The night before the wedding, I'm about to share the news of my pregnancy with Chester Miller when I see Giselle Thorne sitting in his lap intimately.

I'm about to storm in and confront them when I notice a man standing beside them.

That man looks exactly like Chester, my boyfriend.

I freeze, holding my breath as their voices carry clearly through the room.

"Chester, this is ruthless. You actually proposed to her. From what I know, Miranda poured so much effort into this wedding," Giselle says.

Chester snorts. "Giselle, she ruins your work and costs you the chance to win. I can't wait to see her, all dressed in her wedding gown and beaming with joy, only to watch me walk down the aisle holding your hand. Just thinking about it gives me a thrill."

My eyes widen.

It's clearly Giselle who has threatened me to hand over my work, and when she fails, she tears up her own painting in fear of losing the competition.

Before I can react, the man who looks like Chester suddenly speaks. "Chester, who's walking down the aisle with her—you or me?"

Chester chuckles. "Of course I am. Felix, have you forgotten? Miranda belongs to you only at night."

In that instant, I finally understand why Chester Miller is cold by day and passionate by night. It turns out they aren't the same person at all. He and Felix are twin brothers.

I clutch the pregnancy report tightly, pressing it against the doorframe as I glare at the three of them through the crack.

"I won't let any of you get what you want," I vow silently.

Chester Miller lit a cigarette and casually said, "Oh, yeah, Felix. I heard from the staff that you two never use protection. Be careful. Don't get her pregnant."

Giselle Thorne pouted, looking slightly unhappy. "Chester, if she really got pregnant, would you actually feel bad for her?"

Chester snorted. "Feel bad? I just don't want our family's bloodline mixed with someone that low."

"You're the only woman I would ever have a child with," he added, lifting her chin.

Giselle blushed and lightly smacked his chest before turning to Felix Miller, who had been quiet the whole time. "Felix, you've been sleeping with her for some time. How is she?"

"It was fine," Felix said casually. "She acts all classy during the day, but she is pretty wild in bed. She was game for anything I wanted. I even recorded a video. Do you want to see?"

My body froze. A video? When did he ever record that?

Before I could react, Giselle had already grabbed the phone and stared at the screen.

"Chester, slow down. It hurts."

In the video, Felix slammed into me, gripping my hand tightly. "Say it. Say you love me."

"I love you, Chester…"

My moans rang out, blending seamlessly with the laughter that never stopped.

Even Chester, who was usually cold and unreadable, smirked. "She really is shameless."

Giselle covered her mouth as she laughed. "Chester, what do you think about playing this at our wedding?"

Felix and Chester answered at the same time, "Great idea."

Felix grabbed his phone back and chuckled. "Too bad it won't last much longer. Once you marry her, Miranda and I are done for."

"What, you're not willing to give her up?" Chester asked, looking at him meaningfully.

"Miranda? Give me a break," Felix said with a smirk. "She was just a one-night fling, like any hostess at a club. I just can't help feeling a little jealous that you get to marry someone as hot as Giselle."

Chester's face darkened immediately.

"What was that? Mind your words," he said sharply. "Don't say stuff like that around Giselle. She's not a cheap woman like Miranda. She's the Thorne family's only daughter, my wife, and the future lady of the house."

Felix immediately went quiet.

Giselle tried to lighten the mood, but no matter what she did, it didn't help.

In the end, she leaned in and kissed his neck, and the tension ignited instantly. Chester wrapped an arm around her waist, lifted her up, and carried her straight into the bedroom.

I hurriedly slipped to the corner of the hallway, clamping a hand over my mouth to stop myself from sobbing.

All of it was a lie, and I couldn't stomach any of it.

The only daughter of the Thorne family?

I laughed bitterly.

The only daughter of the Thorne family was obviously me.

After my parents died in a car accident, they left behind a massive inheritance for me alone. The housekeeper, Anne Coleman, suddenly offered to help manage it. When I refused, she held a knife to my throat.

She took everything from me and let her own daughter take my place as the family's young lady.

Giselle's real name was Giselle Holt. After pretending to be the heiress, she changed her surname.

She didn't just steal my identity. She bullied me constantly and kept a close watch on everything I did.

At school, she ripped up my homework and turned my classmates against me. Anyone who dared to treat me kindly became a target overnight.

Back then, I dreaded going to school. I was always being dragged into alleys and beaten—until one day, a man appeared out of nowhere at the entrance.

"Hey, cut it out! You're making too much noise."

Chester leaned back casually, bathed in the warm glow of the sun.

No one at the school failed to recognize who he was. They immediately apologized, lowered their heads, and ran off.

I limped away as well, but he caught my wrist.

Before I could react, he scooped me up and carried me straight to the infirmary, treating my wounds himself. He seemed fierce, but his touch was unexpectedly soft.

From that day on, Chester became my shield at school. No one dared to bully me again.

