Chapter 1

1

I spent ten years building my top-veterinarian boyfriend into the internet's most beloved pet doctor.

When my five-year-old cat contracted a rare, life-threatening condition, I waited hours for an appointment at his clinic. But when my turn finally arrived, he refused to treat my cat, bumping me to the very end of the line under the guise of maintaining medical impartiality.

Immediately afterward, he fast-tracked his childhood friend Amber so her cat could get a routine checkup. By the time my cat finally reached the operating table, she was barely breathing.

When we got home, I packed my bags, my heart completely hardened.

Tristan, usually the picture of cold composure, turned pale. He knelt before me with a velvet box in hand, blocking the front door.

"Valerie, I thought you of all people would understand. My reputation is under constant scrutiny. You are my partner, so I have to avoid any appearance of favoritism." He gripped my hands, his voice desperate. "Amber's mother entrusted her to my family on her deathbed. Taking extra care of her is just basic decency."

My heart softened, and I accepted the ring.

Until my wedding day.

Thirty minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to begin, I accidentally overheard Tristan speaking with the officiant outside the green room.

"Amber's cat threw up a moment ago. Find an excuse to delay the ceremony for a bit while I run over to examine it."

Amber clung tightly to his arm, looking up at him with a sweet, coy pout. "Tristan, you spoil me so much. But what if Valerie gets mad?"

Tristan stroked her hair affectionately, his tone dripping with casual indulgence. "I am giving her the wedding of her dreams. Spoiling you a little is only fair."

He paused, his voice utterly relaxed and certain. "Besides, she will not make a scene. A single wedding is enough to keep her satisfied."

I stood frozen in the corridor, an icy chill sweeping through my entire body.

Ten years of devotion had earned me nothing more than a arrogant assurance that she will not make a scene.

Slowly, I pulled off the diamond ring that had never quite fit my finger. I pushed open the door and looked at them with a completely calm expression.

"If her cat is so important, why do we not just cancel the wedding altogether?"

Tristan's smile froze. He turned to me, his brow furrowing in instant irritation. "Stop being ridiculous! It is just a short delay."

It was supposed to be the most important event of our lives, yet in his mouth, it sounded like a casual game that could be delayed whenever he pleased.

My gaze drifted over his attire. He wore a crisp, bespoke suit tailored to perfection. I had pulled countless favors six months ago to secure a top Italian designer specifically for this piece. The day the suit arrived, he had spun me around in his arms, swearing he would cherish my love forever.

Now, Amber was clinging tightly to his sleeve, her grip crumpling the tailored fabric. He did not care in the least. Instead, he gently patted her hand to comfort her.

I pulled my eyes away, my voice barely above a whisper. "Am I really the one being ridiculous, Tristan? You are the groom ditching his bride minutes before the altar to examine a childhood friend's pet."

A dismissive smirk touched his lips. "Do not make a mountain out of a molehill. You are just jealous of Amber. It is a minor issue that can be solved by pushing the ceremony back an hour."

A minor issue.

In Tristan's eyes, everything concerning me was a minor issue. My cat almost dying from a delayed operation was a minor issue. Missing the sacred hour of our wedding was a minor issue. Yet a single sneeze from Amber's cat was an urgent emergency.

The officiant glanced nervously between us, carefully weighing his words. "Is there any chance another veterinarian at the clinic could examine the pet? That way, neither side is delayed. Missing the scheduled hour for the ceremony is really not ideal."

Amber bit her lip, looking visibly tense.

Holding the diamond ring in my palm, I felt a faint, foolish flicker of hope rise in my chest.

Tristan rejected the idea without a second thought. "No! I have always managed Cleo's health personally. Amber does not trust any other doctor."

Amber's posture relaxed immediately, a triumphant glint flashing beneath her innocent eyes. "But Tristan... what if Valerie really cancels the wedding?"

"She is just trying to intimidate me." Tristan looked at me, letting out a soft, mocking chuckle. "You fought so hard to finally get the title of Mrs. Vance. Do you really have the guts to walk away from this wedding?"

So he knew. He knew exactly how much I valued him and this marriage. My love had simply become the weapon he used to trample over my dignity.

I offered a self-deprecating smile, no longer hesitating. Dragging the heavy lace train of my bridal gown, I walked forward and set the ring on the table beside him.

Tristan's hand snapped out, clamping around my wrist with enough force to crush my bones. His eyes swept over the ring, then landed on my face. The smirk vanished from his lips, his voice pressed through gritted teeth. "Are you playing for real?"

