My wedding with Gibson Amenoff had been postponed for the ninth time—this time because my mother had gotten into a car accident the day before the ceremony.

She suffered fifteen compound fractures all over her body and had been admitted to the ICU. She still hadn’t woken up.

When the doctor told me there was a very real chance my mother would remain in a coma, I could no longer hold it together. Tears streamed down my face.

On my way back to her hospital room, I stopped at a corner and overheard a conversation between Gibson and one of his friends.

“You had her pushed into the pool and given sleeping pills just to delay the wedding with Margery. Now, she and her mother have been in accidents, and Margery doesn’t even have a father. What are you planning to do next?”

Those words landed on me like ice.

Gibson was in a suit, still wearing the engagement token I had given him.

His voice was calm when he replied, “I’m not postponing anymore.”

His friend looked astonished. “Then what about you and Wanda?”

Gibson fell silent for a moment.

When he spoke again, his gaze softened.

“I’ve known Margery for a long time. Everyone expected me to marry her—I expected it too. If Wanda hadn’t appeared, I probably would have just gone through the motions and married her anyway.”

“You mean the one you like is Wanda, so why don’t you marry her?” his friend pressed in confusion.

Gibson let out a bitter little smile.

“I do love her, yeah. But Margery’s mother saved my father. She’s done us a great favor. I can’t just throw that away. The nine postponements were already my biggest struggle. I’ve already delayed so much time with Wanda. I can’t be selfish anymore.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears blurred my vision as I stumbled back to my mother’s room.

I never imagined that all nine previous wedding delays were because of my own groom.

He could have told me the truth. But instead, he chose to go this far.

I was pushed into a pool. I was drugged with sleeping pills. My mother and I were in an accident—and she still hasn’t woken up…

Wasn’t he afraid that we might never wake up?

That thought hardened my resolve.

There was no need for a tenth wedding. I didn’t want him anymore.

But the pain and suffering he caused my mother and me? I would make him pay—every last bit of it.

With that thought, I pulled out my phone and sent a message.

[I accept the position at your company. I’ll report for work in seven days.]

1

Margery’s POV

After I received the confirmation from the other party, I put my phone away.

The red light outside the operating room was still flashing when suddenly a group of people swept past me. They barged into my mother’s surgery with a single, terrible purpose.

I stared at the scene in disbelief.

“Mom!” I screamed and ran in.

The next second, a pair of rough hands ripped at my hair without mercy.

They dragged my mother out; her eyes were shut tight, her face contorted in pain. The wounds from the car accident opened again and bled profusely because of their rough handling.

“You lunatics! Who are you? Leave my mother alone! I’ll give you anything!” My voice broke on the last words.

They answered my plea with cruel laughter.

In an instant, they flung my mother to the floor.

There was a sickening crack; she went limp and collapsed.

I was pinned to the floor. Dozens of rough hands clamped at my throat and tore open my collar.

I wanted to die at that moment, but a white-hot hatred kept my eyes blazing red as I stared at them.

They seemed to enjoy it; one slap after another struck my face.

In the final instant before I lost consciousness, Gibson burst in with a handful of bodyguards.

He looked frantic as he scooped me up into his arms.

“Margery! You’re safe now. It’s over. I’m here. You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”

I clung to him, but my gaze was fixed on my mother’s motionless body.

Even though I had been rescued, my body felt cold and numb.

When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. Cold IV fluid coursed into my veins, and I shivered uncontrollably.

From the doorway, voices drifted in.

“Why did you do this, Wanda?” Gibson asked, his voice edged with frustration and confusion.

Hearing that name, my body froze.

Wanda’s flirty voice replied next.

“I know you didn’t want to marry Margery. I love you, so I wanted to help. Look, didn’t I do well? Her mother is dead. Margery certainly won’t want to have a wedding in the near future. She’s injured now and can’t cling to you anymore. Finally, we can talk like we used to.”

Then came the rustle of clothing. Through the gap in the door, I could see them embracing.

Wanda’s words cut into my chest like a steel blade.

My blood went cold and my whole body stiffened on the bed.

My mother and all of this was Wanda’s doing?

At the doorway, Gibson and Wanda were kissing, utterly absorbed in each other.

