Chapter 4

After the procedure, I checked my phone and saw messages from Julian:

"Did you get your arm treated?"

"Why aren't you answering? Are you jealous again?"

"Alright, I'm taking you to try on wedding dresses tomorrow. I have a surprise for you."

I squeezed the medical discharge papers in my fist and typed back with a cold smile:

"See you tomorrow."

"I have a surprise for you, too."

The next day, Julian drove me to the bridal boutique.

When the door opened, Sierra was already standing in front of the full-length mirror, admiring herself in the custom gown my grandmother had hand-sewn for me.

Julian rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Cece said she'd never tried on a wedding dress before and just wanted to see how it felt."

"Let's just give her this one. I'll buy you a brand-new designer gown."

Grandma had been the only person in the entire family who truly loved me.

Julian knew how much I cherished this dress.

Yet he gave it away without a second thought.

My face went stone cold as I stepped forward.

"Take it off."

Sierra pouted innocently.

"Serena, you have so many nice things. Why are you always so selfish?"

Julian stepped in with a weary sigh, extending his black credit card toward me.

"Just buy another one."

In the past, my jewelry, my clothes, everything I owned—

if Sierra asked for it, Julian told me to yield.

Then he'd throw money at me to shut me up.

Why?

Why couldn't I keep a single thing that belonged to me?

Tears burned my eyes. "I only want this dress!"

Annoyance flashed across Julian's face.

"How much money do you want?"

"Serena, don't push it."

Sierra sneered, ripped the delicate gown off, and threw it at my feet.

"It's just a dress! What's there to hoard like treasure?"

The hand-stitched pearls snapped, scattering across the floor.

I dropped to my knees in a panic, trying to gather them up.

The boutique manager hurried over to smooth things over.

"Miss Vance, Mr. Hayes, you two look so stunning together."

"We have even better luxury collections in the back. Why don't you try those on?"

Julian didn't bother correcting the manager's assumption.

He simply tossed the credit card onto the floor beside my face.

"Cece is young. As her older sister, stop holding grudges."

That night, an anonymous post blew up on Reddit and X.

Written from my perspective, it accused my sister of seducing her future brother-in-law.

The internet caught fire instantly.

People tracked down Sierra's social accounts and flooded her comments:

*Shameless homewrecker!*

*BAM!*

My apartment door was kicked open.

Julian stormed in, his face murderous.

"Serena, how can you be so vicious?!"

"Cece is just a young girl! How could you spread such filthy lies?!"

I froze. "I didn't do it!"

Veins bulged along his temples as if he were on the verge of losing control.

I hadn't seen him this furious in years.

The last time was when some thugs harassed me in college.

He had fought like a rabid beast, beating them bloody.

Now, his fury was for someone else.

"Julian, you know how well I treated Sierra," I said, feeling sick.

"I would never post something like that!"

Before he could speak, his phone blared.

"Julian, get over here right now! Cece is trying to kill herself!"

He was out the door before the sentence ended.

That night, my parents went live on TikTok, weeping into the camera.

"Our eldest daughter was kidnapped years ago and passed away long ago."

"Cece and Julian are in a normal, loving relationship. Their wedding is tomorrow."

Julian sat beside them in silence. When prompted, he offered a quiet, complicit nod.

I watched the replay over and over again until my vision blurred.

I bent over and dry-heaved into the sink.

There was no food in my stomach, only suffocating grief choking my throat.

For a moment, I wanted to burst into their house and scream:

Am I not your daughter too?

Why did you have to announce my death to protect Sierra's reputation?

Did you ever love me for even a single second?

My phone lit up with a text from Julian:

"I'm going through with a fake ceremony with Cece tomorrow to calm the public."

"She tried to take her own life, Serena. You need to come over later and apologize to her."

When I didn't reply, he called, his voice laced with exasperation:

"If you hadn't thrown this fit online, none of this would have happened."

"Cece just wants to experience what a wedding feels like. Let her have it."

"We'll hold our real wedding later."

I slumped onto the couch, drained of every ounce of energy.

"Okay."

A new notification popped up on my screen:

"I just landed. Serena, I'm here to marry you."

Julian let out a relieved sigh on the phone.

"Serena, I knew you'd understand."

"Be good and don't show up tomorrow, or the press will see through the cover."

The next afternoon, Julian stood in his tuxedo at the hotel ballroom.

Despite the celebration, an unsettling dread gnawed at his chest.

His best man, Leo, rushed over, frowning.

"Julian, I think I saw Serena outside in a wedding dress!"

Julian's face darkened. "Is she really trying to ruin this for Cece?!"

"If she tries to come in, lock her in the car."

Leo hesitated. "It's near a hundred degrees out there. Locking her in a car could kill her."

Julian straightened his bowtie and sneered coldly,

"She brought it on herself!"

Leo nodded and hurried out.

A few minutes later, he ran back in, breathless and pale.

"Julian, this is bad!"

"The luxury Grand Hyatt next door is hosting a massive wedding right now! The bride has the exact same name as Serena!"

Julian shrugged dismissively. "Just a coincidence."

"No, Julian! I literally saw Serena walk inside!"

Julian froze, grabbing Leo by the collar like a madman.

"What the hell did you just say?!"