Looking at Dave’s smiling face, it was clear he was truly happy.

At this moment, was he happy because he had finally married Kate, or was it because he had achieved his goal with Leona?

Perhaps, none of this mattered anymore.

When Kate arrived at the wedding dress store, she found that Leona was also there.

At a glance, Leona was wearing the wedding dress that Kate had customized.

What was worse, Leona had worn it without even asking for Kate's permission. Every movement, every smile, she posed in front of the mirror, admiring herself.

Dave walked up to her, his gaze filled with admiration, as he looked at Leona and smiled lightly. "Wow, Leona, you look beautiful."

Leona lowered her eyes and smiled shyly, as if she and Dave were the ones about to get married.

"Kate, is it okay if I try on your wedding dress? I really envy you, you're about to get married. Unlike me, my parents are so reluctant to let me go."

It wasn’t just the wedding dress; the man in front of her could also be hers.

Dave looked at the lively Leona, his gaze lingering on her. "Leona, you're so adorable, of course, your dad and mom can't bear to let you go."

It sounded like a polite remark, but it was a genuine compliment from the heart.

Kate felt a surge of disgust and cast a cold glance at Leona. "Have you worn it long enough? Take it off."

Leona looked at her in surprise. Although Kate had always had a cold demeanor, she had never been so direct before.

"I'm sorry, Kate, I didn't know you cared so much about this wedding dress..."

She put on a look of grievance, but how could she not know that Kate cared? The wedding dress was designed by Kate herself, with every detail from the fabric selection to the decoration being done by her own hands.

From the proposal until now, she had placed so much importance on this love.

Dave glanced at Leona and immediately turned to Kate. "It's not a big deal, don't be angry, my dear. It's her first time wearing it, as her sister, you should be a little more understanding."

Kate turned her gaze toward him, her eyes cold. She didn't know what to say. She didn't even feel anger anymore.

He knew Kate so well, how could he not know that she disliked wearing clothes that others had worn, even if it was her own sister?

For the first time, she felt that the man in front of her was so unfamiliar. He was no longer the persistent Dave who once chased after her.

She lifted her gaze to look at Leona, not wanting to argue. Her eyelashes fluttered and her voice was light and swift.

"I'll give it to you," Kate said and immediately turned to leave the bridal shop.

Dave quickly took a step forward, grabbing her wrist. "Darling, what's wrong? Are you angry? Didn't we come here to try on wedding dresses? Please don't be mad. I'll…"

Kate felt annoyed and immediately interrupted him.

"Nothing, I'm just a little tired. I'll head back first. You can choose any wedding dress you like."

As soon as Dave heard this, a smile appeared on his face. "I knew you were the most understanding, Darling."

She left Dave alone in the bridal shop and went back home.

Before she left, she saw them playfully laughing and joking in the shop and a ripple stirred in her heart.

She turned her head away, her face devoid of any expression.

The wedding dress was meant to be worn for someone who truly mattered, but Dave was no longer worthy of seeing her wear the dress she had personally designed.

This marriage, from the very beginning, was nothing but a lie.

Leona posted a photo of herself in the wedding dress on her social media, along with a caption:

“This beautiful wedding dress seems tailor-made for me. The best part is, the person who took the photo put so much thought into it.”

Without even guessing, these photos were clearly taken by Dave for her.

Kate tossed her phone aside, too tired to argue. She just felt exhausted.

When she opened her eyes again, she realized it was already midnight. At this time, Dave was in the bathroom, getting ready for bed.

She slowly opened her eyes and the sound of a message notification caught Kate's attention.

Her gaze shifted toward Dave's phone. Perhaps Dave thought Kate had already fallen asleep and was not being cautious.

On the phone screen, it clearly showed his social media secondary account.

Normally, Kate didn't have the habit of checking his phone. Dave was also well aware that even if she did, he would have countless ways to deceive her.

At this moment, a message popped up on the phone screen.

Curious, Kate opened it and saw several photos sent by someone saved as "My Ona" in the contacts.

In the photos, the woman was dressed in stockings and a cute, sexy outfit. Kate immediately recognized that it was Leona.

"Dave, come find me. Same old place..."

As she saw those photos and the flirtatious messages, Kate's hand trembled uncontrollably.

It felt like the phone would slip from her hands at any moment.

Her breath quickened as she realized that, despite the wedding being only days away, they had already taken this step behind her back.

Seeing those messages with her own eyes again made her heart ache, as if the pain never truly left.

Hearing the sound of the water stop, Kate put down her phone, turned around and closed her eyes, lying down.

Dave picked up his phone, first glanced at Kate to confirm that she was asleep, then started typing a message.

His tone was flirtatious.

"But I just got back, babe. How about tomorrow?"

