Chapter 5

Liam could no longer contain himself and roared:

"Are you satisfied now?!"

"I told you I'd marry you!"

"Do you really have to push Seraphina to her death to be content?! How can you be so malicious?!"

My face hardened.

"You say you'll marry me. Did I say I want to marry you?"

"If you don't marry me, who else would you marry? Everyone in this city's elite circles knows you've been dreaming of marrying me!"

His angry eyes burned me, leaving me speechless, bitterness slowly engulfing my chest.

Liam took a deep breath, seemingly finally resigned.

"Let's just leave it at this. I'm truly exhausted."

With that, he and Noah swiftly left the hall.

Watching their retreating figures, I murmured softly:

"No more drama. Never again."

In this life, I will have nothing more to do with you.

Liam and Noah left for three days, with no word.

I had the housekeeper pack up their belongings and Seraphina's from their rooms and mail them to the Sterling family's old estate.

My father informed me that the Vance family had been contacted.

The wedding was set for four days later.

The haste was because Mrs. Vance was eager to use the Hayes family's influence to get rid of the illegitimate half-brother.

Hearing the date, I paused for a moment.

It coincided with the date of my original planned wedding.

Perhaps it was fate.

That night, I was at home trying on my wedding dress.

The Sterling brothers, who hadn't been seen in days, suddenly burst in.

Liam slapped me across the face.

I was stunned.

"Where have you hidden Seraphina?!"

"I already agreed to marry you, and you're still making trouble for her!"

Noah was even more furious.

"Aria Hayes, if marrying my brother isn't enough, I'll marry you too! As long as you don't mind the scandal of having two husbands! Seraphina is just a young girl; she has no family, no background. Why do you have to keep hounding her?!"

But I hadn't even seen Seraphina!

I clutched my stinging cheek, coldly staring at them.

"You said it yourselves; Seraphina is just an ordinary person. Is she even worth my targeting?"

"She doesn't even qualify."

"As for you two, what right do you have to break into my house and lay hands on me?"

Noah immediately flared up.

"You finally said what you truly think! In your heart, none of us are worthy, are we? It's our blessing from three lifetimes to even be in your presence to polish Aria's shoes, isn't it?!"

Liam's face was chilling.

"If not you, then who?"

"Besides us, Seraphina only knows you!"

"You'd better pray she's okay, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

Before he could finish, his phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at it, and the coldness in his eyes immediately dissipated, replaced by the joy of rediscovery.

"Thank goodness Seraphina is okay!"

Noah immediately rushed out of the house.

Liam turned to look at me, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"I said I would marry you, but you've repeatedly caused trouble for Seraphina. I can't trust you."

"So?"

"So after the marriage, all of the Hayes family's companies will be taken over by me. If you want me to maintain this superficial marriage, you'd better not mess with Seraphina!"

With that, he turned and left, without a backward glance.

I laughed sardonically.

I had pampered him so much all these years; it truly made him forget who helped the Sterling family get to where they were today.

He wants to demand charity while standing tall? No way!

I immediately called my father.

"Has the collaboration with the Sterling family been terminated yet?"

"It must be completely handled before the wedding."

The wedding day arrived in a flash.

The Sterling brothers never reappeared during that time.

However, Seraphina's Ins feed was constantly updating.

She was in a hospital room, a constant stream of luxury goods being delivered to her.

Chanel today, Hermes tomorrow, one boastful caption after another.

I watched, sneering.

This was the "white lotus" they claimed didn't care about money or power.

I was rather looking forward to Seraphina's reaction once the Sterling family collapsed.

I turned off my phone, preparing to listen for the officiant's cue to enter.

Suddenly, the doors to the chapel burst open.

Liam appeared, gasping for breath.

"Aria! I'm here! Don't terminate the partnership!"