I looked at the small gift bag in my hand and smiled. It had taken me three months to save enough money for the watch inside.

It wasn't the most expensive gift, but I knew Nolan would like it because he once told me he wanted a watch just like this.

Tomorrow was my sister's wedding, so everyone in my family had been busy all week.

Nolan had also been busy helping with a few things, and we hadn't seen each other for days. That was why I wanted to surprise him tonight instead of waiting until after the wedding.

I stepped out of the taxi and looked at the restaurant in front of me. The place was filled with people dressed in nice clothes, and soft music floated through the open entrance.

I took a deep breath, fixed my hair with one hand, and walked inside with a smile.

I took out my phone and called Nolan again. The call rang for a while before it stopped, just like the other two times I had called him.

I shook my head and smiled to myself, thinking he was probably too busy to hear his phone.

A young woman wearing the restaurant's uniform greeted me with a polite smile. I walked over to her and asked, "Excuse me, have you seen Nolan Pierce?"

She checked something on the computer in front of her before looking back at me. "Yes, he's in one of our private rooms. It's the last room at the end of the hallway."

"Thank you," I replied.

I held the gift bag close to my chest and walked toward the hallway. My heart felt light because I couldn't wait to see the surprise on Nolan's face.

I had already imagined him smiling, hugging me, and asking why I hadn't told him I was coming.

When I reached the last room, I slowed down. The door wasn't completely closed, and voices drifted through the small opening. I smiled because one of the voices belonged to Nolan.

"I've been waiting for tomorrow," he said.

Another voice answered him almost immediately.

"So have I."

I stopped walking mid-step, frozen in place.

That voice sounded so familiar that I couldn't ignore it. I frowned and took one careful step toward the door.

No, It couldn't be. I gently looked through the small opening. The smile on my face disappeared.

Nolan wasn't alone. He was sitting beside my sister, Noelle.

For a few seconds, I couldn't understand what I was seeing. My mind searched for a reason they would be together, but nothing made sense. Tomorrow was Noelle's wedding, so why was she having dinner alone with my boyfriend?

I stayed where I was without making a sound. My hands tightened around the gift bag as I watched them.

Noelle smiled at Nolan across the table.

"After tomorrow, we won't have to hide anymore."

Nolan smiled back. "I've been waiting to hear you say that."

Before I could make sense of those words, Nolan reached for her hand. He looked into her eyes the same way he always looked at me. Then he leaned closer and kissed her.

My fingers became numb, and I couldn't feel them.

The gift bag almost slipped from my hand, but I quickly held onto it. I wanted to believe my eyes were playing tricks on me, yet they weren't.

The kiss ended slowly, and both of them laughed quietly.

"I can't believe we made it this far," Noelle said.

Nolan nodded. "It wasn't hard."

Noelle tilted her head slightly and looked at him.

"What about Brenna?"

He laughed softly under his breath.

"What about her?"

"Won't she be hurt?"

Nolan shrugged carelessly.

"She'll get over it."

I felt my chest tighten painfully.

He spoke so casually, as if I meant nothing to him.

As if everything we had shared together could be thrown away without a second thought.

Noelle smiled quietly.

"I still can't believe she never found out."

"That's because she trusts people too easily," Nolan replied. "She never questioned me once."

They both laughed again, softly this time.

I lowered my head for a moment, trying to calm myself. My hands were shaking, and I could barely feel my fingers. Part of me wanted to walk away, but another part wanted to hear everything.

Noelle leaned back comfortably in her chair.

"So, tomorrow is finally the day."

Nolan nodded slowly.

"Yes. By tomorrow night, we'll be far away from here."

She smiled a little.

"Poor Ronan Princeton."

Nolan laughed out loud.

"He'll be standing at the wedding, waiting for a bride who isn't coming."

Noelle laughed along with him.

"I almost feel sorry for him."

"You don't look sorry."

"I'm not."

She gently rested her hand on Nolan's arm.

"I've never wanted to marry him. I only agreed because my parents wouldn't stop talking about the business deal."

"So, what's the plan?" Nolan asked.

Noelle looked around the room carefully before lowering her voice.

"I'll leave before the wedding starts. By the time anyone realizes I'm gone, we'll already be on our flight."

Nolan smiled at that.

"And then we can finally live the life we've been planning."

"Together."

He reached across the table again and held her hand.

"Together."

I couldn't bring myself to listen anymore.