After he asked me to lunch for the tenth time, I finally blurted out, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Without looking up, he said softly, "Because you're worth it."

With that, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into that dark alley. He pressed my head down and kissed me.

My face flushed instantly. When he pulled away, I met his eyes.

Chester wiped the corner of his mouth and said, "Miranda, be my girlfriend."

It wasn't really a question. He left no room for choice, and I nodded without a second thought.

After we got together, he started acting distant. Since Chester was always cold by nature, I didn't think much of it. When we were together at night, he was completely alive, whispering sweet words that always made me melt.

Who would have thought that the man who pinned me to the headboard and called me Mira was actually his twin brother, Felix?

The thought made my chest ache until I could barely breathe, and a sharp pain twisted in my stomach.

I struggled to keep walking, but in the end, I collapsed at the doorway.

As I slipped into unconsciousness, I saw Felix rushing toward me. He got me to the hospital but didn't stay for long.

"She's in your care now. I don't know when my brother will be back, so I need to leave before we run into him."

Felix looked down at me and muttered, "I told you to eat more. You probably passed out from anemia again. You really are a handful."

Even so, he still took a moment to fold the blanket neatly before leaving.

Only after the door clicked shut did I slowly open my eyes.

Thanks to Giselle, I usually had to survive on the scraps they left behind.

When Felix held me at night, he would sometimes grimace at how thin I was, complaining that I felt all bones in his arms.

Thinking back to those moments of care and warmth, my eyes burned with unshed tears.

I took a deep breath and dialed an overseas number.

"My wedding is in three days. I don't care what it takes. You need to be here. I want them to pay for what they've done."

Giselle had always believed the inheritance was hers for the taking, but she was wrong.

Just three days ago, my grandmother, who lives overseas, contacted me. The real will was in her hands. I had thought it would serve as my security after marriage, but now it had become my means of protecting myself.

After contacting my grandmother's assistant, I leaned wearily against the headboard.

Suddenly, the door opened, and the doctor stepped in.

"Miss, you're pregnant," he announced.

"I know," I replied, lowering my head as I gently touched my slightly rounded belly. I looked up at him and added, "Could you please keep this a secret?"

"Why?"

The doctor paused, slightly surprised. "Mr. Miller would be thrilled to know!"

I gave a bitter smile, remembering what Chester had said earlier. "I know. That's why I want to tell him myself," I said.

The doctor agreed to keep my secret, prescribed some medication to protect the pregnancy, and warned me not to let myself get upset or stressed, or the baby could be at risk.

Nothing could shock me more than today's news.

I was still lost in thought when the door swung open and Chester appeared. His sharp, arrogant presence was unmistakable, and it struck me as absurd that I had never paid attention to it before.

"Why did you pass out again? Don't you realize how busy I am?" he scolded.

I avoided his gaze and murmured, "Sorry, but you didn't really need to come."

Chester snorted and stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Are you sulking with me, Miranda?"

I pushed his hand away and replied, "No, who in the world dares to get mad at you, Mr. Miller?"

Chester seemed to notice the tension in my voice and frowned. At that moment, his phone rang. After glancing at the caller ID, he turned and walked out without a word. Before leaving, he instructed the doctor, "Get her back in top shape. If she can't make the wedding in three days, you're done for."

The doctors envied Chester's devotion, but only I knew the truth. He simply didn't want to miss seeing me embarrassed and humiliated in front of everyone. And yet, I found myself anticipating the wedding even more than they did.

I arranged for my discharge that very day. That evening, Felix was taken aback when he saw me.

He threw himself at me with his usual enthusiasm. "Darling, you're discharged? How come?"

I smiled and teased him, "Weren't you the one who told me to leave the hospital? Don't you remember?"

Felix's smile faltered for a brief moment, but it quickly relaxed back into its usual warmth. "I was just joking. A healthy body needs a happy mind, too. Look, I just bought this pearl necklace for you. You'll look stunning wearing it on our wedding day."

He held up an elegant pearl necklace and draped it around my neck from behind. The faint scent of tobacco lingered on him as he pressed close, biting gently at my ear.

"Darling, why don't you wear this tonight? You'll look beautiful…" he murmured.

His touch drifted across my body as his lips left a path of gentle kisses from my neck all the way to my chest.

His breath was hot against my skin, yet I felt nothing.

I broke free from his hold at my waist. Felix's expression flickered with surprise, though he calmly said, "Mira, are you alright?"

"I'm not feeling well," I whispered.

He immediately straightened and rubbed my head.

"Right, you just got out of the hospital," he said with a regretful sigh. "Get some rest tonight. I'll take care of things in the bathroom myself."

Before leaving, he pressed a kiss to my cheek. "Mira, get better soon. I don't want to wait too long."

Words that once would have made me blush now churned my stomach with unease.

The moment Felix stepped into the bathroom, I yanked the necklace off my neck and prepared to toss it in the trash. But my hand froze midair.