On the other end, Leona was chatty and even more audacious, directly calling with a voice message.

"Dave, don't you miss me? I miss you so much, I just want to see you. By the way, did you like the wedding dress I wore today?"

Dave didn’t hesitate at all. "Of course, it looked great."

Leona continued to press him. "Then, who looks better, me or Kate?"

Dave paused for a second, glanced at Kate, then replied into the phone.

"No one is as beautiful as my Ona."

These words felt like a sharp needle piercing into Kate's heart as they left his lips.

He had once said that Kate was the most beautiful and kindest woman he had ever known. Not long ago, Dave had even knelt on one knee in front of everyone to propose to her. The crowd had showered them with envious looks and even Kate herself believed that she would be happy for the rest of her life.

It was only now that Kate realized that Dave’s pursuit and proposal had always been about taking her away from the Shawn Family as early as possible. Only then could Leona safely take on the role of the Shawn Family's daughter, all while keeping Kate under her control, within her grasp.

It seemed like Leona had heard the answer she wanted, as her tone immediately softened. "Then, are you coming to see me? I’m waiting for you today..."

Leona's tone was soft and delicate and Dave couldn't help but soften as well. "Your sister is asleep now, so wait for me."

He stood up, grabbing his clothes, preparing to leave. Before he went, he made sure to send Kate a message.

"Darling, there’s something urgent at the company, I have to head back. Stay home and be good, I’ll be back soon."

Kate didn’t know how many nights Dave had lied to her like this. Perhaps every night he claimed to have work was actually spent secretly meeting with Leona.

It had become impossible to count how many times it had happened.

She watched Dave’s retreating figure, a bitter feeling she couldn’t put into words.

Lying on the bed, she couldn’t help but let her tears soak the pillow.

She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. "Dave, this time, I’ll let you have it all."

There were still five days until the cruise arrived.

Kate woke up early and immediately went to take care of the necessary procedures.

As soon as the ship arrived, she would board immediately, with the first stop being Polarisia. It has always been a place she wanted to visit. Once she resolved these matters, she would finally be able to live for herself.

She had already packed most of her things.

Dave returned early today. Seeing Kate running around busy, he thought she was preparing for the wedding.

He walked up and took Kate's hand.

“Darling, you don’t have to work so hard. Once you marry me, I’ll take care of everything at home. You just need to enjoy it," Dave said with a smile.

Kate paused for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Marry him? That was impossible now.

Seeing the smile on Dave's face, Kate couldn't help but feel exhausted for him.

Before long, he received a call from the Shawn Family.

"Today is the day for our two families to discuss the wedding details. You must be there."

This wasn't a discussion; it was a notification.

Even though Kate was unwilling, she had no choice but to play along and finish this act.

The venue was set in a park and the restaurant was decorated in the style that Leona liked the most.

Though it was supposed to be Kate and Dave’s special day, Leona was sitting in the seat of honor, wearing a red robe.

Dave's parents were exceptionally fond of Leona, so naturally, she could sit wherever she pleased.

Compared to Kate, who was just an adopted daughter, they had always hoped that Dave would marry Leona.

Because of this, they had never treated Kate well.

In the past, it was Kate who loved Dave and was willing to swallow her pride for him, believing that one day they would change their attitude toward her.

But now, she no longer thought that way. She didn’t want to live this kind of life for even one more day.

When they saw Kate arrive, they merely glanced at her briefly. Their bodies, however, were still turned towards Leona as they chatted away.

They continued to criticize Kate without hesitation.

"Kate, if you were as lively and cute as Leona, that would be great! I really wish I had a daughter like Leona."

This wasn’t the first time they had said such things and Kate had grown somewhat numb to it.

But she had always been cold and distant by nature and in front of these people, she couldn’t bring herself to show a different side of herself.

Leona replied with a smile, "It's okay, just treat me like your daughter. Although my sister is not very likable, I'll still try to win your favor for her."

Her ability to talk smoothly was her strong suit and it didn’t take long before she had both Dave's parents smiling with delight.

Meanwhile, Dave stood by, grinning from ear to ear. His gaze towards Leona was like that of an artist admiring his masterpiece, filled with satisfaction.

Throughout the entire gathering, Kate spoke very little, wanting nothing more than to leave quickly. Perhaps no one could understand how she felt. She truly hated these kinds of occasions.

In the past, Dave would always find excuses to leave with her, never caring about what others said. But now, as she looked at the man before her, he remained indifferent. Was it that he had hidden his true feelings too well, or had Kate only discovered the truth too late?

As it was time to leave, rain began to pour outside.

Leona was wearing a beautiful dress, her heels delicate and high. She didn't even have to call out to Dave; he took the initiative to wrap her in his arms.