Everything I once believed about my relationship with Nolan disappeared in those few minutes.

The man I loved and trusted had been lying to me all along.

The sister I trusted the most had been meeting him behind my back.

Neither of them looked even the slightest bit guilty.

Neither of them even once mentioned me with any kindness.

Instead, Nolan simply laughed again.

"Brenna was the easy sister."

Noelle smiled.

"I told you she'd never suspect us."

"I never loved her," Nolan replied without hesitation. "Being with Brenna only made it easier to stay close to you."

Those words stayed stuck in my mind long after.

I slowly stepped away from the door before either of them noticed me. Every step felt heavy, but I forced myself to keep walking until I reached the entrance of the restaurant.

The evening air hit my face, but it didn't help me think clearly. I stood outside for a long moment, staring at the cars passing by without really seeing them.

I looked down slowly at the gift bag still in my hand.

Just an hour ago, I couldn't wait to give it to Nolan myself.

Now, I didn't even want to hear his name spoken again.

Before I could decide what to do next, my phone suddenly started ringing.

I looked down at the screen.

Dad.

I answered the call right away.

"Brenna, where are you?" my father asked.

"I'm outside."

"Come home immediately."

His voice sounded rushed, and I could hear people talking loudly behind him.

"Why? What happened?"

There was a short, heavy silence.

Then he said the very last thing I expected to hear.

"Your sister is missing."

My father's words kept repeating in my head as I rushed toward the road to stop another taxi.

"Your sister is missing."

If I hadn't seen Noelle with my own eyes less than twenty minutes ago, I would have believed she was in danger. But I knew exactly where she had been and who she had been with. She wasn't missing. She had chosen to disappear.

The ride home felt longer than it should have. I kept looking at my phone, hoping Noelle would suddenly call and tell everyone the truth. She never did.

When the taxi stopped in front of the Hartwell mansion, I saw several expensive cars parked outside. The front door was wide open, and people were walking in and out of the house. Even before I stepped inside, I could hear raised voices.

The whole house was in chaos.

I walked into the living room and found my parents surrounded by family friends, staff members, and a few people I recognized from our company. Everyone looked worried. My father was pacing across the room while my mother sat on the sofa with tears running down her face.

The moment Dad saw me, he hurried over.

"Where have you been?" he demanded.

"I..." My voice caught for a second. "I went to see Nolan."

His face changed immediately.

"Did you find him?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

I looked at both of my parents before answering.

"He's with Noelle."

The room became quiet.

My mother slowly stood up.

"What did you just say?"

"I saw them together." I tried to keep my voice steady even though my heart still hurt. "They're together, Mom. They've been seeing each other behind everyone's back."

Dad frowned.

"That's impossible."

"It's true."

I looked from one parent to the other.

"I went to surprise Nolan at a restaurant tonight. He was there with Noelle in one of the private rooms. I heard everything."

Mom shook her head before I could finish.

"No."

"They kissed."

"Enough."

"They said they're leaving together before the wedding."

"I said enough!" Mom shouted.

Her voice echoed through the room, making everyone stare at us.

She pointed a finger at me, her face full of anger.

"I know you're upset because your sister is getting married before you, but don't make up such horrible lies."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Lies?"

"I'm telling you what I saw."

Dad folded his arms across his chest.

"Brenna, this isn't the time for jealousy."

I stared at him.

Jealousy?

"You think I'm jealous?"

"What else are we supposed to think?" Mom asked sharply. "Noelle has been preparing for this wedding for months."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"Preparing? She told Nolan she never wanted to marry Ronan Princeton."

Neither of them answered.

Instead, they exchanged a quick look.

It was clear they still didn't believe me.

I reached into my bag and took out my phone.

"I can call the restaurant."

Dad shook his head.

"We don't need proof."

"Then why won't you listen to me?"

"Because your sister would never do something so foolish."

I lowered my phone.

A few minutes ago, I had watched Noelle plan to run away with my boyfriend.

Now my own parents were acting as though I was the problem.

Before I could speak again, one of Dad's business partners rushed into the room.

His face looked pale.

"Mr. Hartwell, we've been trying to contact the Princeton family."

Dad turned toward him.

"What happened?"

"They've already started asking questions."

My father's shoulders became stiff.

"The guests have begun arriving at the hotel."

Another man stepped forward.

"The investors are nervous."

My father rubbed his forehead.

"They're asking what will happen if the wedding doesn't go ahead."

