“But… the venue we booked before might not be big enough. It won’t fit so many people.”

At this, Tatum pinched my cheek roughly, pretending it was affection.

“Silly girl, is that even a problem? Leave it to me, I can book a bigger venue at once! I’ll give you the most magnificent wedding, let everyone witness your happiness!”

His smile remained as dazzling as ever, but to me, it carried only a cold chill that seeped into my bones.

I looked at him, then slowly nodded. “Okay.”

Just then, Tatum’s phone rang.

“Zara? What’s the matter? Don’t cry, take your time… Don’t do anything foolish! Wait for me, I’m coming right away, be good!”

He ended the call and hurried toward the door. Then, as if remembering something, he stopped and turned back to me.

“Adeline, it’s Zara… her depression flared up again, her emotions are unstable. I’m afraid she’ll harm herself, so I must go to her. As for the wedding, I’ll leave it to you to arrange. Don’t worry about money, make everything the best.”

I looked at his performance of ‘helplessness’ wrapped in ‘ardent care,’ and nausea twisted in my gut.

I stayed silent, only nodding faintly.

Soon after, Zara’s Instagram Story updated, her location tagged at a sunlit resort abroad.

She posed in a bikini, smiling radiantly, fingers raised in a V-sign. Behind her, the half-shown profile of a man was unmistakable: Tatum, who had just claimed he rushed to “save” her.

A few minutes later, Tatum’s message came.

[Adeline, there’s an urgent project at the company. I need to travel for five days. The meetings are highly confidential, so contact may be difficult. Don’t worry, I’ll be back before the wedding. Love you.]

I stared at the word “love” and let out a faint, bitter laugh. What greater mockery could there be?

I gave no reply. Instead, I opened the stack of wedding invitations, filled them out carefully, and mailed them, both to those close to me and to those I barely knew.

“…No cash gifts required, no presents required, your presence is earnestly awaited.”

Soon, my phone brimmed with blessings and RSVPs, buzzing with constant activity.

I reached out to the wedding planner again.

“I want to upgrade the previous plan. Add three more camera angles, and make sure there’s drone footage for the entire event.”

I thought the farce would drag on until the wedding day, when suddenly Tatum’s phone rang.

“Adeline! Come to St. Catherine’s Hospital right now, hurry, someone’s about to die!”

I rushed to the ER, where Zara lay pale and frail on the bed.

Tatum ran over and gripped my arm so hard I staggered.

“Adeline, help me, save her again.”

I looked at him, my voice steady and cold.

“How do you want me to save her?”

Tatum gripped my hand nervously.

“She just needs a small bone marrow transplant… You matched before; there won’t be a problem.”

I slowly lifted my eyes to his anxious face and reminded him, word by word, “Tatum, you forgot, I’m pregnant.”

He froze, his expression faltering for a moment before his gaze hardened again.

“Adeline, we can have children later. You’re still young; we can have more anytime. But Zara has only one life! I can’t stand by and watch her die!”

I looked at him and let a faint smile curve across my lips.

“Are you serious? For her, you would sacrifice our own child?”

He avoided my gaze, his voice low yet cruel.

“I feel heartbroken, too, but there’s no other way. Be good, close your eyes… it’ll be over soon, and then you won’t be afraid anymore.”

His hand reached out to stroke my hair.

I stared at him for a few seconds and, in the end, obediently nodded.

“Okay.”

Relief and satisfaction immediately spread across his face. Everything was unfolding just as he wanted; it seemed I was still the same well-behaved, compliant woman.

The doctor beside us could no longer hold back and interjected.

“Mr. Bernard, a pregnant woman isn’t suitable for bone marrow donation. Why don’t we try looking for Zara’s family members instead?”

With the words “family members,” Zara broke down and started crying even harder. After all, her parents had long since passed away.

Tatum turned back to her with heartache, tightened his grip on my arm, and said firmly to the doctor, “Adeline is her family. She can do it. She will donate!”

The doctor looked helplessly at me. I met his eyes and nodded with calm resolve.

“Go ahead. I agree.”

The surgery was long and unbearably cold.

When I finally woke, Tatum was nowhere in sight. I knew, of course, he must have been with Zara.

I called softly for the doctor.

“Doctor, please… also, help me with the abortion while you’re at it. So I won’t… have to come again later.”

Afterward, I lay on the hospital bed, drained, unwilling to move.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated; it was his mother, Violeta Bernard, calling.

“Adeline! What’s wrong with you? You couldn’t even keep the child! Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for this?”

Her words were sharp with blame, without even pausing to ask why. I opened my mouth, but no words came.

