Today wasn't Giselle's birthday—it was mine. Every piece of her personal information had been registered under my name. She was doing this on purpose to humiliate me.

Before I could even react, Chester stepped out from behind her. He frowned when he saw my plain short-sleeved outfit. "Why didn't you change her clothes before bringing her here?"

The bodyguard immediately explained, "Sorry, Mr. Miller. We left in a rush…"

"Don't blame them, Mr. Miller," Giselle said with a light laugh, covering her mouth. "This outfit actually suits Miranda. She probably isn't used to wearing evening gowns anyway."

The other guests didn't know me, but they laughed along with her.

Chester shot them a cold glance, and the laughter stopped at once.

"Come inside," he said, taking my hand. "It's chilly out here."

Giselle let out a soft sigh and said, "I really envy you, Miranda. You have such a wonderful boyfriend who is both powerful and handsome. Unlike me, I'm still single."

I ignored her thinly veiled mockery and looked at Chester. "My injuries haven't fully healed yet. Could you have the bodyguards take me home?"

Chester glanced at my hand wrapped in layers of gauze and flatly said, "It's just a birthday party. As my future wife, it's only natural for you to be there. Do you mean to tell me you don't want to be my wife anymore?"

It was a clear threat.

I let out a self-mocking smile, pushed past him, and walked into the banquet hall.

I wasn't about to give up being his wife. After all, I planned to personally destroy the two of them at the wedding.

When Chester saw me give in, he raised his brows in satisfaction and exchanged a look with Giselle.

Throughout the banquet, his eyes never left her. Every so often, he walked over to chat with her.

The socialites who had come over to me out of courtesy to Chester slowly drifted away, leaving my corner of the bustling banquet feeling unusually cold and empty.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chester grab Giselle's wine glass. "You've had enough for today. Stop drinking," he said, before finishing the rest himself.

Chester was never one to interfere. At my graduation ceremony, I had been forced to drink again and again, and he had just sat there, watching me drink until I was vomiting nonstop.

I had thought his coldness was just part of his personality. Now, I realized it was simply because he didn't love me.

I smiled bitterly. Wasn't this something I had known all along?

Years of pain had dulled my once-burning heart, but for everyone else, seeing him treat Giselle with such care was a first, and they immediately started whispering, "Mr. Miller, won't your fiancee get jealous? She doesn't seem happy."

"Why marry her at all? Ms. Thorne would clearly be a better fit for you."

They thought they were whispering, but I heard it all.

Chester didn't respond. Instead, he instinctively wrapped an arm around Giselle's waist.

I looked away and quietly ate the dessert in front of me.

When I glanced up again, the two who had been chatting moments ago were gone.

I didn't think much of it, but on my way to the restroom, I overheard what was happening. In the study, Chester had Giselle on the desk, pressing kisses to her eagerly.

"I agreed to let her come to your birthday banquet, and this is what you give me? 'Single,' huh?"

His breaths came out heavy.

"Chester, I was wrong. I really was," Giselle said, attempting to push him away, though her body pressed closer anyway. "Don't leave any marks on me. Someone might see…"

"Let them see," he said calmly. "You'll be my wife soon enough. Even if Miranda saw us together, she'd still swallow her pride and marry me. Three years have passed, and with only two days left, there's no way she'd let herself lose now."

Not long after, faint moans came from the study.

I looked at their intertwined figures and thoughtfully closed the door for them.

About half an hour later, the two of them finally came out. The moment they stepped back into the banquet hall, Giselle walked straight toward me.

She deliberately revealed the red marks on her neck. "Oh? Do you know where Chester went? He was with me the whole time just now. Why did he suddenly disappear?"

When I stayed silent, she let out a light laugh. "Oh, I forgot. He never went to your side in the first place, so how would you know where he is? Sorry for asking you such a difficult question."

I lowered my head without a word and continued eating my cake.

Seeing that I was ignoring her, Giselle grew irritated and pressed a glass of champagne into my hand. "Future Mrs. Miller, you haven't even had a drink with me yet."

I placed the glass back on the table. "I can't drink."

"You can't drink?" She scoffed. "If I remember correctly, you were famous for holding your liquor back in college, and now you're saying you can't drink at all? Miranda, are you trying to make things difficult for me on purpose?"

I had no interest in arguing with her and turned to leave, only to see Chester walking toward me with a glass of wine in hand.

"Drink it. Do I really need to teach you even basic etiquette?"

I stared at the glass of red wine he held out, my fist tightening instantly. "I said I'm not drinking."

The tense atmosphere immediately drew everyone's attention.

"She won't even drink a single glass. They're not even married yet, and she already has such an attitude."

"I think she's just jealous that Mr. Miller has been spending all his time with Ms. Thorne. That's why she's throwing a fit."

"Today's Ms. Thorne's birthday, and she's letting her personal grudges ruin everything. Is this really how the future Mrs. Miller behaves?"

