After hanging up the phone, he smiled and hugged Kate from behind.

"Darling, you look beautiful in anything. My company has a bit of an issue, so I might not be able to go with you. Pick whichever one you like!"

Kate knew this was just his excuse and that he was really going to accompany Leona shopping.

Kate didn't ask further, simply nodding in agreement.

After he left, she called the servant over. Looking at the wedding dresses in front of her, her tone was cold. "Burn all of these dresses. Not a single one should be left."

Even though the servant had questions, they didn't dare to ask and could only obediently comply.

As the wedding dresses burned to ashes, it felt like not just the dresses, but her two years of emotions had been consumed by the fire.

A burning anger surged in Kate's heart, as though it were breaking through the constraints of the world.

Later that evening, she saw the post on Leona's social media.

Dave had bought her a new handbag and luxury items, being very generous.

Looking at the picture, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Kate's mouth.

She had already decided what gift to give them—a hand-crafted folding fan that she had custom-made herself.

Originally, the fan was meant to be used on her wedding day, but now it seemed unnecessary.

Since Leona liked her things so much, she decided to give them all to her.

The day Kate left would be the day they received the gift. She would surely wish them a lifetime of happiness.

By the time Dave returned that evening, he had remembered to bring Kate her favorite chestnuts.

"When I came back, I happened to see someone selling roasted chestnuts, so I brought some for you."

Some of them had already been peeled.

Kate was stunned for a moment. She remembered that she loved roasted chestnuts.

But ever since they were little, Leona always competed with her for everything—whatever she liked, Leona liked too.

Kate's face hardened and her expression was unreadable. "No, I don't want to eat."

Dave thought Kate was still angry about what happened earlier in the day. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. "Darling, I really had something to take care of during the day. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to spend time with you. And you look good in anything, so I’m naturally at ease."

These words held no credibility in Kate's heart now.

She remembered what Dave had said to Leona. Thinking about it made her feel disgusted.

She gently pushed Dave away, her voice calm and emotionless.

"Okay."

Dave smiled as soon as he heard her words. To him, Kate had always been the sensible and obedient one.

He gently took Kate's hand, his eyes full of affection and his tone softened.

"The day after tomorrow is our wedding. The family has arranged for a premarital checkup. I'll be sure to stay with you tomorrow."

His slightly squinted eyes were fixed on Kate. She froze for a moment and a fleeting sadness passed through her gaze. She turned her head away and nodded quietly.

The next day, Kate still got up with Dave as usual. Early in the morning, she received a message from the cruise company.

"Your customized cruise will arrive in two days. You can prepare for boarding in advance."

When Kate saw the message, her eyes flickered slightly.

"Darling, we need to get ready to leave!"

She quickly turned off her phone. When she looked up, Dave was holding a small bag in his hand, filled with carefully prepared items. He shook the bag in front of her, as if seeking praise like a child.

Kate didn't speak, only offering a faint, bitter smile.

"Darling, I heard there are a lot of blood tests today. You’re always afraid of pain, but don’t worry, I’ll be right here with you," Dave said, holding her tightly, almost as if he was more nervous than Kate.

Kate quietly waited in line, holding the form in her hand. After she finished the first vial of blood, Dave's brow furrowed with concern as he looked at her. His face reflected his worry and it was clear he felt the discomfort on her behalf.

He gently comforted Kate, saying, "Does it hurt? Don't be afraid, I'm here."

In the past, when he said these words to Kate, her heart would warm with a sense of comfort.

But now, she felt nothing at all. She gently nodded her head. The pain of the blood draw was nothing compared to the hurt caused by him and Leona.

At that moment, the familiar ringtone sounded. Kate immediately recognized it— it was Leona's exclusive ringtone.

He answered the phone behind Kate's back, his voice laced with panic.

"What's wrong?"

"Wait for me, I'll come over right now."

His concern was evident in his eyes, though he tried to hide it. He pursed his lips before speaking. "Something happened at the company. I need to go there now. I'll come back to find you later."

Kate didn’t ask any more questions. She knew very well what Dave was about to do. But the constant lies, over and over again, had grown tiresome.

Kate was left alone, having had six vials of blood drawn.

Usually, she was most afraid of pain. When her period arrived, the cramps would make her cry in agony. But now, as she watched the needles pierce her veins one by one, there was no trace of fear in her.

Her nose tingled and the fire in her heart burned and died, but she couldn’t say a word. In the end, there was only numbness left.

She returned home alone, where it was nothing but more torment.

Looking at the new post from Leona, a bouquet after bouquet of flowers were arranged in a high-end restaurant, accompanied by the caption:

“Today, the ones I love are all by my side.”