At that moment, Tatum snatched the phone from my hand, his tone suddenly soft.

“Mom, don’t get worked up. Adeline just had surgery; her body is still weak. She needs rest. Don’t scare her.”

As he spoke, he strolled toward the balcony outside the ward, casually pulling the glass door shut behind him.

Through the faint barrier, fragments of words drifted in.

“…it wasn’t on purpose… maybe she was just too tired from the wedding preparations, didn’t rest enough… her body has always been weak… don’t blame her…”

He shifted all responsibility onto me, brushing himself clean of everything.

Just then, the wind pushed the glass door ajar, and Tatum’s voice mingled clearly with his mother’s.

“Son, I thought Adeline was virtuous and proper, but now this wedding has turned so extravagant. You really need to talk to her!”

“Mom, don’t say that. I was the one who set the high standards for the wedding. I have my reasons, you and Dad don’t need to worry.”

“As for Zara… she must be compensated somehow. I’ve decided that the ten percent of company shares I had prepared as Adeline’s dowry, I’ll give them to Zara instead. That’s what I owe her.”

Violeta paused for a moment.

“Those shares were promised to Adeline as her dowry. You already said it aloud. Are you certain you want to change it?”

Tatum’s tone was firm, without hesitation.

“Adeline marrying me is already the greatest blessing she could ever have. She shouldn’t be so greedy.”

“Zara is different. She has no one to depend on; I must think of her.”

Though my heart had long been numb, his words still stirred a dull ache in my chest.

I pressed down the surge of emotion and reminded myself.

It no longer mattered. The wedding had been a sham from the beginning. These hollow promises had never truly belonged to me.

When Tatum ended the call and returned, his face once more wore that practiced mask of gentleness.

“Mom and Dad are just too worried. I already spoke with them. You just rest and don’t overthink.”

I lowered my eyes, saying nothing.

Tatum went out to settle the remaining hospital fees. At that moment, the ward door creaked open.

Zara walked in with a bouquet of flowers, her lips curved in a delicate smile.

“Adeline, congratulations, you’re about to marry Tatum.”

Her words of blessing sounded hollow, sharp as a blade.

I couldn’t stand to watch her performance, so I closed my eyes, refusing to respond.

Suddenly, Zara let out a sharp “ah” and fell backward heavily, the bouquet scattering across the floor.

“Adeline, I only came to give you blessings. Why did you push me?”

Almost at once, Tatum rushed in from outside.

Zara’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice trembling as she wept.

“Tatum, don’t blame Adeline. She must resent me… for implicating her and the child, so she only pushed me lightly…”

At her words, Tatum’s head snapped up, his glare searing me with reproach.

“Adeline! How could you push her? Don’t you know her condition? How could you become so petty, so vicious? Apologize to Zara at once!”

Watching such a clumsy act, I only felt a wave of ridicule rise within me.

I raised my hand, pointing at the surveillance camera in the corner.

“I never touched her. Do you want to head to the security office and check the footage right now?”

Then I shifted my gaze to Zara, my tone sharp as glass.

“Zara, if you want to act, at least choose a place without cameras. I’m busy, I don’t have time for these childish games.”

Her face changed instantly. She lifted her head toward the camera, panic flashing in her eyes, teeth sinking into her lip, words stuck in her throat.

But Tatum ignored it all, his fury only deepening as he jabbed his finger at me.

“Whether you pushed her or not, your attitude is unacceptable! Apologize! Otherwise, I’ll cancel….”

I sneered coldly, cutting him off without the slightest hesitation. “Cancel the wedding? Fine.”

I looked at him calmly, my gaze steady.

“I can tell Zara doesn’t want us to marry. Since you’re so torn, and she’s suffering so much, why don’t we just forget it…”

Tatum froze, a flicker of panic flashing across his face as he shook his head without thinking.

“Y-you… what nonsense are you saying? Our wedding is already set, and the invitations have gone out. How can you be so self-centered, saying cancel as if it’s nothing?”

I cast a glance at Zara. Her face had turned ashen; she stomped her foot in anger before storming out.

Tatum instinctively moved to chase her, but just as he reached the door, he forced himself to stop. He turned back to me, his eyes filled with confusion.

“You… what’s wrong with you today? How could you even mention canceling the wedding? Haven’t you always wanted to marry me?”

I smiled faintly.

“I can see that Zara’s ‘illness’ has only been worsening. At a time like this, if we still insist on marrying, wouldn’t that be far too inconsiderate of her feelings?”

At my words, Tatum exhaled in visible relief, as though he had finally found a reasonable excuse for my so-called ‘abnormality.’ His tone softened, touched with tenderness.