Chapter 3

The next morning, I bought several thoughtful gifts to repay their kindness over the years.

Ryan’s father struggled with high blood pressure, so I bought him a high-end digital monitor that synced with an app to remind him to take his medication.

His mother suffered from chronic insomnia, so I had ordered a premium orthopedic mattress and ergonomic pillows delivered to their home so she could finally sleep through the night.

When I arrived at their house carrying the gifts, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Shouting echoed from inside. Through the front window, I could see the chaos unfolding.

"Mom, Dad, just come to the reception! Just pretend for a few hours to help me fool Elena's parents! What is the big deal?!"

Ryan’s father slammed his hand on the table, roaring in fury.

"Have you lost your damn mind?! You were supposed to marry Maya! Now you drag this homewrecker into our house and say you married her instead?!"

"What will our family say?! What will Maya think?! I will drop dead before I let you walk out of here with this woman!"

Ryan’s mother grabbed a broom from the corner, lunging at Elena with utter disgust.

"Get out of my house! Get the hell out! Maya is the only daughter-in-law we will ever recognize!"

Standing outside the door, tears spilled down my cheeks.

From the first day they met me, Ryan’s parents had loved me like their own flesh and blood. And I had loved them just as fiercely.

Inside, Ryan was still stubbornly yelling back at them.

"Why do you always have to fight me on everything?! Maya already agreed to this! You two are clinging to your old-fashioned nonsense! It's just a damn ceremony, who does it hurt?!"

His father shoved Ryan violently toward the front door, his face pale with rage.

"Ryan Vance, where is your moral compass?! Where is your shame?!"

"Let me make this crystal clear: if you walk down the aisle with this woman today, you are dead to us. Never step foot in this house again!"

His face flushed red with humiliation, Ryan pulled Elena behind his back and sneered.

"Fine! If you won't show up, I'll just hire two actors to play my parents!"

Seeing how fiercely he protected Elena, the last bit of warmth in my heart froze over.

A fake marriage? They had signed legal papers, and now he was demanding his parents attend the wedding. How was this any different from a real marriage?

I closed my eyes, letting the tears fall silently.

I should have seen the truth a long time ago.

He never truly cared about me.

Every sweet promise, every vow we had made over the years—he was now giving it all to another woman.

He was even willing to disown his own parents for Elena.

I should have left sooner. Staying here was only a pathetic obstacle to his grand romance.

As I stood frozen by the porch, Ryan kicked the door open, dragging Elena out.

The moment he saw me, his face drained of all color.

"M-Maya?!"