In the photos, her parents were beaming with smiles, while a figure sat quietly in the corner, almost unnoticed. Even without seeing the face, Kate could tell it was Dave.

It turned out, her whole family had been keeping her in the dark all along.

Kate's hands trembled slightly and as she thought of these years, her eyes unconsciously began to redden.

She understood it all in her heart.

This family never truly had a place for her.

Even though she was the biological daughter of her parents, it seemed as if nothing she said would make a difference.

They only cared about what they thought in their hearts.

She no longer wanted to endure these days devoid of light. So, she wished them a lifetime together, never to be apart.

Dave didn’t come home all night, sending only a message to Kate: [Darling, I have to work overtime at the company. Go to bed early.]

Even on the eve of their wedding, he was still with Leona.

Kate could only feel the irony. Keeping him by her side at this moment was perfectly in line with Leona's character.

She couldn’t be bothered to pursue it. Rather than having a big argument with them, she preferred to leave this place as soon as possible. Staying for even one more minute made her feel disgusted.

"Your ship will arrive at dawn tonight. Will you come during the day or...?"

Before the person on the other end could finish speaking, Kate interrupted. "I’ll go at dawn."

"Alright, we’ll wait for you."

With Dave not at home, it saved her a lot of trouble.

She packed everything up and sent it away, leaving only Dave’s belongings behind.

The news of their wedding tomorrow had already spread throughout the circle and she watched as messages flooded in.

"Wish you a happy marriage!"

"Happy wedding! Wishing you lots of happiness!"

"I’ve always felt that you and Dave are a perfect match."

One message after another with blessings, but they were all just polite words.

Kate felt a sharp pain in her eyes as she read them. Wedding? Impossible.

She couldn't be bothered to reply to a single one because she never intended to marry Dave.

She went to the wedding venue in advance.

Looking at the floral decorations, they were exactly what she had once imagined her wedding would look like.

But the people around her were no longer the ones from that time.

She looked at the photo of them, their smiles radiant.

In an instant, she tore the wedding photo in front of her.

Turning to the attendant beside her, she calmly said, "Take down all these photos. I don’t want to see them."

The attendant didn’t ask further, simply thinking that she didn’t like them.

"Why get so angry? You're about to get married and yet you still don't know how to be a bit more mature and steady?"

A voice came from beside Kate's ear. She looked up and met the gaze of Melanie.

Kate didn't say anything. Since she was young, Melanie had always demanded that Kate be mature and steady, while Leona was allowed to be lively and mischievous.

Kate had long been used to her mother's words.

With a look of disdain, Melanie took a gift box out of her bag. "This is your wedding gift."

Kate was taken aback for a moment. Upon careful thought, it seemed that her mother had never given her anything before.

Her emotions were mixed and it wasn’t until after Melanie left that she opened the gift.

A sparkling diamond necklace appeared before her eyes.

She froze for a moment, the smile on her lips stiffening.

She remembered this necklace.

It was the one her mother gave to Leona on her fifth birthday.

And when her mother saw that Kate liked it too, she had promised to give it to her when she turned ten.

However, this wait stretched on for over ten years.

What Leona could easily get, she had to wait years for.

But after she became an adult, the first money she earned was enough to buy it for herself.

She remained silent for a long time. After stepping out, she threw it into the trash bin.

She no longer needed it.

Today was also the last time they would meet.

The day before the wedding, Dave and Kate could not stay in the same room. So, it also made it easier for her to leave that night.

For the first time ever, Kate received a blessing from Leona.

"Wish you a happy wedding, Kate. May you always be happy."

Perhaps when she sent this message, she was lying in Dave's embrace.

Of course, Leona was happy. Once the wedding was over tomorrow, their goals would be achieved.

Kate curled the corners of her lips into a smile as she looked at the boxes, big and small, in front of her and replied, "Thank you for your blessing, Leona. I will always be happy. By the way, I bought you a gift. You’ll receive it tomorrow."

A few polite and hollow words.

Kate handed the gift she was going to give to Leona to the courier.

Right on time, when the wedding began, it would be the moment she received the gift.

Kate packed everything and put it into the car.

She turned around and looked at the home in front of her, feeling no sense of attachment.

She picked up her phone and scheduled a message.

"Sorry, Dave and I have canceled our wedding."

"Please attend Dave and my sister's wedding."

She then attached a few intimate photos of Dave and Leona.

They met so frequently that taking a few candid shots was an easy task.

Once she boarded the ship, these messages would be sent out automatically.

This was also one of the gifts she was giving them.

Half an hour later, she saw the cruise ship that looked exactly like the model.

“Miss, may I ask where you are going?"

Kate looked out at the sea, a stretch of darkness that was impossible to see through.

Fortunately, there was light ahead.