Chapter 1

On the day of our wedding, my fiance's best friend, Penny Lynd, showed me a video, smiling as she said, "Hey, Lydia. I've already educated Aron for you. He's now a real stud, so enjoy!"

I felt my breath leaving my lungs as they made love in the video, while Aron Quaker laughed, clapping her shoulder. "Where did you get that AI video? I only took your clothes off that one time."

While he was laughing without a care, I felt like I'd just fallen into an abyss.

Seeing me lose my cool, Penny laughed out loud too. "There! I knew it would upset Lydia! She's so dumb that she can't even tell that it's an AI video—and a bet's a bet! Starting today, we will be married for three days."

It was only then that I understood.

They made the AI video to bet if I would believe it, so that I would embarrass myself at my own wedding.

And the wager was for Aron to be Penny's for three days!

As the video continued, Aron turned to me, chuckling. "Don't worry. I lost the bet, but the wedding goes on as planned… Although you have to pick up your stuff from the bedroom and only come back three days later."

He reached out to me, but I shook it off and took off my ring. "There's no 'later'. I'll get my stuff right now and let you guys have the wedding too. You're her husband now anyway, and you can't go without a wedding, can you?"

Chapter 1

Aron looked dapper in his black tuxedo, but his handsome, nonchalant smile faded at my words.

His friends' smile stiffened, and they promptly reasoned with me.

"Come on, Lydia—you know Penny's always been a practical joker."

"It's just an AI video. It's fake, and a bet's a bet. I mean, it's just three days! It's no big deal!"

Hearing that, Aron pursed his lips as he said sternly, "That's enough now, Lydia. Or did you forget that the video of our wedding will be shown to your mom? Her surgery is due in three days. Do you perhaps want her to look disappointed before she goes into the operating room?"

My eyes were red even as I looked at Aron.

Just before the wedding, he vowed to show my mom the moment when we were the happiest.

But now…

Holding his gaze, I asked, "So I should continue and then show that AI video to my mom as well? You'd really call a video like that a prank?"

Aron's expression stiffened, but he soon narrowed his eyes threateningly. "I said, that's enough! You planned this wedding! But if you want to walk away, I'm fine with that too!"

Aron held out my ring to me, confident that I would take it and bear with the prank.

But I had planned this wedding for three years, just so that my mother Molly would see the happiest moment in my life.

Now, I looked around at the mess I got instead.

As soon as Penny came in, she started horsing around with the rest of Aron's friends, throwing cake everywhere.

Even my bouquet was her arrangement, and Aron himself took it out of my hands and handed it to Penny, saying, "She would throw a tantrum if she doesn't get it. You don't want her to make a mess of things, do you?"

I decided to bear with it, until she played that AI video on the big screen, which was supposed to play a montage of my relationship with Aron,

The wedding that I'd so meticulously prepared was already completely ruined.

Smacking Aron's hand away, the ring fell out of my hand and onto a piece of cake stuck on the floor.

As Aron frowned, I told him through tears in a determined tone, "I no longer want this wedding or you."

The hall erupted into an uproar right then.

Chapter 2

Penny laughed coolly even before Aron could speak. "It's just a video, Lydia. Do you really have to go that far?"

Aron kept quiet, but I could see the agreement on his face.

However, I didn't stop, and Penny held my bouquet high in the air as she said loudly, "Well, Aron… since a certain someone is intent on emotional blackmail, I want you to honor our bet early for safety's sake. That means I'm taking over this wedding, my dear husband."

With those words, she raised her hand to Aron, gesturing for him to put the ring on her finger instead.

Aron leered at me haughtily in turn and snorted. "You better be sure about this, Lydia. Once I put this ring on Penny's finger, there's no turning back. So be mature for once—apologize to everyone, and we can still carry on."

I didn't even look back as I left without hesitation.

Just before the door shut, Penny was laughing again. "Oh, Aron—your gal sure is petty, running away from her wedding because of a prank! I guess I have to make it up to you and spend your wedding night with you!"

Aron snorted too. "Oh, don't worry about her—she's always so jealous and getting upset over a video. Her mom is dying, and she'll be begging for the wedding again in no time."

I felt like I had been stabbed in the chest, and the moment I turned, I saw Aron lovingly put the ring on Penny's finger.

And that was when the doors closed, separating me from their world.

My phone began to vibrate repeatedly as my father sent me a barrage of messages.

I dropped to a crouch by the curb to slowly read through them.

[Sorry we can't make it, Lydia. We wish you all the happiness with Aron, and your mom is still waiting for your wedding video.]

[She looks much better today. Who knows, we might even be able to help babysit when her surgery is finished.]

Just reading the texts left my chest hurting.

I had a huge fight with Aron because of Penny before Molly got sick, and we were ready to break up.

But after Molly collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, he came immediately, holding my helpless self in his arms and assuring me tenderly, "Don't worry. She's going to be fine—I'll get her the best doctor right away."

And he came good on his promise, having meticulously overseen Molly's stay at the hospital.

When I cried hysterically during Molly's worst nights, he was there for me, helping me get through the pain.

At that time, he was completely cut off from Penny, which was why this wedding was possible in the first place.

I just didn't think that it would be at the wedding when Aron combined with Penny to hit me the worst way they could.

Wiping away my tears and taking deep breaths to quell the pain in my chest, I tried to get on my feet when I received another text from Penny.

Attached with it was a photo of her making love with Aron, and she wore a bridal gown!

Even as my eyes widened, too stunned to react, another text came.

[You can tell if these are real, can you? I won't lie—I tried your bed with Aron a month ago.]

[He's pretty good, but since you rejected him, then I shall happily receive him.]

A month ago…?