"I am."

Amber looked up at Tristan, her voice soft and fragile. "Forget it, Tristan. I will just take Cleo to the clinic by myself. Do not make Valerie upset."

Her words only darkened Tristan's temper. His grip on my wrist tightened even further. "I gave you enough face today, Valerie," he sneered, his tone turning commandingly cold. "Put the ring back on and wait here for me to finish. Otherwise, the imported medication for Butterscotch stops today."

I yanked my hand out of his grip, a sharp, stabbing pain tearing through my chest. "You are threatening me?"

Butterscotch was my five-year-old cat suffering from the rare disease. After the previous near-fatal delay, Tristan had offered to keep Butterscotch at his main hospital facility, claiming she would receive top-tier round-the-clock care.

Butterscotch had kept me company through countless lonely nights. I had genuinely believed he cared for her out of love for me. I never imagined he would use my cat's life as leverage to bend me to his will.

Tristan smoothed his crumpled sleeve, looking down at me with utter arrogance. "It is not a threat. I am simply teaching you to be compliant. Furthermore, my professional reputation cannot have any stains."

He turned to the officiant, issuing cold instructions. "Announce to the guests that the ceremony is delayed because the bride's family is running late. After all, you do not have any family coming anyway, right?"

I clenched my fists, the cruelty of his words choking the breath out of my lungs.

Taking my silence as obedience, he reached out, lifted my chin, and leaned down to whisper near my ear. "That is a good girl. Wait for me to get back."

Without another word, he wrapped an arm around Amber's waist and walked out the door.

The officiant offered me a look of deep pity. "Miss Jiang... should I inform the guests according to Mr. Vance's instructions?"

I nodded mindlessly, my heart entirely numb.

My family. Not a single person from my family would attend today. Tristan knew better than anyone why that was, yet he chose to use my deepest wound to strike me down.

The air conditioning in the green room was turned up too high, making me shiver violently. I picked up the oversized ring from the table and walked toward the vanity mirror.

After I accepted his proposal, I realized the ring was entirely the wrong size. My fingers were slender, and the ring slipped off multiple times every single day. Yet I had refused to take it off, clinging to the pathetic hope that it meant our relationship would last.

Looking back now, even the ring size had been bought according to Amber's measurements.

Passing a trash bin near the doorway, I paused. With a gentle flick of my wrist, the diamond ring dropped straight into the garbage. I did not look back.

Inside the dressing room, I pulled out my phone and typed a quick message to the hotel's general manager.

Outside, the officiant had already announced the delay to the main hall. My makeup artist stood nervously in the corner, while my two closest friends and bridesmaids looked at me with deep concern.

I ripped the heavy veil off my head, offering a bitter laugh as I gave them a brief overview of what had happened.

"This is absolutely outrageous!" Zoe paced back and forth across the room, her eyes burning with fury. "What kind of precious cat requires the groom to ditch his own wedding altar?! Are you really going to swallow this disrespect, Valerie?"

Phoebe's face was flushed with anger, her fists tightly clenched. "Absolutely not!"

I reached out and took Zoe's hand. "I need you to do something crucial for me right now. Take my ID and authorization forms, head straight to Tristan's hospital while he is away with Amber, and discharge Butterscotch immediately."

"Leave it to me!" Zoe agreed instantly. "But what about her treatment? Only his hospital has access to the imported serum!"

Phoebe pulled out her phone, her eyes flashing with determination. "Get her out first! We will figure out the medication later!"

Zoe turned and rushed out without even changing out of her bridesmaid gown. Phoebe knelt beside me, gently rubbing my cold back. "I still cannot believe Tristan turned into such a monster. Was it really worth sacrificing everything for him back then?"

Mentioning the past sent my mind drifting back to the man Tristan used to be.

The Tristan who would run across half the city in a snowstorm just to buy me warm chestnuts, holding them inside his coat so they would stay hot for me. The Tristan who was so broke he only had a hundred dollars left, yet borrowed two hundred more just to treat me to a proper hotpot dinner. The Tristan who drove eight hundred miles straight just to watch the sunrise with me, willing to grant my every wish.

I had no idea when that man had vanished.

I finally accepted the painful truth: the Tristan worth sacrificing everything for had died long ago in the passage of time.

I took a deep, steadying breath, stood up, and walked toward the changing room.

Before I could reach the door, Tristan's mother pushed her way inside, flanked by a group of groomsmen who blocked the entrance.

