Chapter 2

"Bride, do you take this handsome man beside you to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer…"

"I… I do." The woman's voice, muffled through the veil, sounded tight, almost strained.

The guests whispered, full of praise. They believed Celeste Vance, from the prominent Vance family, was so deeply in love that she was pushing through a terrible cold just to finish this grand wedding, terrified of upsetting me.

"Hold on."

The woman beneath the veil, her eyes darting nervously, had fine beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.

I smiled, my voice laced with fake concern. "Celeste, you don't look too good. Are you feeling overwhelmed?"

She nervously cleared her throat. "Yes, I…"

I subtly signaled the Officiant to halt the proceedings, then gently led the bride into a private lounge.

On the table, my phone vibrated. More than a dozen unread messages, all from Felix.

【You know the bride's a fake now, right? Surprise! Celeste and I are watching your wedding livestream together.】

Attached was a photo: Celeste, her head nestled intimately on Felix's shoulder, looking completely relaxed and at ease.

【Oh, and I forgot to mention, this whole 'stand-in bride' idea? It was mine. This wedding is just a little game she's playing to keep me entertained.】

I quickly typed a reply and hit send.

【Really? Want to bet that one call from me, and she'll ditch you and come crawling back, begging for my forgiveness?】

Just as I expected, the other end of the line went completely silent.

Perfect. The bait was taken.

I tucked away my phone and turned to the silent bride beside me.

She looked at me, a flicker of apprehension in her eyes. "Actually, I… I…"

I patted her shoulder. "Aria, relax."

A wave of relief washed over her. "So, you knew all along."

After a moment of silence, she seemed to steel herself, taking a deep breath.

"Celeste isn't worth marrying. She only arranged this today to deliberately humiliate you."

I leaned closer. "I didn't stop the wedding to expose you. I just need you to play a part with me."

Only after I died in my previous life did I learn that Aria had quietly watched over me for years.

When news of my death broke, she was the only one who didn't believe it was an accident.

Later, she discovered Celeste was the killer, but without concrete proof, she chose to confront Celeste on my death anniversary, dragging her down with her in a final act of vengeance.

Tears inexplicably welled in my eyes. Aria, seeing them, started to reach out, then hesitated, her hand freezing in mid-air.

"If you feel… wronged by this, I could…"

I looked at her, my gaze unwavering. "Aria, listen carefully. You are the woman I want to marry."

When we returned to the ballroom, the Officiant smiled, announcing, "Now, the exchange of rings, please."

I picked up the ring, and as I slid it onto her finger, I deliberately made it catch, stopping just before her knuckle.

She looked embarrassed, trying to push it further, but I gently held her hand, stopping her.

Below us, the guests began to murmur, their whispers buzzing like a hive of disturbed bees.

"What's going on? Is the ring the wrong size?"

"How could they mess up something so important? The Sterling and Vance families are usually so meticulous!"

In the audience, Celeste's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Vance, instantly blanched.

They exchanged a frantic glance, panic and unease flashing in their eyes.

Clearly, they'd known about Celeste's little farce all along, but hadn't stopped it.

My own mother, Mrs. Sterling, frowned deeply, her gaze filled with worry as she looked at me.

I gave her a reassuring look, a silent promise that everything was under control.

Then, under the stunned, uncertain gazes of everyone present, I lifted Aria's veil.

"Oh my God! The bride isn't Celeste!"

"Then where's the real bride?"