Chapter 1
Everyone in Sparrowville said that Margaret Chapman was the happiest woman in town. Gavin Hartley showered her with gifts—a sapphire ring, an asteroid after her name—treating her like she was the center of his universe.
Margaret had always believed it, too. Until the day she accidentally discovered the woman he had been hiding in his villa.
For ten years, he had kept her there—his childhood sweetheart. After she lost herself to schizophrenia, she had said, "Margaret is me." And so, for nearly seven years, Gavin had courted Margaret and cherished her, playing out a love story that had never truly been hers.
Margaret's heart crumbled to ash after she found out the truth. She left without looking back, moving to a country thousands of miles away. But she never imagined that Gavin would lose himself to rage, his eyes burning red as he nearly tore Sparrowville apart.
"Where the hell is Margaret?!"
Chapter 1
"I promise you, I'll give you my identity."
The autumn wind howled, sweeping up a blanket of fallen leaves. After saying those words, Margaret Chapman crushed the glowing tip of her cigarette, her voice cold and detached.
"You won't forget the deal you made with me, right?"
On the other end of the line, a low chuckle rang out. "Sure, no problem. Now, about my identity—"
"I don't want it," Margaret interrupted, her tone even. "If Gavin asks, just tell him I'm dead—if he asks, that is."
She hung up the phone, and moments later, Gavin Hartley's distinctive Maybach pulled up right in front of her. Behind it, a swarm of press cars followed closely.
The man stepped out, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit and a black trench coat. His sharp eyes softened to an almost unbearable tenderness as they met Margaret's gaze.
He walked over and wrapped his coat around her fragile frame, shielding her from the chill. The crowd gasped in admiration.
"Mr. Hartley really softens up whenever he's with Ms. Chapman. She must be so lucky."
"Do you remember Mr. Hartley's birthday gift from last year? A limited edition sapphire ring worth a fortune. I'm so jealous!"
"That's nothing! Mr. Hartley would give up his life for Ms. Chapman! When her mother was diagnosed with uremia, he immediately went to get tested for a kidney match. The way he looked, he seemed ready to donate a kidney right away!"
"Yeah! Although the match didn't work out, I heard he even traveled to several countries just to find a kidney for her mother!"
-
"Isn't it cold?" Gavin's soft voice pulled Margaret back from her wandering thoughts.
"Weren't you supposed to wait for me at the hospital?"
Gavin swiftly removed his own coat and draped it over her shoulders. He was gentle, tender beyond measure.
Margaret hugged the coat tightly around herself. She wanted to smile, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't.
Because, at that moment, she had come to her senses.
A week ago, she had suddenly realized that Gavin had never truly loved her.
It started when Margaret received a package from overseas that was returned to her with the label "Undelivered".
At that time, Gavin had already been abroad for over a month, searching for a kidney for her mother.
Gavin's birthday was approaching, so Margaret had handmade a knitted sweater and sent it to the hospital in Chesterio he had mentioned. She paid for expedited shipping, but it was returned.
The courier said the recipient didn't exist.
When Margaret couldn't get through to him on the phone, she panicked, thinking something had happened to him. She immediately booked a flight overseas.
Her luck was both good and bad. She found Gavin—but not at the hospital he'd told her about.
Instead, she found him at a nearby psychiatric hospital—carrying another girl in his arms.
The girl was playfully messing with his hair, completely carefree, while Gavin laughed, that same warmth in his eyes.
But Margaret remembered, with clarity, that he never allowed anyone to touch his hair.
When Margaret saw the girl's face, her world turned cold.
The girl and she were nearly identical.
Margaret stood in the freezing wind for an hour before hastily booking the earliest flight back home.
She hired a private investigator. Gavin was keeping the girl well-hidden, and it took Margaret a lot of time and effort to find out who she was.
Her name was Marjorie Page, younger than Gavin by four years. She and Gavin had been childhood sweethearts.
They were the perfect match in everyone's eyes.