Realizing what Penny was getting at, I felt like I'd fallen into an abyss again.

Chapter 3

A month ago, Penny had gone to my mother's ward with the excuse of visiting and showed her a photo of herself making love with Aron.

It upset my mom so much that she passed out, and Penny left without even buzzing the nurse.

If I hadn't returned in time, my mother really would have died.

Aron was furious after learning what Penny did and left to punish her even though I tried to stop him.

He left for the whole night.

The sun was up by the time he returned to the hospital, his clothes ragged as he told me, "Don't worry, Lydia. I punished her so badly that she'll never try to pull something like this again. If she does, it will mean her death!"

I had teared up in gratitude at the time, but as it turned out, they were just making love while my mother suffered.

I laughed through my tears even as Penny sent more photos, including the mess that was my bed, and Aron who was sound asleep.

[Aron was so upset I almost killed your mom that he punished me seven times that night. Call it stress-testing your bed—no need to thank me.]

[Oh, and by the way, there was a camera recording the wedding the whole time, including the part with the AI video. It's been sent to your mom, so I wonder if that fossil will survive this time…]

Even as she sent a taunting emoji just to rub it in, my mind went blank.

Then, I started to rush straight for the hospital.

That was when my phone rang urgently again, and I picked up with shuddering fingers.

"Lydia!" my father, John Sims, cried anxiously. "What is going on?! Someone came saying he brought a video of your wedding, but your mother collapsed after watching a few seconds of it!

"The doctor said she's now in critical condition, and they need the specialist from before, but I can't reach the specialist!

"I can tell that you and Aron are fighting, but we really need the specialist's help now! Just bear with it for your mom's sake, okay? I'm begging you…"

John's voice was choking with tears beside my ears, and my hands kept shaking as I rasped, "It's alright. I'll go to Aron right now—Mom's going to be alright, I promise."

I knew Aron was forcing me to submit by using Molly's illness.

My tears were raining over my phone screen and blurring my vision, while my fingers trembled repeatedly.

However, he only answered after I called him for the fourteenth time. "Who's this, interrupting my wedding night?"

I ignored that and promptly said, "Aron, you have to send your specialist to operate on my mom. Penny sent the video to her—"

Aron simply snorted. "You left me at the altar, Lydia. And I'm now Penny's husband—is this how you talk to another woman's husband? And what other false charges do you have? If that's all you have, I'm hanging up."

My tears were gushing, and my chest hurt so much that I was suffocating, but I clenched my teeth to calm myself down. "Please send the specialist to save my mother."

I knew he wouldn't care about anything I had to say, and Penny might even have sent the videos with his permission.

Even as my head was buzzing, Aron finally growled, "Come to my bedroom. Shouldn't you apologize to my wife after making her upset? If you can please her, then the specialist will come."

Chapter 4

Hanging up, I was left clutching my chest as I panted heavily.

However, I didn't waste a second and arrived at the bedroom in just ten minutes.

There were wedding photos of me and Aron hung around the room, but now, every half of the photo of me was ripped off and dumped in the bin.

I stayed silent however, watching as Penny sat on the bed, her legs dangling in the air.

There were hickeys all over her body, and the air was thick with the scent of hormones.

But I didn't care, and my eyes were fixed on Aron. "I'm here. Can you send the specialist now?"

Aron frowned. "I told you—apologize to my wife. Why would I send the specialist for you? We're not related in any way."

Not related in any way—that was all he thought of our seven-year relationship.

I pursed my lips but turned to Penny. "I'm sorry."

I had no idea what I had done to her, but I had to submit.

Aron then sighed. "Penny had to clean up the mess you made, but you'd still insult her? Shouldn't you be thanking her too and apologizing even more?"

I said nothing as I turned to Penny to apologize again, while she smirked at me loftily. "This isn't enough. Get down on your knees and slap yourself while apologizing ninety-nine times. That's a real bargain for your mother's life, don't you think?"

I turned my reddened eyes toward Aron before I knew it, only to see him grinning broadly. "What are you looking at me for? My wife calls the shots here. It's your fault for not choosing to be my wife."

I hence turned away and dropped to my knees, my slaps and apologies ringing across the room.

Aron was troubled seeing my cheek turned flush and bleeding, but Penny tugged on his sleeve, and he bellowed coldly, "Harder! Is this half-hearted effort with your mother's life?"

I paused but started slapping myself even harder then, with blood starting to stream down my cheeks.

Aron watched with a look of clear rage, gritting his teeth. "Do you regret leaving me at the altar now? If you had just endured it, you wouldn't have to do this! If you apologize to me right now and promise to never bother me and Penny again, then you can stop right now."

I said nothing and kept slapping myself until I did so ninety-nine times, my face covered in blood as I looked up again. "There. Are you satisfied?"

Aron snorted despite himself and dragged me by my wrist outside. "Fine, you win—I'll take you to the hospital now. The specialist is already there. How terrible am I to you that you'd rather hurt yourself than make peace?"

As he kept rambling on, I still couldn't say a word as my head was spinning.

"Ahh!"

That was when Penny cried out, suddenly collapsing on the floor.

Aron looked at me, but he eventually pursed his lips and returned to Penny's side. "The specialist is there. Just go to the hospital—I'll stay with Penny."

I never stopped for a second—Aron's choice no longer mattered to me.

However, when I arrived outside the operating room, I found my father, John, sitting at the bench outside, staring blankly at me.

Beside him was a body covered under a white cloth.

I froze, my head suddenly hurting even more, threatening to render me unconscious.

Later, we heard heavy footsteps down the hallway as Aron hurried to us. "So? Is your mother's surgery finished?"

I looked up and pointed at the body under the white cloth, my voice hollow. "You've killed her, Aron Quaker."