Seeing my intent to strip off the wedding dress, Tristan's mother crossed her arms, offering a sneer. "Tristan merely left to treat an ill animal. He will be back shortly. Valerie, throwing a temper tantrum on your own wedding day shows a severe lack of upbringing."

The groomsmen chimed in behind her. "Come on, bro's girl, Tristan already said you had to beg for this wedding. Do not make things awkward for everyone."

One of the groomsmen initiated a video call with Tristan. On the screen, Tristan listened quietly to their chatter, a faint smirk touching his lips. On his wrist was the limited-edition luxury watch I had spent six months of my savings to buy for him.

I let out a cold, mocking laugh.

My eyes swept over the groomsmen, glanced past the phone screen, and finally locked onto Tristan's mother. "Your son abandoned his bride minutes before the altar to run off with his childhood friend. Is that your definition of proper upbringing?"

The old woman's face flushed crimson with humiliation. "You freeloading orphan! You have no right to speak to me like that!"

Tristan's icy voice echoed through the phone speaker. "Watch your mouth, Valerie! How dare you speak to my mother like that!"

He sneered through the screen. "Do you still think you are the wealthy heiress of the Harrison Maritime Group?"

My chest tightened painfully.

Years ago, after our relationship stabilized, I had confessed my true identity to him as the eldest daughter of the Harrison Shipping Empire and brought him to meet my father. My father had taken one look at him and demanded I break up with him immediately.

Valerie, that boy's heart is not pure.

To be with Tristan, I had cut ties with my father and stormed out of the family mansion, refusing all contact for years.

After I helped Tristan build his personal brand into a massive veterinary influencer, he never once mentioned visiting my father again. I had assumed he wanted to achieve greater success before seeking my father's approval.

It turned out he had simply harbored a bitter grudge, using my estrangement as a weapon to degrade me. Because I had no family backing me, he believed I deserved to be humiliated on my own wedding day.

A tear slipped down my cheek, cold against my skin. I wiped it away casually.

Tristan's mother added her own taunts from beside the screen. "Harrison Maritime? We haven't heard a peep from them in years! She probably made the whole thing up!"

"She is just a lonely orphan clinging to my son," she continued arrogantly. "Only a soft-hearted man like Tristan would still take in an aging woman like her."

The groomsmen laughed and nodded in agreement.

Phoebe rushed forward, shielding me with her body. "Tristan Vance, have some decency! Her social media strategies made your entire career! Valerie gave up a life of luxury to suffer alongside you!"

Amber squeezed into the phone frame, offering a sweet, mocking grin. "Following Tristan is never a sacrifice, Phoebe. It is pure sweetness!"

Phoebe glared at her, refusing to engage.

Seeing that I was still moving toward the changing room, the groomsmen stepped forward, physically grabbing my arms.

In the chaos, I was shoved heavily to the floor. A section of my lace dress was crushed under heavy dress shoes, and my knee scraped hard against the tile, leaving a painful, bleeding gash.

Two groomsmen pinned Phoebe's arms behind her back. One of them reached his hand toward the hem of her skirt.

My eyes went wide with horror. Sitting on the floor, I let out a frantic, desperate scream. "No! Stop!"

"Enough! I will not change my dress!" I wept, shaking violently. "I will wait for the ceremony! Just leave her alone!"

Seeing my pathetic state on the floor, a flicker of restraint flashed across Tristan's face on the screen, but his heart hardened again instantly. "See? If you had been compliant from the beginning, none of this would have happened. Wait quietly for my return."

I shook violently with rage, ignoring his voice entirely. I dragged myself over to Phoebe, helping her up as we held each other in the corner.

I apologized to her repeatedly through my tears. She held me back, her hands trembling as she whispered that she was okay. Hearing her comfort only broke my heart further.

For the first time in my life, I truly hated someone.

He could fall out of love with me, and I would accept my loss gracefully. But how dared he allow his friends to humiliate my loved ones and threaten my pet? How dared he!

Leaving two groomsmen behind to guard the room, Tristan's mother and the rest of the group headed to the main hall.

The makeup artist walked over quietly, helping us fix our ruined attire. I squeezed Phoebe's hand, offering her a subtle look to signal that this was far from over.

Ten minutes later, my phone vibrated with an incoming notification.

High-definition surveillance footage from both the green room and the dressing room had been successfully delivered to my personal cloud storage.

Building Tristan into the top veterinary influencer had required exceptional technical skills, and capturing behind-the-scenes footage was second nature to me.