With every remark, Chester's expression darkened further. They were clearly criticizing me, yet it felt like every word was a slap to his face.

"Guards," he said, looking at the bodyguards. "Make sure Mrs. Miller finishes this glass."

I looked up in disbelief, but before I could protest, a strong stream of red wine was forced into my mouth.

The bodyguards gripped my arms as I fought back. The wine poured over my face, drenching me in utter humiliation.

"Chester, stop! I'm pregnant…" I tried to speak, but the burning wine made it impossible to form complete words, and the crowd's laughter drowned me out.

Overwhelmed with shame, I pushed the bodyguards away with all my strength.

I hadn't expected that shove to knock Giselle backward. She stumbled and crashed into the statue behind her.

"Giselle!"

Chester shoved me aside, and I crashed into a nearby table. Blood poured from the wounds as shattered dishes dug into my skin, and a searing pain ripped through my abdomen, forcing me to curl up tightly.

"It hurts. Take me to the hospital…" I begged, looking at Chester weakly.

All I could see was him clutching Giselle, panic written across his pale face like I had never seen before. "Giselle, are you alright? Don't scare me."

Even the always-calculated Chester appeared unguarded with Giselle, as if a crisis could strip away all pretense and reveal the heart beneath.

Soon, the ambulance arrived. Chester immediately lifted Giselle into one of the vehicles.

He instinctively went to follow, but Giselle deliberately stopped him. "Mr. Miller, you should stay with your future wife. She looks like she's hurt worse than I am."

Chester frowned as he looked down at me lying on the floor. "She was the one who pushed you and ruined your birthday. I have to take responsibility for her actions, so I'll stay with you, Ms. Thorne," he said coldly. "As for her, let the bodyguards take her to the hospital."

When the car door slammed shut, it completely severed the last thread of hope I had been clinging to.

My stomach hurt terribly. I didn't know if it was from the fall or the alcohol.

I closed my eyes in despair and slipped into darkness. When I woke up again, the heartbeat inside my belly was gone.

It hadn't survived.

Even though I had already decided not to keep this child, the real loss still hurt like a knife.

Exhausted, I leaned against the wall as I walked toward the door, but I caught the nurses' conversation at the corner.

"I've been a doctor for years, and I've never seen anything like this. They made a pregnant patient donate blood during emergency treatment. We did everything we could to save the baby, but it was lost because of the donation."

I froze, gripping their hands in shock. "What did you just say?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Thorne. There was nothing we could do. Mr. Miller signed the blood donation consent as her fiance. Besides, you know who he is. We simply couldn't afford to offend him."

"Did you tell him I was pregnant?" I nearly shouted.

The nurse was taken aback. She stammered, "W-We did, but Mr. Miller didn't believe us. He insisted it was just an excuse we made up to avoid violating regulations. He even said that if we refused, he would shut the hospital down. We showed him the medical report, but he didn't care at all."

I couldn't remember how I made it back to my hospital room that day. I only knew that less than 30 feet felt endlessly long.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Chester sitting by the bed with a grim look on his face. "Get changed later and apologize to Giselle. You ruined her birthday."

I let out a soft laugh, as if I had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Fine. I'll apologize."

This time, Chester looked genuinely surprised. He glanced at me in disbelief. "Since you are going to be my wife, the two families still need to get along."

I struggled out of my hospital gown. When he saw the scars covering my body, Chester froze.

After all, he had never touched me, nor had he ever seen my body, which Giselle had beaten until it was covered in wounds.

On the way to Giselle's room, he actually supported me for once, but the moment the door opened, he immediately let go.

Clutching my aching stomach, I apologized to Giselle again and again.

I would never forget her face, alight with laughter and smug triumph as I lifted my head, nor the message she sent after I left.

"I poured all your blood down the drain. I would never let filthy blood like yours flow in my veins."

I lingered on the message for a long moment before taking a screenshot and saving it.

If Chester knew that the woman he cherished not only toyed with me but also made a fool of him, how would he react?

If Felix knew that his child had been killed by his own brother, what would he feel?

I was starting to look forward to the wedding.

A notification popped up on my phone. It was a message from my grandmother's assistant, saying they would arrive at the wedding on time.

"Ms. Thorne, Mrs. Thorne Senior insisted on coming with us. She said she wouldn't rest unless she personally stood up for you."

The message eased the tension in my chest. I smiled and headed back to my room, where Felix was standing at the door, gasping for breath.

I froze in place. Felix ran up to me and gripped my hand tightly. "Miranda, I'm so relieved to see you're okay."

His hair was damp with sweat. He must have run all the way here. In that instant, my emotions were difficult to put into words.

Forcing down the bitterness rising in my chest, I pulled my hand free and said calmly, "Didn't we just see each other? What could have happened to me?"

Felix stared blankly at his empty hand.

I could not help reminding him, "You stormed off angrily just now, remember?"

He stiffened, then smiled bitterly. "Yes, but I have thought it through now. I was worried about you."