After a few moments, feeling moved, he said, “You didn’t have to do this. It’s okay. I’ll cover for everything you’ve done. You just love me too much.”

Wanda’s fair hands looped around his neck.

Then, they resumed their passionate kissing.

Gibson’s expression was unlike anything I had ever seen in our ten years together.

To everyone else, he was always composed, restrained, and rational. He never showed this side.

But now, in front of the woman who had killed my mother, he bared a different face!

Gibson and I had been engaged for five years.

My mother had worked for the Amenoffs; once, when Gibson’s father suffered a heart attack, she saved him.

Because of that, I had the chance to become engaged to Gibson.

The Amenoffs had treated me well, and even the usually aloof Gibson had shown me a special kindness. I had always believed he loved me and that I was special to him.

Even after our wedding was postponed nine times, I never once suspected him.

I never imagined the truth would be unveiled so cruelly, right before my eyes.

I curled my fingers until my palm ached.

I swore I would make Wanda and Gibson pay.

I would make them suffer the same miserable fate as my mother!

2

Margery’s POV

I didn’t open my eyes until the sound of lips and tongues entangling outside the door finally faded.

Everything Gibson and Wanda had just said—I had recorded it all.

The tenth wedding? I would not postpone it as they wished. I would hold it.

Not only would I hold it. In fact, I would hold it seven days from now. I would make it grand, extravagant even. I would make sure that at this wedding, they would be utterly disgraced!

A few hours later, Gibson finally returned to my hospital room.

His gaze softened as he looked at me. With careful hands, he began cleaning my wounds.

“Margery, don’t be afraid,” he murmured gently. “I’ll be careful. Just bear with it for a moment.”

I turned my head away from the concern in his eyes.

The perfume clinging to his body was like poison, seeping into my nose until it made me want to retch.

And when he leaned closer, I could still see the faint marks on the back of his neck—all left by Wanda.

The sight of it all filled me with unbearable disgust.

Without looking at him, my voice came out hoarse. “Have they been caught? The people who did this? My mother… how is she now…”

The mention of my mother made my throat tighten, my words breaking apart.

My mother had been the most innocent one of all. She treated Gibson so kindly, and she had done so much for his family.

If I hadn’t been so blind in trusting the wrong man, she wouldn’t have had to pay with her life.

Gibson’s eyes darkened with pain as he saw mine brimming red with tears. He carefully avoided my injuries and pulled me into his arms.

“It’s all right,” he soothed. “I’ve already handed them over to the police. They’ll be punished. Your mom will rest in peace.”

As he spoke, he even showed me photos of those people being arrested.

Hatred flashed in my eyes. “Why would they go after my mother? Who ordered them to do it?!”

I met his gaze without flinching.

His body stiffened, then—almost as if trying to cover something up—he forced a smile.

“No one was behind it. They were just a bunch of thugs lashing out at society. They’re already in jail. You don’t need to burden yourself with this anymore, baby.”

The false smile on his face made it impossible to conceal the anger in me.

The ones who truly killed my mother were still obviously free.

He had simply found scapegoats to bury the truth, as if he could so easily write off her death.

My eyes burned so red that they felt as though blood might drip from them. But Gibson mistook it for grief and reached out, wanting to comfort me.

Just then, his phone rang.

In the dim light, I saw his lock screen clearly—it was Wanda, smiling sweetly.

A sharp sting pierced my eyes. I had to turn my head away.

Her voice came through the receiver, slightly distorted but still coy.

“Gibson, Vautrain Company’s partners are already waiting at the office. Do you have time to come by now?”

At her words, I slowly looked back at him.

And at that moment, he understood.

A month ago, when I had gone to the Amenoff Corporation several times for wedding matters, I had almost always run into him and Wanda in compromising situations.

Back then, I still harbored feelings for him. And because he had promised me that he would dismiss her, I had chosen not to dwell on it.

But clearly, Wanda had never been dismissed. Even now, she was still his secretary.

Apparently, the lies had begun from the very start.

Seeing my cold expression, Gibson rushed to explain.

“She really was dismissed. But she still had a few days left in her internship. I just thought I’d be kind, do her a favor. Margery, you can understand that, can’t you?”

As he spoke, he took my hand.

