Chapter 2

The hotel's heating was on full blast, but I still felt chills washing over me in waves.

As I settled into the passenger seat of Mason's car, an unfamiliar perfume hit me.

Here it comes, here it comes! Nadia's signature perfume! That scumbag just took her to look at the house this afternoon!

The passenger seat's been adjusted. Doesn't she notice?

I bent down and felt for the lever under the seat.

Sure enough, the position had been moved, set much farther forward than I liked.

Mason fastened his seatbelt and turned to look at me.

"Honey, what's wrong? Cold feet before the wedding?"

I watched the shops slide backward past the window, and only spoke after a few seconds.

"Mason, how's the renovation on our wedding house coming along?"

His hand on the wheel stiffened for a moment.

"It's good. The main work is done, we just need to let it air out. Why are you asking all of a sudden?"

I turned my face and stared into his eyes.

"I was planning to go see it today, but the agent said the property owner seems to have changed."

The car went dead quiet.

Mason's breathing skipped a beat, but he recovered fast and smiled as he picked the conversation back up.

"Oh, that... the agent got it wrong. I had someone hold the title as a nominee earlier, to avoid taxes."

He said it so openly, as if it were really true.

"After we get legally married tomorrow, I'll just add your name to it."

If I hadn't seen the property gift deed with my own eyes, I might actually have believed him.

Avoid taxes my ass! It was a straight-up gift to Nadia!

The scumbag is still lying! He's sure she's easy to fool, that any excuse will do.

I looked down and took out my phone.

"Really?"

Mason's voice softened again.

"Honey, don't read too much into it. Every bit of me is yours, why would I care about one house?"

I didn't answer. Instead I opened Attorney Lambert's WhatsApp and slowly tapped at the screen.

Mason caught the movement and asked with a smile.

"What are you looking at so intently? Are you picking a hotel for the honeymoon?"

I turned to look at him, my smile faint.

"Yes. I'm planning the road ahead for us."

He reached over and ruffled my hair, his eyes full of doting affection.

"Honey, tomorrow you're going to be the most beautiful bride in the world."

I tilted my head away from his hand and looked back at the black night outside the window.

"Yes. Tomorrow will definitely be unforgettable."

......

At 6 a.m., the makeup artist arrived at the hotel's bridal prep room.

I sat in front of the mirror and watched her open her makeup case, the table cluttered with bottles and jars.

The red pop-up messages came out of nowhere.

This makeup artist was originally booked by Mason for Nadia, with a full La Mer set for her. Silvia switched her over at the last minute to do the bride's makeup for Agnes, but the products got swapped out for a cheap dupe set off some online marketplace.

The makeup artist dug a tube of foundation out of the case.

I glanced at the bottle, and sure enough, it didn't even have a label.

"All right, Miss Whitney, let's get started."

The makeup artist smiled and brushed my hair aside.

"Thank you for your trouble."

At eight o'clock sharp, Silvia pushed the door open and came in.

She wore a wine-red qipao, her hair freshly styled, her makeup carefully done, and she carried a dark green jewelry box.

"Agnes, sweetheart, this is something Mom prepared for you."

She opened the lid to reveal a thin gold necklace, its pendant a piece of jade no bigger than a mung bean.

"Mom..."

I put on a look of overwhelmed gratitude.

"It's not worth much, just a token of my heart. Our family doesn't go in for showing off."

Silvia patted my hand, every bit the loving mother-in-law who doted on her son's wife.

The red pop-up messages exploded across the screen, dense and packed.

Doesn't go in for showing off??? The gold wedding jewelry set she bought Nadia was a Cartier Love ring set, a Tiffany diamond necklace, and Van Cleef earrings, worth $870,000 all together. The necklace she's giving Agnes cost twelve hundred.

Twelve hundred's being generous, honestly. That jade's off some online marketplace too.