Chapter 3

Megan replied almost instantly.

Ivy, are you sure? Should I notify Mr. Kensington about the new location?

No. Tell Julian. And prepare the best suit you can find for him.

The typing indicator remained on the screen for a long time.

In the end, Megan sent only one word.

Okay.

Not long afterward, she sent another message.

Mr. Ainsworth said he had already prepared the suit and the ring. He told me not to worry about either one.

A photo of the suit and ring arrived with the message.

I recognized the ring at a glance.

It was my design.

Julian had commissioned an identical one.

The only difference was the center stone.

He had used the diamond I’d always wanted—an eight-carat cushion-cut stone.

Sebastian had thought it was too expensive and replaced it with a cheaper one.

“Are you going to stand there and watch us exchange rings and kiss?” Chloe asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Wouldn’t that be too cruel?”

I locked my phone, turned away from them, and started walking.

“Ivy, go wait for me. You’re still the woman I’m marrying.”

Sebastian grabbed my hand and spoke softly.

Chloe suddenly stopped us again.

“Wait. Sebastian bought that watch too, didn’t he? Aren’t you going to take it off?”

“He bought it for today’s wedding, right?”

“And that wedding dress is custom-made, isn’t it? You certainly have expensive taste, demanding a six-figure dress.”

“If you’re leaving, give back everything Sebastian bought you.”

Then she looked at Sebastian.

“Since she lost the ring to me, I’m the one finishing the ceremony.”

“Doesn’t that mean everything prepared for the wedding should belong to me too?”

Gasps swept through the venue, followed by a flurry of whispers.

“I heard Sebastian gave Ivy everything she has. I guess it’s true.”

“She has to surrender her wedding dress to another woman on her wedding day. How humiliating.”

“She really is a gold digger. She actually thought she could marry into a wealthy family.”

My hands curled into fists at my sides as I stared at Sebastian.

He knew the truth.

From the day I founded my company, I had never relied on his money or connections.

He had never helped me either.

I’d even planned to turn down the investment he had offered.

But Sebastian merely glanced at me.

He didn’t explain a single thing.

“Chloe has a point. You lost, so take it off.”

I instinctively shot back, “What if I don’t?”

“Then we won’t get married. Think carefully, Ivy. We’ve been together for five years, and haven’t you been waiting for this day the entire time?”

I sucked in a sharp breath and laughed coldly.

“Then marry Chloe. You have my blessing.”

Chloe froze.

A flash of delight crossed her eyes.

But Sebastian strode toward me, grabbed my sleeve, and lowered his voice.

“Ivy, don’t do this.”

“You should’ve known this day would come when you used your Sudoku skills to bully Chloe back then.”

“She suffered a lot in London over the past five years. Let her get it out of her system.”

“Besides, you’re still the woman I’m marrying. You just won’t be taking part in the rest of the ceremony.”

I explained again.

“She challenged me to that match five years ago. I never went after her.”

“There was no bet at any point, and I knew nothing about her decision to leave the country.”

Sebastian froze.

For a moment, something in his eyes softened.

Then Chloe suddenly spoke.

“Forget it. There’s no point talking about it now.”

“I don’t want the ring anymore. Ivy, you’re more calculating than I thought.”

“You saw how close Sebastian and I were, so you schemed to drive me away.”

“I was young and foolish enough to fall for it. I just never knew anyone could be as shameless as you.”

She turned to leave.

As she pushed up her sleeve, the vicious scars on her wrist were exposed.

Chloe had suffered those injuries during her years abroad.

The sight filled Sebastian with guilt all over again.

Without hesitation, he tore the watch from my wrist.

The strap scraped my skin, leaving it burning.

“She’s bleeding!” someone cried.

Regret flickered across Sebastian’s face.

“Go take care of the wound yourself.”

Then he looked at Chloe, waiting for her approval.

“She can keep the dress. Let Ivy leave with some dignity.”

Chloe looked devastated.

“Her dignity? What about mine?”

Sebastian sighed before turning to me.

“Ivy! We’ll have another wedding later, okay?”

“Take off the dress too.”

“If it weren’t for you, Chloe wouldn’t have suffered so much abroad or gotten hurt so badly.”