Chapter 2

Hailey's POV

"Hailey, you designed this bridal crown yourself. Mr. Carter is definitely buying it as your wedding gift tonight."

"Of course he is. Everyone in New York knows how much Eric spoils Hailey. He even named his luxury jewelry brand after her. Who wouldn't be jealous?"

At the charity auction, the socialites around me were whispering about my relationship with Eric Carter.

I sat in the front row, staring calmly at the crown on the stage.

I had pulled three consecutive all-nighters to sketch that design. It was meant for me to wear at my wedding with Eric next month.

"Fifty million!"

Eric's deep, cold voice rang out beside me as he raised his paddle.

The crowd gasped, followed by warm laughter and envious stares.

"Mr. Carter is indeed generous."

The hammer fell. The deal was closed.

The staff carefully brought the dazzling crown to Eric.

I curved my lips slightly, about to reach for it, but Eric walked right past my outstretched hand.

He took the crown and walked straight toward the back row of the venue.

There, a woman in a white dress with a gentle aura was standing. I hadn't even noticed when she arrived.

Under the shocked gazes of everyone in the room, Eric gently placed the bridal crown on her head.

"Welcome home, Claire," he murmured, his voice dripping with tenderness.

Dead silence.

The socialites who had been flattering me a second ago now looked at me with blatant mockery and pity.

"Is that Claire Bennett? The girl Eric actually loved?"

"Claire is back, so Hailey, the placeholder, has to pack her bags. I knew it. How could a billionaire like Eric actually fall for a nameless orphan? She was just a rebound."

"How pathetic. Their wedding is next month. I guess it's canceled now."

Their sharp whispers pricked like needles.

But I didn't even blink.

I stood up, stepping forward in my high heels, and walked over to them.

Claire shrank back slightly, hiding behind Eric, her eyes pooling with tears. "Eric, is Miss Miller mad? I'm so sorry, I didn't know this crown was..."

"You don't need to apologize." Eric shielded Claire behind him and glared at me coldly. "Hailey, Claire just got back to the States. Consider this crown a welcome-home gift for her. You're not that petty, are you?"

I looked at the man I had "loved" for five years.

Over these five years, Eric had given me absolute devotion. He showered me with resources, made me a lead designer, and even insisted on marrying me despite his family's fierce opposition.

Everyone thought I loved Eric more than life itself.

But only I knew the truth. I didn't love him at all.

"I don't mind," I said, my voice flat, without a single ripple of emotion. "I only have one question. Is our wedding next month still on?"

Eric froze.

I was acting too calm, like a stranger whose only concern was the contract of the wedding.

"Are you really that desperate to marry me?" Eric let out a harsh laugh, his eyes filled with contempt. "Fine. If you agree to be Claire's assistant for her comeback show, the wedding will go on as scheduled."

Asking a lead designer to be a personal assistant to a socialite who knew nothing about design?

It was a public humiliation.

Gasps echoed around us. Everyone waited for me to break down and cry.

Instead, I just looked at him for two seconds and nodded. "Okay. I agree."

With that, I turned around and walked away, my spine perfectly straight, without a single hint of regret.

As I walked out of the auction hall, the night breeze was chilly.

A mechanical voice suddenly echoed in my mind.

"Hailey, the quest progress has reached 90%. Once your wedding with Eric Carter is successfully completed, you will receive the final reward."

I took a deep breath and whispered in my mind, "I know."

Five years ago, a System brought me to this world. My mission was to make Eric Carter fall in love with me and have a wedding with him.

Once the quest succeeded, the System would resurrect the only man I had ever truly loved, Julian Vance.

For Julian, I would gladly play the role of an assistant. I would gladly die.

I didn't care who Eric loved.

All I needed was a wedding to complete my quest.