I said nothing, only gave a faint nod before pulling my hand back.

“Didn’t she just tell you to hurry over? Go on. Work is important.”

A flicker of joy lit his eyes at my words. But it quickly gave way to doubt.

If this had been before, upon learning Wanda hadn’t actually been dismissed, I would have at least shown some anger.

But now, I had so easily let him go.

Unease obviously crept over him. He reached out as if to confirm something from me.

But before he could, his phone rang again.

He hesitated only a moment before leaving quickly.

As his figure disappeared through the doorway, I transferred the recording I had just saved onto a flash drive.

Seven days—that was all I needed.

That night, Gibson did not come back to see me.

Instead, Wanda somehow found my phone number and began sending me messages.

Each message contained a photo—her and Gibson locked in intimate embraces, lips tangled, clothes half undone, faces flushed.

She didn’t bother with taunts. She only sent a single sticker—a smiling face.

Without replying to her, I saved the sticker and copied all the photos onto the flash drive as well.

Thinking of my mother’s death, and everything I had endured, I did not sleep a single moment that night.

3

Margery’s POV

The next day, I transferred my mother’s body to the mourning hall.

I hadn’t planned on holding a grand funeral, but Gibson arrived with a large group of people.

When he saw me kneeling on the ground, he hurried over. His eyes brimmed with such tenderness and concern it was almost overflowing.

“Margery,” he said softly, “let me handle this. Go inside and get some rest. Oh, and…”

As if suddenly remembering something, he added, “The wedding… We should postpone it for now.”

He reached out and stroked my head in a gesture meant to soothe.

I lifted my gaze to him, my face expressionless.

“No,” I replied flatly. “The wedding will go on as planned. There are six days left. My mother would want to see it happen.”

My eyes reddened as I spoke.

Gibson frowned, clearly taken aback by my insistence. But when he saw the unwavering look in my eyes, he finally gave a small nod.

Just then, his phone rang. He shot me a brief, guarded glance before stepping inside to answer the call.

That left me alone to face the stares of the people he had brought with him.

From the very beginning, their eyes had carried malice. After hearing my words, their expressions turned openly hostile.

“Her own mother just died, and she still insists on holding a wedding? What kind of person does that? She’s no better than a monster.”

Their cold, scornful gazes swept over me.

“If it weren’t for her mother, Margery wouldn’t even be able to touch the hem of Mr. Amenoff’s sleeve. He could have chosen the woman he truly loves.”

A woman’s sharp, harsh gaze pierced me like arrows.

“Who knows, when her mother saved Mr. Amenoff’s family years ago, maybe she staged that all along. And this car accident, being dragged out of the operating room—maybe it was just someone finally taking revenge. Serves her right to die.”

My body trembled with rage. I staggered to my feet, hand raised, ready to strike them.

But just then, Wanda suddenly rushed in through the doorway, throwing herself between me and the others.

The crisp crack of a slap echoed through the hall. Wanda’s eyes instantly filled with tears.

The sight of her only stoked my fury further. I swung my hand again, aiming another slap at her.

At that exact moment, Gibson emerged from inside and caught the scene unfolding before him.

In two quick strides, he shoved me back with force, his voice booming with anger. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I froze for a second—but only a second. Then, without hesitation, I wrenched free from his grip and brought my hand crashing down on Wanda’s face once more.

“Can’t you see?” I snapped. “I’m teaching these people a lesson for causing a scene at someone else’s mother’s funeral like the animals they are!”

Gibson hadn’t expected those words. He faltered, stunned, before his gaze flicked over the faces of the people behind Wanda. At that moment, he seemed to understand something.

His brows drew together tightly. When his eyes returned to me, they carried a trace of pity.

But then, Wanda let out a faint cry of pain in his arms.

Immediately, Gibson’s attention shifted. He no longer looked at me.

He scooped Wanda up in his arms and strode toward the door, calling out over his shoulder.

“Call every available doctor from the nearby hospitals, no matter the cost!”

For two slaps, he was willing to gather an army of doctors.

But when my mother had been in a car accident, crushed and bleeding, he had been in no hurry at all. He had even had the leisure to chat with his friends.

The bitter thought curled my lips into a smile, one full of irony and despair.