No one spoke for a few seconds.

The silence inside the room felt heavier than before.

I finally understood why everyone looked so frightened.

This wasn't only about Noelle.

It was about the business deal.

If the wedding failed, the agreement between the Hartwell family and the Princeton family would fall apart. Without that agreement, my father's company would lose the support it desperately needed.

One investor spoke quietly.

"If this marriage is cancelled, several people may withdraw their investments."

Dad closed his eyes.

"I understand."

"No," the man continued. "I don't think you do. If the Princeton family walks away, others will follow."

The room fell silent again.

For the first time in my life, I saw fear in my father's eyes.

The staff members quietly left the room, leaving only close family behind.

I turned toward my parents again.

"I'm telling the truth."

Mom sat down heavily on the sofa.

"Then where is she?"

"She left with Nolan."

"Do you know where?"

I slowly shook my head.

"They only said they were leaving before the wedding."

Dad picked up his phone and tried calling Noelle again.

The call went unanswered.

He tried Nolan.

That call also went unanswered. His hand slowly dropped to his side. The confidence on his face disappeared.

Just then, a soft voice spoke from behind us.

"Brenna." I turned around.

Grandma Sylvia stood near the doorway with one hand resting on her walking stick. She looked weak, and I could tell she had been crying.

I quickly walked over to help her. "You shouldn't be standing."

She smiled gently. "I wanted to see you." I held her arm as we walked to the sofa.

She reached for my hand and squeezed it softly.

"I know you're hurting."

The kindness in her voice almost made me cry.

She was the only person in this house who looked at me instead of blaming me.

"I'm sorry, Grandma."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

She looked into my eyes. "You've always had a good heart."

I lowered my head. "I don't know what to do."

She gently brushed my hand with hers.

"Whatever happens today, don't let anyone force you into giving up your future."

Before I could answer, Dad suddenly spoke.

"My future is already gone." We all turned toward him. He stood in the middle of the room with tired eyes.

"The company will collapse."

Mom covered her mouth.

"The banks won't wait."

"The investors won't wait."

"The Princeton family certainly won't wait."

He looked at me.

Then, to my complete shock, my father slowly dropped to his knees in front of me.

"Dad!". I hurried toward him,"What are you doing?"

He looked up at me, and I had never seen him look so broken.

"Brenna...", His voice shook.

"I'm begging you." I stared at him, unable to understand what he meant.

He grabbed my hands.

"Please...", "Save this family."

Before I could ask what he was talking about, Mom disappeared upstairs without saying a word.

A minute later, she came back down carrying a large white garment bag.

She stopped in front of me.

Without saying anything, she unzipped the bag and pulled out Noelle's wedding dress.

Then she placed it into my trembling hands.

I looked at the dress. Then I looked at her. Her next words made my blood run cold.

"You're getting married today."

I stared at the wedding dress in my mother's hands, hoping she would laugh and tell me it was a terrible joke. She didn't laugh. She simply held the dress toward me as if it was the answer to every problem in this house.

"I can't do this," I said, taking a step back. "I'm not marrying a man I've never even spoken to."

My mother frowned as though I had said something unreasonable. "You don't have a choice, Brenna. The wedding starts in a few hours."

"I do have a choice." My voice became firmer than before. "I'm saying no."

Dad quickly stood up and walked toward me. His eyes were red, and the lines on his face seemed deeper than they had that morning. He reached for my arm, but I pulled away before he could touch me.

"Please listen to us," he said.

"No." I shook my head as tears filled my eyes. "I've listened to both of you my whole life. Every time Noelle made a mistake, I was the one asked to understand. Every time she wanted something, I was told to give in because she was my sister. I lost Nolan tonight because of her, and now you want me to clean up another mess she created."

The room became quiet.

Neither of my parents answered immediately.

My mother was the first to speak.

"This isn't about Nolan."

I looked at her in disbelief.

"How can you say that?" I asked. "I just found out that the man I loved has been with my sister all this time. I haven't even had time to think about it, and now you're asking me to marry someone else before the sun comes up."

Her expression softened for only a second before it became cold again.

"You'll forget Nolan."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"You really think that's the problem?"

Dad rubbed both hands over his face before speaking again.

"If this wedding doesn't happen, everything we've worked for will disappear."

I looked at him without saying a word.

"Our company is already struggling," he continued. "The agreement with the Princeton family is the only thing keeping us alive. If Ronan Princeton walks away today, the investors will leave with him."

