The hall shimmered with anticipation. Guests shifted in their seats; some scrolling through their phones, others leaning in to exchange hushed whispers. At the altar stood Greg. This was meant to be the most important day of his life—his wedding to Eva. But she was nowhere to be seen. As he struggled to steady himself against the quiet surge of anxiety within him, his best man stepped closer. “Do you want me to call her?” Greg shook his head slowly. “No… let’s wait a little longer.” His voice was calm, almost assured, as though he believed she would appear at any moment—perhaps delayed by something he would soon understand. Another ten minutes passed. Still no Eva. Then, just as the tension began to tighten, the doors opened. Every head turned. But it wasn’t the grand entrance anyone had expected. No music swelled. No procession followed. Eva walked in alone. Her wedding dress trailed behind her, but something about it felt off—creased, slightly disheveled,

Moments later, Eva and Ben stepped into the parking lot. Not far off, Greg was already there, standing calmly as he waited for his chauffeur. The driver had dropped him off earlier and gone to handle an errand Greg had assigned. After the wedding that never took place, Greg simply returned to the life he had always known before meeting Eva—a quiet, refined, and undeniably luxurious one. The sun hung low, casting long shadows across the concrete. Ben smirked as he unlocked his sleek car. “Let’s get out of here.” Eva slid into the passenger seat, smoothing her dress with practiced ease. Ben got in, started the engine—and shot out of the parking space without hesitation. As he swung sharply into the lane, a loud honk rang out—but it was too late. Scrape! Metal dragged harshly against metal as the side of Ben’s car clipped the front bumper of another vehicle. The car lurched to a stop. Silence followed. Then— “What the hell?!” Eva snapped, her composure cracking.

“What’s going on here?” the manager barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. He was one of the few top executives who knew Greg’s true position as the owner of the company. No one answered immediately. Jackson took a step back, though his glare stayed fixed. “Sir, I apologize for this,” the manager said, turning to Greg with respect. Greg gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. The manager pivoted sharply toward the staff. “This behavior is unacceptable! All of you—back to your stations. Now!” Reluctantly, the employees began to move, murmuring under their breath, puzzled as to why the manager was defending someone they considered a nobody. “But sir—” Jackson started. “I said now!” the manager snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument. Gradually, the room returned to a tense, uneasy calm. The manager’s gaze swept over everyone, his expression hard as steel. “I will be reviewing this incident. Anyone involved will face a formal query.” Several faces went p

The woman looked disheveled, her breathing shallow and uneven, and her skin ghostly pale under the streetlight. “Hey,” Greg said gently, crouching beside her. “Can you hear me?” Her eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused, as if she were looking through him rather than at him. “…don’t leave me,” she whispered. “I’m not going anywhere,” Greg assured her. “What happened?” She shook her head weakly, each movement seeming to drain her further. “They… gave me something. I… I don’t feel right…” Greg’s jaw tightened. That was all he needed to know. “Don’t worry. You’re coming with me. I’ll get you somewhere safe,” he said firmly. She didn’t resist as he helped her fasten the seatbelt, guiding her gently while she struggled to stay conscious. Once inside the car, he turned up the heat and grabbed a bottle of water from the console. “Here,” he said, pressing it into her trembling hands. “Take small sips.” Some of the water spilled down her chin, but she managed a few car

The car glided up the long, tree-lined driveway, tires crunching softly against the gravel. Alina leaned forward slightly, her eyes lighting up as the familiar silhouette of her family’s mansion came into view. After everything—the fear, the chaos, the danger—today was supposed to be different. Today was meant to be joyful. She had counted every hour since leaving the courthouse, imagining this moment… the look on her family’s faces when they saw her—standing beside Greg, her husband. “Are you nervous?” Greg asked, his voice calm as his hand brushed lightly over hers on the console. Alina shook her head, though the excitement in her smile gave her away. “No… just excited. They’ve been asking me to bring someone home for years. I can’t wait for them to meet you… to see that I’ve already taken that step.” Greg gave a faint, controlled smile. “Then let’s make sure it’s a good first impression.” Alina let out a soft laugh, leaning slightly toward him. “It’ll be more than that,