To gather high-quality video material for our wedding to boost his channel's engagement, I had personally sponsored ultra-high-definition 4K security cameras throughout the hotel venue, securing full administrative access from the general manager.

I had never imagined those cameras would become my ultimate proof to expose the truth.

An hour passed, and Tristan was still nowhere to be seen.

In the main banquet hall, guests were growing restless, murmuring about how disrespectful the bride's family was for causing such a massive delay.

Amber posted an update on her social media feed, tagging my account directly.

It was a photo taken from a girlfriend's perspective, showing Tristan holding her cat gently during an examination.

Caption: Cleo is so lucky! The moment her dad heard she was unwell, he put off his wedding to rush to her side.

Tristan had commented below: As I should. Otherwise, a certain someone would be crying her eyes out again.

A row of comments from the groomsmen sat right underneath: Bro is truly devoted.

Looking at the post, I felt a strange sense of detachment. The pain in my chest had evaporated entirely. I even tapped a cold, emotionless like on the post.

Two hours passed, and Tristan still had not returned.

Many guests began leaving in frustration. The media outlets I had invited to cover the wedding were already recording negative commentary about the event's organization.

In the past, I was the one who meticulously managed his public relations and maintained those media contacts. Now, I sat quietly in the dressing room, watching the slow collapse of his reputation.

Tristan's mother paced outside the dressing room ten times, looking anxious and hesitant, but never stepped inside.

Two and a half hours after the scheduled time, Tristan finally returned.

Seeing me still wearing the wedding dress and sitting quietly on the sofa, he let out an instinctive sigh of relief. He immediately launched into an accusation. "Why are you sitting here instead of going out to comfort the guests?"

I rolled my eyes, offering no response.

A sudden wave of panic flared in his chest, as if something was slipping completely out of his control. "Your behavior today has been appalling. As a punishment, you will no longer manage my social media accounts."

"Amber will be taking over all your previous responsibilities. If you perform well during the remainder of the ceremony, I might consider giving you another chance."

I remained entirely silent.

Seeing that I was not frantically begging for his forgiveness as I usually did, Tristan narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

Amber stood beside him, her face flushed with excitement. "Tristan, I will do a much better job than Valerie!"

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss against the corner of Tristan's lips.

Tristan froze, failing to pull away in time. Seeing that I still offered zero reaction, his anger flared again.

My phone buzzed in my hand with an incoming text message from a contact number I knew by heart, yet had not dialed in years.

Instinct told me that Phoebe had taken matters into her own hands.

I stared at the screen for three seconds before opening the message:

Stubborn girl! You are even more hard-headed than your old man! Would bowing your head kill you? I am arriving on my private jet right now. I will be at the venue in ten minutes.

Reading the familiar words, I could almost picture my father standing in front of me, shouting at me with stern, booming affection.

I bit my lip hard, forcing back the sob rising in my throat, but tears spilled over my lashes, cascading down my cheeks like broken pearls.

I had not cried when I caught Tristan delaying the wedding for Amber's cat. I had not cried when he used my cat's life to threaten me. I had not cried when his mother and friends mocked me for being an orphan.

Yet now, I could not stop my tears from falling.

Tristan had assumed my father had abandoned me over the years. He never knew that the cold distance between us was the result of a ten-year bet I had made with my father to prove my love. I had agreed not to return home or use family resources until I proved Tristan was worthy.

Seeing me weep, the panic in Tristan's heart subsided. He assumed I was finally surrendering.

He stepped forward, reaching out to wipe my tears, offering a condescending gesture of mercy. "It is good that you understand your mistake. When the ceremony starts, make sure to offer a proper apology to the guests."

"Tell them your family arrived late and caused the delay. If you do that, I will let you keep managing my accounts."

I let out a soft laugh, slapping his hand away.

I closed my eyes, wiped my own face dry, and opened them with absolute clarity.

The officiant's voice echoed through the hallway speakers, announcing that the groom and bride were entering the main hall.

I lifted the heavy skirt of my gown and walked firmly toward the main entrance.

Tristan called out for me to wait, but I never turned back.

Reaching the grand doors of the hall, I saw a tall, mountain-like man standing by the entrance, looking just as dependable as he had in my childhood memories.

Seeing me look over, he offered a stern, reassuring nod.

Tristan, who had caught up behind me, took one look at the man's face, and his complexion turned as ghostly pale as a corpse. A wave of icy terror rushed straight up his spine.