Ivy snapped, "I've already agreed to marry you. What are you still fussing about?"

Before I could respond, she was gone, drifting out of the room with a smile to talk to Jonah on the phone. My words were left hanging in the air, losing their shape and meaning before they could even reach her.

"But you were the one who proposed to me first. And I said yes because I loved you…"

In an instant, I had been demoted from a groom-to-be to a ghost haunting the sidelines of my own life. Even now, I had no say in choosing the wedding venue.

That night, I stayed at a friend's. Ivy never bothered contacting me once.

The next day, I finished my work handover and returned home, only to be met by the sound of Jonah's laughter. "There have to be flower petals drifting in from both sides during the vow exchange. That's romantic."

Ivy sat beside him, her eyes bright and fixed on his face in a way they hadn't been on mine. "Whatever you want," she responded.

When Jonah noticed me, he waved. "Theo, come here! I've got a brilliant idea for the wedding!"

I caught the flash of displeasure in Ivy's eyes the moment she saw me. "Why are you only getting back now? Jon's been busy planning the wedding for the past four months. On the other hand, you've done absolutely nothing.

"But it's just as well. Jon's taste is far superior. If we used your old-fashioned ideas, I would be the laughingstock of our social circle."

The familiar ache of being an outsider washed over me. "I'm tired," I said flatly. "I'm going to rest."

Ignoring her deepening scowl, I retreated to the guest room. As I closed the door, a message that I had rejected countless times before popped up again. "As long as you agree, I'll give up everything and crash the wedding."

Through the walls, I could still hear Jonah describing his dream wedding with castles and blooms. And again, Ivy's voice, soft and yielding. "Whatever you want."

It was fine. If Ivy belonged in a castle, I would head south and return home. I would let her go, setting myself free too.

I barely slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, the last ten years with Ivy came flooding back. I had been her entire world; no matter who told her I wasn't good enough for her, she never wavered. She was always there, standing firmly by my side.

When my grandfather was still alive, he had once patted the back of her hand and told us he hoped we would be happy. Her eyes glimmered as she nodded and said, "Grandpa, don't worry. I love Theo more than I love myself. I'll never let him suffer. I promise we'll hold the ceremony in your courtyard so you can watch us get married!"

It was a promise that felt as solid as stone. But I had forgotten that time and tide could erode even the hardest rock.

The day before the wedding, I found a suit laid out in the living room. It was a gaudy, electric-purple jacket with pants so long they dragged on the floor. On top of that, a massive, garish red flower was pinned to the lapel.

Jonah greeted me eagerly. "Theo, look! I designed this for you. Vivi said you like the vintage vibe, so I studied vintage wedding styles and came up with this!"

Even with my heart already out the door, I still frowned when I saw the so-called wedding suit. "This looks like something worn in a circus, not a wedding."

Jonah's face fell. He took a slow, dramatic step back. "I'm sorry, Theo. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just thought you'd like it… I'll destroy it right now."

He grabbed a pair of scissors, aiming them at the fabric. Right on cue, Ivy rushed out of the study, snatching the blades from his grip.

"How many times have I told you not to use scissors? What if you hurt yourself?" Ivy snapped.

Jonah's eyes reddened, his voice trembling. "Vivi, did I do something wrong? Theo got so angry…"

Before I could explain, Ivy glared at me. "Jon spent four months preparing your suit, staying up through countless sleepless nights to coordinate with designers. And this is how you repay him? If it weren't for Jon, you wouldn't even have a suit for your wedding. Apologize to him!"

Meeting her disdainful gaze, I felt a wave of irony. When I had tried to discuss the wedding attire with her, she had told me not to bother her; she was too busy taking Jonah to Bonobo Island to clear his head.

Yes, Jonah always mattered that much. When he was heartbroken, she stayed up all night to comfort him. On my birthday, she booked out an entire theatre to watch a romantic movie with him. When I ran a dangerously high fever from overwork, she told me to drink more water, then turned around and drove Jonah to a private hospital to have a minor wound treated.

This was my wedding. I had done everything I was supposed to do. Yet, because Jonah was involved, Ivy saw him as the sole architect of the event. Even the Carlton family had begun to view me as a useless hanger-on and looked down on me.

My actual suit and her wedding dress were sitting in the guest room closet. Ivy hadn't even looked at them, yet she demanded I apologize to Jonah. The more I thought about it, the colder my expression became.

Ivy sneered. "You won't apologize? Then the wedding's off. Unless you apologize to Jon, don't even think about getting married!"

I loosened my clenched fists and looked at her seriously. "Alright."

I then headed to my room to pack my things. Rebecca Stinton had told me that the bougainvillea at Grandpa's place was in bloom. I wanted to go back as soon as possible to see it. I had planted those flowers with Grandpa before my parents took me to the city.

In the living room, Ivy was comforting Jonah, though she was clearly radiating annoyance. She glanced at the guest room door and discreetly messaged her assistant, Chase Palmer.

