "I just came to check on my sister, but she's still mad at me about the wedding venue. She said I was out of line and wanted to teach me a lesson..."

Noah frowned. "Erin, I already agreed at the banquet to have the wedding in Bapo. What more do you want?"

Looking at the two of them, I couldn't help but laugh bitterly. I didn't even have the energy to explain.

I just turned my head to look at the bruise spreading across my wrist and choked out, "Noah, I'm still injured. Can you let go?"

Noah froze and immediately released me, discomfort flashing across his face. "You're still injured, so I won't hold today against you. But I don't want to see you bullying Heidi again.

"Tomorrow is our wedding. There's no need to make things ugly today."

With that, he pulled Heidi out of the hospital room. I'd never felt so exhausted in my life. But I couldn't stop now.

That night, I wrote a long letter for Mom and Dad. They'd always doted on me. They would never agree to let me go somewhere so remote and dangerous.

So I planned to tell them the truth only after I'd left.

As I placed the letter in the drawer, Noah walked in. He sat on the edge of the bed, gently touching the wrist he'd injured. "Does it hurt?"

I immediately pulled my hand back without answering him.

Noah sighed. "Erin, Heidi is just a bit naive. She doesn't have any bad intentions. She..."

"I know." I cut him off directly. "If there's nothing else, please leave. I'm tired."

Hearing the coldness in my tone, he paused, but quickly recovered his composure. "Get some rest then. The flight to Bapo is scheduled for tomorrow at noon. I'll come pick you up."

Before leaving, he gripped the doorframe and looked back at me once more. "Erin, I don't want to fight with you anymore. You have to believe that I love you. Okay?"

When I didn't respond, he slowly closed the door.

He wanted me to believe him? I laughed bitterly. Remembering everything from the past two days, how could I possibly believe him?

Early the next morning, I went to the front desk to complete my discharge paperwork and handed them the letter to pass on. Then I left without looking back.

On the way, I received a message from Noah. "Erin, time to wake up. Don't miss the flight."

I looked up at the plane in front of me and smiled faintly. Then I snapped my SIM card in half.

I'd already boarded my own flight. As for the one with Noah, I'd never be able to get on it again for the rest of my life.

Farewell, Noah.