I couldn't let them know I had noticed.

With a resigned sigh, I put the necklace back on.

When Felix returned, I was staring blankly at the pearls around my neck.

"Do you really like it that much?" he teased, looping an arm around my neck.

I nodded without expression.

He chuckled softly. "Then, I'll get you plenty more. You'll never run out of ways to wear them."

I had to admit he was much better at pretending than Chester. Even knowing that in three days we would part ways, he held me close that night and slept peacefully, while I remained awake the entire time.

"Mira, you're so good…"

Felix's sleepy whisper brushed against my ear, and the sound of my name made my heart jolt. Do people lie in their dreams? If he wasn't lying, then why did he keep treating me like a plaything?

I glanced at Felix, the man who had shared endless nights with me, and my eyes filled with tears. I couldn't sleep that night, and that was when I witnessed Felix and Chester's "shift change".

Chester glanced at me lying asleep on the bed and clicked his tongue. "I wish daylight didn't exist. I don't want to waste my time on her."

Felix patted his shoulder. "Chester, just hang in there for two more days. You'll be free soon."

Chester nodded. "Yeah, same for you. You don't have to force yourself through it anymore."

Felix froze for a moment, but Chester didn't even notice the former's expression.

…

When I opened my eyes again, Chester was perched at the edge of the bed, casually sipping his coffee.

"Time to get up. Don't you remember? We're trying on wedding dresses today."

I mechanically threw back the covers, quickly washed up, and followed him to the car.

The ride was silent. Chester seemed a little surprised. After all, I used to cling to him and make a fuss nonstop.

At the bridal shop, I wandered through the dresses absentmindedly, while Chester ignored me entirely, absorbed in his chat screen.

"Let's go with this one," I said, pointing randomly at a dress.

Just as the sales assistant was about to wrap the dress, a familiar voice cut through the air. "I like this one, too!"

The moment Giselle appeared, Chester's eyes snapped to her.

All the years of humiliation and resentment surged at the sight of her. I turned to the assistant. "Wrap it for me."

The assistants glanced at each other nervously. I threw my card onto the counter and pressed, "I said wrap it up. I saw this dress first."

Giselle said nothing. She just crossed her arms and watched Chester on the couch.

He put down his newspaper and approached me, pressing his hand onto mine. "It's only a wedding dress. If you don't have the patience for something this trivial, you're not worthy of being the lady of the Miller family," he said coldly.

The assistants had hesitated at first because they feared the Miller family's power. When they saw Chester siding with Giselle, they immediately smiled and handed her the wrapped wedding dress.

Just as she was about to pay, Chester stepped forward, snatched my card, and handed it to the assistant. "I'll take care of her wedding dress."

I stared at him in disbelief.

If it were the past, I would have broken down, unable to understand why he would side with someone who humiliated me.

Now, it was all perfectly clear.

After years of calculated closeness and endless lies spanning days and nights, giving up a single wedding dress meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I walked toward the door.

Suddenly, Giselle grabbed my hand and dropped the wrapped dress at my feet.

She looked down at me with a smug smile. "Looks like you really wanted this dress, so I'll be generous and give it to you. Stop crying. Men hate it when women just sit there and bawl. Am I right, Mr. Miller?"

Chester didn't respond. He simply instructed the assistant to pick up the dress bag and hand it to me. "Let's go. Don't make a scene out here."

That was it. I lost control and flung the dress bag straight at him.

Both Chester and Giselle froze in shock.

Chester was the first to recover. He ran after me. "Miranda, what are you doing? It's just a dress!"

I shrugged off his hand and stared at him through tear-filled eyes. "Just a wedding dress? Chester, ask yourself—was it really just a wedding dress?

"If you think I'm embarrassing myself, if you think I'm overreacting, then let's not get married! I don't need a wedding dress anymore. Fine by me, fine by you!"

Chester had never seen me like this. In the past, a single frown from him would make me immediately submit.

For the first time, panic flickered across his usually stoic face. He reached out and grabbed my shoulder. "Calm down!"

I shrugged his hand off.

"Miranda!"

Frustration laced his voice, but I didn't look back, leaving him only with the sight of my resolute back.

Having lost my parents early, I had always been starved for love, and Chester was the first person to give it to me. He mattered to me, even more than myself.

I had always obeyed him. Even when he asked me to do things I didn't like—like the strange games he liked in bed—I went along with them, just to make him happy.

It was clear now—Chester and Felix had always expected me to follow their every command. I wasn't going to do it anymore.

Chester's frown deepened. "Didn't they say she was dutiful? Looks like she's not exactly obedient."

Giselle linked her arm with his and said softly, "Chester, I know you love me, but it's clear you don't like her. Just put up with it for a couple of days for my sake."

Chester nodded slightly and turned his gaze away. "I'll handle it. We'll stick to the plan."