04
Arthur's spine stiffened as he turned around. He saw the gun in my hands, and his face went dark.
But the moment his eyes met mine, he turned fearless again：“Victoria, stop the act. You love me so much—you'd actually pull the trigger?”
I pulled the trigger.
“Bang! ” A deafening crack. The bullet grazed his arm, leaving a streak of blood.
He glared at me in disbelief：“Victoria! You're really insane!”
“Give it back.” I said quietly.
Amelia stared at me, unwilling, but her gaze fell on the muzzle, and with trembling hands she set the ring and the diamond necklace on the floor.
Arthur pulled off his own ring and hurled it furiously at my face.
He looked at me, his gaze heavy, his voice rasping：“Victoria, you'll be punished for what you've done today.”
Then he dragged Amelia out.
I understood his threat. In two days, at the wedding, he'd be waiting for me to come begging.
But he'd miscalculated.
I didn't want his wedding anymore—and I didn't want him, either.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the wedding day, Gabriel sent a stylist to do my makeup. I put on the gown and climbed into the bridal car as he opened the door for me himself.
He was in a crisp suit, his hair combed without a single strand out of place, a faint smile on that sharp, angular face.
I dodged his scorching gaze, only for him to lift a hand and gently turn my chin back.
“My fiancée,” his voice dropped very low, “you look beautiful today.”
“I wonder if Arthur, when he realizes he traded a pearl for a fish eye, will regret it enough to cry.”
Color crept up my cheeks. Before I could pull away, a restrained kiss of his landed on my lips.
At the same time, my phone buzzed again and again inside my bag.
Texts came popping in, one after another.
On the other end, Arthur waited in his suit, smug and unhurried.
“Victoria, if you beg and apologize now, I can still keep my promise and marry you.”
“Stop forcing it. Everyone knows you've loved me for five years. This day, marrying me, is what you've been waiting for.”
“In these short three days, could you really find anyone else but me?”
“You want to be deported too, is that it?”
But every message sank like a stone into the sea.
In the end, Arthur panicked.
Ignoring Amelia's protests, he drove straight to my place.
When he reached the door, all that waited for him was a floor strewn with ribbons.
A neighbor happened to step out and saw him frozen there, asking, puzzled：“Arthur? The bridal car already left—why are you still here? Isn't today your wedding with Victoria?”
It was like a blow to the head. His mind went blank, and it took a long while before he forced out a sound：“The bridal car left? Who is she marrying? Where's the wedding?”
“The church on Nibbin Road, of course. It's your own wedding—how do you not know?”
Arthur stumbled into his car and floored the gas, racing for the church.
By the time he arrived, Gabriel and I had just exchanged rings.
Under everyone's gaze, Gabriel bent down and kissed me.
“Victoria! Please don't marry him!”” Arthur screamed, only to be held back hard by Gabriel's men guarding the door.
