Chapter 4

The moment the name "Hayes family heir" was mentioned, the room fell into stunned silence.

Everyone stood up, their faces filled with nervous excitement.

"Mr. Walters," Jack Shaw said eagerly, rubbing his hands together. "Could you do me a favor and introduce me later? Just a quick word with him would mean so much—"

Mr. Walters gave him a polite but insincere smile.

"Mr. Shaw, I think you should focus on sorting out your personal affairs first."

As his words landed, Jack turned to me, his expression immediately darkening.

Pointing his finger at me, he began to shout, his voice full of anger and frustration.

"Nina Carter! Don't think you can just rely on that nonsense about our horoscopes matching to manipulate me! You've been lying through your teeth, making up some story about being married. Where's the marriage certificate, huh? Show it to me!"

His voice grew louder, his tone more accusatory.

"You're just trying to control me, trying to stop me from being with Chloe. Well, guess what? It's not going to happen! If you're so determined not to marry me, fine—I'll take back the dowry tomorrow!"

At that, my parents panicked.

They immediately began apologizing to Jack while scolding me at the same time.

"Nina, listen to your mother," my mom pleaded. "I know you young women today have your own ideas, but we don't have the luxury to be so stubborn."

"The Shaw family is offering five million dollars and a shopping mall as part of the dowry! You can't just throw away your future over some silly idea you got from the Internet!"

My dad's face was grim, his tone sharp. "Think about your life, Nina. You're not going to find a better offer than this!"

I looked at them, their faces a mix of worry and anger, and my heart sank.

Their desperation reminded me of my past life.

In my previous life, Jack and I had once been... happy, or so I thought. But it was the kind of "happiness" that felt more like a performance, something we put on for his parents.

Behind closed doors, he lived a life of indulgence while I gave up my career as a reporter to become the perfect "Mrs. Shaw."

I believed him when he said he loved me. I sacrificed everything for him, becoming the dutiful wife everyone expected me to be.

But it all fell apart the moment Chloe Quinn came back into his life.

He told me that women like Chloe—vibrant, passionate, full of life—were what real women should be.

And me? He said I was nothing more than a rotting piece of driftwood, a coffin for his dreams.

He blamed me for ruining his life, for making him feel like he was staring at death every time he looked at me.

In the end, he resented me so much that he became violent, lashing out when I refused to fund his vacations with Chloe.

My parents told me to endure it.

And when he locked me in the basement for three days, they told me it was my fault for upsetting him.

I died filled with hatred for him and for myself.

This time, I wasn't going to let history repeat itself.

"I really am married," I said calmly.

I took out my marriage certificate and placed it on the table.

My parents gasped, jumping to their feet in shock.

"Where's the dowry?" my mom cried. "Did you run off with some lowlife? You didn't even get a dowry, and you call this a marriage? How am I supposed to explain this to the Shaw family?"

"Five million and a factory, Nina!" my dad added, his voice shaking with frustration. "You need to divorce whoever this is and come with us to apologize to the Shaws immediately!"

I stared at them, their words blurring together.

In their eyes, I wasn't their daughter. I was just a price tag—five million dollars and a factory.

The people around us laughed mockingly, their disdain obvious.

"Nina, come on. Don't make your parents worry so much. Did you get involved in something shady out there?"

"Look at this marriage certificate. It looks so cheap and fake—it's probably just something she printed out to fool us."

But Jack wasn't laughing.

He stormed over to the table, grabbed the certificate, and ripped it to shreds.

"Nina Carter, you've really outdone yourself this time," he snarled. "You'll fake a marriage certificate just to try and trick me?!"

Chloe's eyes flickered with jealousy, but she quickly masked it with a smug smile.

"Jack, it's just a horoscope match. There are plenty of other women born under the same stars. She's nothing but a good-luck charm. Let's just focus on greeting the Hayes family heir, okay?"

Before Jack could respond, the hotel manager entered, followed by a team of bodyguards who quickly cleared a path through the crowd.

Jack leaned closer to me, lowering his voice.

"Nina, you think you can just run away because of some horoscope nonsense? Do you think playing hard to get will make me fall for you?

"Let me tell you something—it's not going to happen.

"Agree to the marriage now, and I'll take you back. But don't even dream of controlling me. In public, you can be Mrs. Shaw. But at home, you'll always be beneath Chloe."

Before he could say more, the crowd parted, and the heir to the Hayes family, Nathan Hayes, walked in.

Jack eagerly stretched out his hand, only for the bodyguards to block him.

Nathan ignored him completely, his sharp eyes scanning the room until they landed on me.

He walked over, his expression softening.

"Nina," he said quietly, his voice full of complaint. "You said you were just here to be a bridesmaid for your best friend's wedding."

I glanced at him, feeling a little guilty. "I was," I replied, my voice soft.

"You've never even worn a wedding dress for me," he muttered, his lips forming a slight pout.

Nathan Hayes, the cold and distant heir everyone feared, was now standing in front of me, looking like a sulking puppy.

I quickly turned to my parents, pulling them closer.

"Mom, Dad, this is my husband, Nathan Hayes."

My parents' expressions shifted rapidly—from anger to shock, and finally to a fawning smile.

They stared at our intertwined hands, their disbelief written all over their faces.

Jack, however, completely lost it.

He stormed over, his face red with fury.

"Nina Carter! Did you blackmail Nathan Hayes into this? Did you dig up some dirt on him to force this marriage?!"

His voice rose, filled with desperation.

"You're supposed to be my wife! How could he possibly want someone like you?!"