At that moment, I thought that if he could admit everything and apologize to me, maybe I would soften and forgive him.

"Chester, you should go back first," I said. "I want to be alone tonight. We will meet at the wedding."

Felix looked at me deeply, then lowered his head and kissed me.

This kiss was no longer gentle or lingering. It was fierce and burning, as though he wanted to devour me whole.

In the end, he reluctantly pulled away and turned to leave.

I could tell he was holding back, but it no longer concerned me. After all, the last thing tying me to him had already died because of Chester.

…

On the day of the wedding, Chester came to my room early in the morning. For someone who was always so cold, he personally zipped up my wedding dress.

I gave a faint smile as I watched the clock's pendulum swing steadily back and forth.

It was 10:00 am. They would be here any moment.

Chester had booked the wedding at a remote chapel. Even through the thick doors, I could feel the lively excitement inside.

"Miss, you may enter now."

The bells rang, and I lifted my skirt, ready to step inside.

The moment the doors opened, every guest turned to look at me in shock.

At the front, Chester was half-kneeling, placing a ring on Giselle's finger with a look of pure adoration. Beside him stood Felix, looking just like him.

Seeing my stunned expression, Chester raised Giselle's hand as if to stake his claim. "Today is my wedding with Giselle. I don't know why this lady has to appear here in a wedding dress."

I remained expressionless. "Isn't today my wedding?"

The guests frowned, staring at me as if I were insane.

Giselle let out a light laugh and flung a wedding invitation at my face. "Look carefully! Mr. Miller's bride is me!"

The sharp paper scraped against my temple, but I felt nothing. I knew exactly why—I had been living through days worse than death.

As I remained silent, Giselle assumed I was overcome with sorrow, and her eyes gleamed with even more triumph. She stepped closer and said, "Miranda, do you really think someone as lowly as you could ever earn true love?

"I'll tell you. If it weren't for helping me get revenge, you would never even get near Mr. Miller in your whole life."

She nudged Chester's arm. "Am I right, darling?"

Chester slid his arm around her waist and cast a cold glance at me. "Exactly. I only approached you to take revenge for Giselle. Who would have thought someone as vile as you would have the nerve to ruin her artwork! Every second I spent with you made me feel sick, but…"

He shifted his gaze to Felix. "Fortunately, my brother shared the burden. I didn't have to touch your filthy, cheap body, or I wouldn't have lasted this long."

Felix stood in the shadows, unable to look at me.

I cast him a glance and let out a quiet, almost amused laugh. "Is that so?"

Giselle frowned at my composure.

"Why are you staring at Felix? Don't fool yourself—he would never take your side!" she snapped, "Do you really think a filthy, treacherous woman like you could ever become the future Mrs. Miller? Keep dreaming."

All eyes in the chapel were on me.

Giselle beamed with satisfaction and shouted, "Today, everyone will see what kind of woman you really are!"

She turned to the large screen behind her. "Play it!"

Felix lunged forward, grabbing Giselle's hand. "Are you really going to play it? You said it was just a joke!"

Before he could finish, Chester grabbed his collar. "How dare you lay a hand on Giselle! Felix, I suggest you think carefully about the consequences."

He shot me a glance. "Do you want this lowly woman, or do you want the position of the Miller family's second son?"

With a tight frown, Felix's features revealed the battle raging within him.

Finally, he clenched his teeth and muttered, "I was wrong."

Chester released him abruptly and turned to the staff. "Play the video."

The guests all looked up curiously at the screen, and Giselle slowly turned with a smug smile to watch.

The screen flickered, and a brief static crackle sounded, but nothing played.

Giselle lifted her skirt and strode forward, impatiently brushing the staff aside. "Hurry up! If this drags on, you'll kill everyone's excitement!"

She slammed the button. The static vanished instantly, and the chapel speakers carried a woman's voice.

"Let me make this clear—being Mrs. Miller isn't that easy. Someone as lowly as you will never rise above your station. When we were kids, I could take your paintings and your inheritance. Now that we're adults, I can take your husband just as easily."

Giselle's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at me.

Chester froze as his eyes landed on Giselle, who stormed at me and slapped me hard. "No wonder you looked so calm earlier—you've been scheming the whole time! How dare you fake an audio to frame me!"

She put on a pitiful expression and turned to Chester. "Chester, can't you see how ruthless she is? She ruined my career, and now she's trying to ruin our wedding too!"

Despite the blatant holes in her story, Chester believed her without a second thought and clamped his hand around my neck.

"Miranda, how dare you twist the truth and spew such nonsense?" he snarled. "You picked the wrong person to cross. I could pretend to love you for years for Giselle's sake, and I can just as easily destroy you for her now."

My face burned as his grip on my neck tightened. "Grandma…"

I cast a quick glance toward the chapel doors not far away. Chester's frown deepened as he followed my gaze.

Suddenly, a razor-sharp knife spun through the air like a streak of silver and slammed into his wrist. A piercing scream tore through the chapel, freezing everyone in place.