He looked so tired that I almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

"This isn't my fault," I said quietly. "Noelle made this choice. She should face the consequences."

"She isn't here!" Mom snapped. "You're the only one who can save this family."

I stared at her.

For the first time, I realized she wasn't asking me.

She had already decided.

Before I could answer, Dad's phone started ringing again. He quickly answered the call and walked a few steps away from us. His face became paler with every word he heard.

"I understand," he said in a low voice. "We'll handle it."

He ended the call and slowly looked at us.

"The investors are already asking questions," he said. "Some of them are threatening to pull out if the wedding is delayed."

No one spoke.

Another phone rang.

This time it belonged to my mother.

She answered immediately.

"Yes... we're almost ready."

She forced a smile that disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"I understand."

When she ended the call, she looked at Dad.

"The wedding planner said the Princeton family has already left for the hotel."

Dad closed his eyes.

"They're expecting the ceremony to begin on time."

The silence inside the room became heavy.

Even the staff members standing near the doorway didn't dare speak.

Everyone seemed to be waiting for me to give them an answer.

A soft cough broke the silence.

I turned around and saw Grandma Sylvia standing near the staircase. She looked weaker than usual, and one of the housekeepers was helping her walk. Even so, she slowly made her way toward us with determination in her eyes.

"Grandma," I said, hurrying to support her. "You should be resting."

She smiled faintly.

"I couldn't stay in bed knowing what they're asking you to do."

I helped her sit down before kneeling beside her chair.

She gently held my hand.

"My child," she said softly, "don't let anyone force you into a life you don't want."

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

"They're saying I have no choice."

"You always have a choice."

Before I could answer, Mom sighed impatiently.

"Mother, please don't make this harder."

Grandma looked up at her.

"I'm not making anything harder," she replied calmly. "You are asking Brenna to carry a burden that belongs to Noelle."

"There is no time for this," Mom argued.

"There is always time to do the right thing."

Dad suddenly walked over and stopped in front of Grandma.

"If this wedding doesn't happen, the company will collapse."

Grandma looked at him without fear.

"Then let it collapse."

Those four words stunned everyone.

Mom's eyes widened.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that no company is worth destroying another child's future."

Dad lowered his head.

"The banks will take everything."

"They can."

"We'll lose this house."

"We can find another."

His shoulders shook as he struggled to stay calm.

"You don't understand."

"No, Malcolm," Grandma replied. "You don't understand. Brenna has spent her whole life paying for other people's mistakes. Today you're asking her to pay again."

Dad stood there in silence.

For a moment, I thought he might finally give up.

Instead...

He slowly dropped to his knees in front of me again.

"Brenna." His voice cracked.

"I know I have failed you."

Fresh tears filled my eyes. "I know I've asked too much from you over the years."

He lowered his head. "But this is the only way."

He looked up at me with desperation I had never seen before.

"If this marriage doesn't happen, everything will be gone. Hundreds of people who work for our company will lose their jobs. Families who depend on us will suffer."

His words settled heavily on my heart.

I wanted to tell myself that none of it was my responsibility.

But I couldn't stop thinking about the fear in his eyes.

"I..." My voice trembled. "If I do this..."

Everyone looked at me.

"...then after today, you will never ask me to sacrifice my life for this family again."

Dad nodded immediately.

"I promise."

I searched his face, trying to decide if I could believe him.

Deep down, I wasn't sure.

But I also knew that if I walked away now, I would spend the rest of my life wondering if I could have stopped everything from falling apart.

I slowly closed my eyes.

"...I'll do it."

Mom let out a long breath of relief. Dad buried his face in his hands.

Grandma squeezed my hand, but there was sadness in her eyes instead of happiness.

Half an hour later, I stood alone in the dressing room.

The wedding dress covered my body perfectly, yet every time I looked into the mirror, I felt as though I was staring at someone else.

This wasn't how I had imagined wearing a wedding dress.

Not like this.

Not for another woman's wedding.

I reached into my handbag and pulled out the small silver necklace Nolan had given me on my birthday. I looked at it for a few seconds before placing it inside the drawer beside the mirror.

I didn't want to carry anything that reminded me of him.

A knock came at the door.

Grandma walked in slowly and smiled through her tears. She opened her arms without saying a word.

I rushed into her embrace. For the first time that day I allowed myself to cry.