A reply came quickly. "Ms. Carlton, Mr. Sterling does have a flight change on record with Carlton Airlines. But I don't have the authority to view his latest itinerary. You'll need to check it personally."

Ivy's tense expression relaxed. She typed back, "It's fine."

After I finished packing, I received a message from Ivy. "If you want to marry me, you'll have to fix that temper of yours sooner or later. Jon only wanted to help you. Why make him upset?

"There's a family lunch today. I'll take Jon over first. The driver will pick you up later. Apologize to Jon then, and we can put this behind us and have the wedding tomorrow. Don't rain on everyone's parade."

It was a Carlton family gathering, yet she was escorting Jonah.

When the driver knocked, I took one last look at my luggage.

Fine. She had proposed to me in front of everyone. Now, I would call off the engagement just as publicly. At least that way, there would be a clean ending.

When I arrived at the Carlton residence, Jonah was already the center of attention.

"Theo, over here!" As he walked toward me in his leather shoes, I noticed he had changed into a black suit—identical to the one I had prepared for myself.

I gritted my teeth. Just then, Ivy came downstairs. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw him. "Jon, you look amazing!"

Jonah blushed. "Vivi, stop it. Theo's right here."

Then, he turned to me and said, "Theo, don't take it the wrong way. I feel awful about causing that fight between you and Vivi this morning."

Ivy didn't take her eyes off him. The admiration in her gaze was unmistakable. She didn't even look at me; she reached out to brush a stray strand of hair from Jonah's cheek.

The crowd burst into teasing laughter.

Standing nearby, Ivy's father, Vince Carlton, let out a heavy sigh of regret. "Honestly, Jon is a much better match for Vivi."

I glanced down at the light-colored T-shirt I was wearing. Sure, I wasn't a supermodel, but in the past, Ivy used to tell me I was the most handsome man she'd ever seen before curling up against me like a kitten.

Jonah smiled graciously. "Mr. Carlton, you shouldn't say things like that in front of Theo. He'll get upset."

Ivy's parents scoffed. Only then did Ivy finally look at me, her face twisted with displeasure. "My parents watched Jon grow up. Can you stop being so petty? It's such a small thing to take offense at. No wonder my mom always says upbringing is everything. You were raised by your grandfather in the countryside and only came to the city at 18. Clearly, you weren't raised properly."

My brows furrowed. I couldn't believe she'd say something like that. "Ivy, you know exactly how good my grandfather was to you. Don't you think your words would break his heart?"

A flicker of guilt flashed across her face, but with the Carlton family watching, she doubled down. Her expression darkened. "Jon and I are just childhood friends. Don't let your male ego and jealousy make him feel bad."

It was always about Jonah. I suddenly felt exhausted. The last ten years felt like a mountain pressing down on my chest, suffocating me.

After a long pause, I said, "I actually came today to tell you—"

Jonah interrupted, his voice intentionally loud. "Vivi, one of my best friends also wants to go to Staravia for the ceremony. Are there any seats left on the flight?"

Ivy nodded immediately. "Yes, I'll arrange it."

Chase hesitated. "Ms. Carlton, wasn't the last seat reserved for Mr. Sterling…"

"Oh. Forget it then. I don't want to upset Theo…" Jonah mumbled.

Ivy couldn't stand seeing Jonah upset and made a decision on the spot. "Theo can take another flight. Jon's friend doesn't know anyone else there; he should travel with us."

Jonah lit up with joy and tugged at her wrist. "Vivi, you're the best!"

The looks around me turned even more contemptuous.

"Ivy arranged two direct flights for the wedding. In the end, the groom doesn't even get a seat."

"So what? Theo is desperate to save the Sterling family. Forget a separate flight—he'd walk there if he had to."

Mockery surrounded me. Yet, Ivy's eyes were fixed only on Jonah. She didn't hear a word I said. As always, I was just an outsider.

I sighed inwardly and turned to leave, planning to bring up calling off the engagement another day. That was when I noticed the gold watch on Jonah's wrist—its design identical to the pocket watch Grandpa had left me.

I exploded. "Where did you get that watch?"

Before my fingers could even touch Jonah's wrist, Ivy shoved me. "Theo, are you insane?"

Jonah turned deathly pale, immediately shrinking behind Ivy. "Theo, I know I upset you, but we're still at the Carlton family gathering. I'll apologize first. Once lunch is over, you can yell at me or hit me however you want, okay?"

People around us frowned and crowded around him, their words full of comfort.

Ivy's face darkened. "Look at Jon's manners, then look at yourself! My parents just praised him once, and you lost your mind. If I actually married you, I can't imagine how much you'd humiliate this family."

But at that moment, I was already burning with fury. I pointed at the watch on Jonah's wrist, clenching my teeth. "I've lost my mind? He took the antique pocket watch my grandfather left me and modified it into a wristwatch. And I'm not even allowed to ask about it?"