I began preparing for my wedding.

Meanwhile, Dylan was immersed in his sweet romance with Whitney, acting as if I had never existed.

It was not until one day, when he was waiting for Whitney to try on wedding gowns, that he suddenly thought of me. He took his phone out and realized we hadn’t spoken in two weeks. A flicker of unease crossed his mind.

“Dyl, how do I look in this one?” Whitney stepped out of the fitting room in a lavish gown covered in diamonds.

A flash of amazement lit up Dylan’s eyes, and whatever unease he felt vanished in an instant. “You look stunning.”

He stood up and walked toward her, unable to resist pulling her into a passionate kiss.

That was the moment I walked in. The sight of them burned into my eyes like fire. My heart ached like it was being pricked over and over by a thousand tiny needles.

Dylan saw me too. He let go of Whitney in a panic but quickly regained his composure. His first instinct was to blame me. “You didn’t message me for two weeks. I thought you were busy. But you have time to follow me around?”

He thought I was stalking him? I nearly laughed from the absurdity of it.

Just as I was about to respond, his gaze landed on the box in my hand, and he suddenly smiled.

“Vee, you already finished designing the ring? There was no need to rush. It's not yet the wedding date…”

He assumed the ring box I was holding contained the wedding ring I had designed for him.

I cut him off, saying, “Dylan, this is my ring. I’m getting married too.”

The smile froze on his face, his expression instantly darkening. “That’s not funny. Or is this some kind of trick to make me call off the wedding with Whitney?”

He was convinced I was throwing a tantrum to make him change his mind.

I did not bother explaining. Instead, I turned to the sales assistant. “Could you please bring out the wedding gown I'm keeping reserved here? Rosie Sandler designed it.”

Rosie Sandler was my mother. Before she passed away, she designed that gown just for me.

When the assistant brought out the gown, a flicker of envy flashed in Whitney’s eyes.

She immediately turned to Dylan, clinging to his arm. “Dyl, I love that gown. I wish I could wear it for our wedding.”

Dylan stared at the gown, his expression complicated. Of course, he remembered what that gown meant to me. Back then, he even promised to put the gown on me himself on the day of our wedding.

However, faced with Whitney’s hopeful gaze, he nodded.

Then, he turned to me and said, “Vee, give Whitney the gown.”

I stared at him, feeling the last of my warmth drain away. “You know this was my mother’s gift to me.”

“She’ll give it back after the wedding. Why are you being so petty? Come on, who else could you even marry besides me? Keeping the gown would be a waste.”

It felt like he had stabbed me straight in the heart, deep and merciless.

I replied coldly, “The size doesn’t fit. Ms. Jackson won’t be able to wear it.”

The gown was tailored to my exact measurements. Whitney was slightly curvier. Of course, it would not fit.

However, Dylan did not care. He turned to the sales assistant. “Then alter it. Change it to fit Whitney.”

The sales assistant hesitated. “Mr. Lane, the fabric and embroidery of this gown are extremely delicate. If we alter it, it can’t be restored.”

Tears welled in Whitney’s eyes. “Dyl, I want this one…”

Seeing her like that, Dylan was overcome with guilt. He waved his hand impatiently. “Why are you still talking? Just alter it! Money’s not a problem!”

The sales assistant looked at me, unsure of what to do.

Dylan lost his patience. He grabbed a pair of scissors from the work table and aimed them at the gown.

“Stop!” I cried out, my voice choking.

However, it was too late. The scissors had already torn through the gown.

“Alright, give Whitney the gown to try on.”

In that instant, it felt like an invisible hand was clenching my heart so tightly that I could not breathe. I gave him one last look. In my eyes, there were only tears and hatred.

It only took a moment to fall for someone and only a moment for my heart to die on me.

I turned to leave.

Dylan saw me walking away and quickly chased after me. “Vee, are you still mad?”

He frowned. “That kiss just now—that was my fault. I shouldn’t have kissed Whitney in front of you.”

He thought I was still upset about that kiss? He leaned in and gave me a quick peck on the lips, as if to make it up to me. “There, I've paid it back. Happy now?”

I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. “Dylan, you disgust me.”

With that, I shook off his hand and walked away without looking back. Dylan stood frozen, holding his cheek in shock. It was the first time I had ever hit him.

Before, I used to gently ruffle his hair and say things like, “I like you, Dylan.”

Now, he watched my figure disappear around the corner, and for the first time, he felt like something really important was slipping away from his hand.

…

The day before the wedding, Dylan sent me a message.

[Vee, you’re the most important person in my life. You have to come tomorrow to witness this happy celebration!]

I stared at the message and deleted it without hesitation.

…

On the day of their wedding, the Lane family’s mansion was decorated in bright colors and bustling with guests. Dylan kept scanning the crowd, searching for me but spotted no sign of me. That same uneasy feeling from before began to creep back into his chest.

He took out his phone to call me, only to find that he was unable to contact me. His messages went unanswered.

A sense of panic started to rise inside him. He felt something he had never felt before. However, he forced himself to stay calm.

‘The wedding will be over soon. I’ll find her afterward and coax her like always. She’s soft-hearted,' he thought.

However, halfway through the ceremony, as the guests were enjoying their drinks, Dylan could not hold back anymore.

He dialed Mason’s number. The call connected quickly, and he blurted out, “Where’s your sister? Why didn’t she come to my wedding?”

On the other end of the line, Mason sounded confused. “Dylan, are you okay? What the heck are you talking about? Of course, my sister can't go to your wedding. She’s getting married today too.”

Dylan felt like he had been struck by lightning. He froze, completely stunned, and his mind went blank. His hand trembled as he gripped the phone, hardly believing what he had just heard.

“M-Married?” he forced the word out.

“To who?!” His voice rose uncontrollably.

“Haven’t you seen the financial magazine or headlines lately? She’s marrying the heir of the Muller family—Jasper Muller.”