In the eighteenth year after Lily Gilbert became the Vance family's adopted daughter, she married their eldest son.
Joshua hosted a banquet for all of Capital City to witness his wedding to Lily.
But just as she held out her hand, face glowing with happiness, waiting for the ring to slip onto her finger—her wedding was hijacked. In front of everyone.
Ada Swanson, in a backless red dress, curled her lips at Joshua with bold confidence. "Joshua, I'm the one meant to stand beside you through life and death. If you don't come with me today, you'll never see me again."
The venue erupted. Someone shouted, "Look at her back! What that drifter said was true!"
Three years ago, a disheveled man claiming to see the future—calling himself The Prophet—had left Joshua with a single sentence: When you turn twenty-three, you'll meet a woman with seven cinnabar moles on her back. You'll fall for her at first sight and give everything for her.
Lily had never taken those words seriously. She and Joshua had grown up together since they were five. They'd seen each other at their lowest, stayed up all night baring their souls. They were confidants, family, lovers. She was certain nothing could come between them.
Until a stormy night one month ago, when Joshua brought home a rain-soaked Ada Swanson.
In eighteen years, Joshua had never spared an extra word for any woman—let alone taken in a stranger just because she'd run away from home with nowhere to go.
But for Ada, he made an exception.
"She's the Swanson pharmaceutical heiress from Harbor City," he explained. "We have business ties. It was just a small favor."
Lily believed him.
Then the next morning, she watched Ada walk out of the bathroom wearing Joshua's shirt.
Lily froze. Joshua had had severe germaphobia since childhood. Even she could only touch his belongings—never his clothes.
"Her things are being washed," he said, his handsome face perfectly calm. "Mine will do for now."
The double standard gnawed at her, but Joshua seemed like Ada had stolen his soul. For over ten days straight, he stayed glued to her side, oblivious to Lily's frustration.
He even cooked. Joshua Vance, who had never set foot in a kitchen, was suddenly willing to squeeze into one full of grease and smoke alongside Ada. The two worked in perfect sync, chatting like an old married couple.
As if confirming The Prophet's words—they were the destined match.
Lily still refused to believe such a coincidence could exist. She contacted the Swanson family herself and asked them to retrieve their daughter.
When Joshua found out she'd revealed Ada's hiding place, he lost his temper at her for the first time. The look in his eyes—like she was an enemy he wanted to skin alive.
Days of neglect and resentment finally boiled over.
She slapped him across the face. "Joshua Vance! In this house, she's the outsider! What did I do wrong?"
He was silent for a long time. Then, slowly: "What The Prophet said isn't false. The first time I saw Ada, something in me just... pulled toward her. When I look at her, my chest aches. My eyes sting. It's like a bond carved into my soul—I can't help wanting to treat her better. I'll sort out my feelings. Lily, just give me some time. Please?"
How could she accept that?
"If you can't let her go—fine. I'll leave. I'll make it easy for you."
That one sentence snapped Joshua back. He stopped paying attention to Ada. To win Lily over again, he proposed formally, showered her with gifts, threw a banquet for the entire city to witness their love.
A sharp sting at her fingertips yanked Lily back to the present.
The ring meant for her ring finger—Joshua had shoved it onto her thumb instead. She reached out to grab him before he could leave.
But he was terrified Ada would disappear. His violent pull knocked Lily off the stage. A champagne tower half her height toppled, crashing down on her.
Her flawless makeup was ruined. Blood soaked through white silk. The ring slipped from her thumb.
Even that commotion couldn't make Joshua look back once. He grabbed Ada and vanished from the hall.
A server helped Lily to her feet. Grayson, expression thunderous, dismissed the guests.
Lily leaned against the stage, a mess of glass and blood, and suddenly remembered being ten years old. The Vance manor had caught fire. She was trapped inside. Everyone held Joshua back, but he'd shouted: "Lily only has me. I can't abandon her!"
That Joshua—the one who would've thrown away his life to save her—had just abandoned her at their wedding.
She rubbed the red mark on her thumb.
Maybe it was time to let go.
Eighteen years as the Vance family's adopted daughter, and she had never truly been herself.
For the first time, Lily wanted nothing more than to shed that identity completely.
