Chapter 1

At the family dinner on the eve of the wedding, my future sister-in-law pulled out a toy lie detector to stir up some fun.

"Mason, if you could only buy one big riverside apartment, would you put it in your wife's name or Nadia's?"

Without hesitation, my fiancé Mason James placed his hand on it. "My wife Agnes Whitney, of course."

The green light came on, and the whole family looked at each other and smiled.

But what popped up in front of me was a wildly scrolling stream of red pop-up messages.

This lie detector is broken! Mason James just transferred the fully paid-off wedding house to his ex-girlfriend Nadia because Nadia has depression and needs a river view to heal.

Right! The whole family is putting on an act to trick the heroine into a fake marriage. The second the wedding ends tomorrow, Mason James is going abroad with Nadia for her treatment!

Even his mother secretly bought Nadia a gold wedding jewelry set worth hundreds of thousands, while the heroine only has that fake diamond ring she bought online!

I looked down at the ring gleaming on my finger, and my heart, so moved a moment ago, dropped into an icy pit.

Following the hints in the messages,

I dug the freshly printed property gift deed out of the inner pocket of Mason's briefcase.

Mason was still inside sending Nadia voice messages.

"Agnes is easy to handle. After we get legally married tomorrow and it's a done deal, I'll tell her the house is just lent to you to live in."

I pulled the ring off and dropped it in the trash.

Tomorrow's wedding—whoever wants it can have it.

......

"Agnes, why were you in the restroom so long?"

Wanda, my future sister-in-law, sidled up with a grin.

"Don't tell me the lie detector proved my brother loves you so much that you snuck out to cry because you were so touched?"

Looking at her innocent face, my stomach churned hard.

Touched?

I lowered my head.

The red pop-up messages were still scrolling fast in front of me.

Ugh! This sister-in-law can really act! She knows perfectly well it's a $1.50 moissanite bought online with free shipping!

The whole family are award-winning actors, going all out to swindle the heroine out of her dowry.

While the heroine was gone just now, his mother packed up all the premium health tonic the heroine bought, saying she'll send it over to Nadia tomorrow to help her recover!

I looked at Silvia Floyd, my future mother-in-law, seated at the head of the table.

She was looking at me too, her face full of warmth.

"Agnes, dear, sit down and eat. Mason's always been such an honest boy. Him getting to marry you is a blessing earned by the James family ancestors."

I gave a slight twitch of my lips and pulled out a chair to sit.

"Is that so? I think it's pretty rare too."

Mason immediately took my hand.

His palm was warm, his eyes gentle—as gentle as every single day of the past five years.

"Sweetheart, tomorrow you'll be the most beautiful bride in the world, and I'll make sure you're the happiest woman alive."

I looked into his eyes.

This face—I'd loved it for five whole years.

From launching his startup after college, to having nothing, to now running a company of decent size, I'd stayed up through night after night with him.

I'd always believed we were each other's one and only.

But the pop-up messages peeled back what was hidden underneath, layer by layer.

This scumbag's acting is unreal! He just finished texting Nadia the same thing—that he'd make her the happiest woman!

Run, heroine! This scumbag is unbeatable!

I pulled my hand back, picked up my water glass, and took a sip. The water was warm, but it caught in my chest as I swallowed.

"Mason, I'm a little tired. I want to head back and rest."

Mason was startled for a moment, then stood up with me.

"Sure, I'll take you. Mom, you all keep eating. I'll take Agnes home."

Silvia nodded again and again, not forgetting to remind me,

"Go on, go on. Take it easy on the way."

After we stepped out of the private room, Wanda's lowered voice drifted from behind.

"Mom, is the health tonic hidden? Don't let her see it."

I didn't stop. I just kept walking.