But Marjorie had long struggled with bipolar disorder, and at eighteen, she had a complete mental breakdown after a traumatic event.
Margaret couldn't help but think back to the first time she met Gavin—back when he was twenty-five. It was three years after Marjorie's breakdown.
They had met at a bar. Margaret had accidentally spilled beer on his expensive coat. He looked up at her, clearly irritated, but when their eyes met, he froze.
After that, Gavin spent six months wooing her—according to others, he put all his time and effort into loving Margaret.
She became the envy of every girl in Sparrowville.
For years, she had thought that the look he gave her was love at first sight.
But now she realized it was all part of some plan.
-
Margaret walked quickly into the hospital, her steps heavy.
Gavin was still "putting on a show".
He didn't follow her, and so, he didn't notice that, as soon as she turned her back, Margaret's face was already streaked with tears.
She allowed herself to cry just once.
Margaret silently made a vow. Once she was done crying, she'd kick Gavin out of her life and start over.
Chapter 2
Margaret's mother was in critical condition, and the doctors had said a kidney transplant needed to happen as soon as possible.
The news Gavin brought her was still bad. "I've checked with several major hospitals, but no luck."
He pressed his fingers to his forehead, a deep frown marking his face. "Let's wait a little longer, see if things change."
Margaret lifted her gaze, meeting Gavin's eyes—and in that moment, without thinking, she asked, "Did you really try looking?"
Gavin froze, his pupils darkening in an instant. Then he gave a dry laugh. "What, you think I haven't tried? Why else do you think I was out of the country for over a month?"
He looked so calm, as if everything were just fine.
But Margaret knew better.
She knew the real reason he had gone overseas. It wasn't for her mother. It was because a genius psychiatrist had recently emerged in Chesterio, and the internet had been buzzing about him. Gavin, who had never given up on Marjorie, had taken her there as soon as possible.
Margaret's heart grew cold. She couldn't stop herself from thinking back on all the times Gavin had used the same excuses to deceive her.
A sharp pain twisted in her stomach, and her face grew pale as she leaned back, forcing a half-smile. "You were gone for over a month. Didn't you think to bring me a gift, or something?"
If he wanted to play pretend, she'd play along. After all, it was only a matter of days now.
Gavin paused, then gently took her hand. "It's in the car."
His brow furrowed slightly when he noticed how pale her face had become, and for a moment, there was a flash of genuine concern in his eyes. "You haven't eaten today?"
"Nope." Margaret lowered her eyes. "I've been running tests with my mom since early this morning. I didn't have time."
Before she could say anything more, Gavin's phone suddenly rang, its ringtone sharp and urgent.
Margaret quickly glanced at the screen.
The image that flashed by was a pearl emoji.
Margaret had never been the type to snoop through someone's phone, but now, she felt a twinge of foolishness for only noticing the contact name at that moment.
Gavin quickly turned away and walked toward the balcony. He answered the phone with a few quick words, then, in a hurry, left the room.
"I'll go grab some chicken soup and bring the gift up," he said, his voice casual.
Margaret leaned back in the cold chair, counting down in her mind.
Ten minutes? Twenty minutes? How long would it take him to return?
The pain in her stomach worsened, and sweat broke out across her forehead. Still, she couldn't stop herself from leaning toward the window, peering down below.
She waited for what felt like an eternity.
But no matter how long she waited, Gavin never came back.
He hadn't planned on returning at all.
A knock on the door startled her. A moment later, the assistant walked in, holding a bowl of chicken soup in one hand and a bottle of Burberry perfume in the other.
"Ms. Chapman," the assistant said softly, "Mr. Hartley had to attend an urgent meeting and couldn't make it up."
He handed her the perfume. "This is the gift he got for you."
Margaret stared blankly at the bottle, a soft "Thanks" slipping from her lips as she took it from him.
Suddenly, she stood up, pushing past the assistant and rushing toward the stairs.
Chapter 3
Margaret saw her again.
Marjorie.
She lived in a villa on the south side of the city, a place isolated from the world. Apart from the few people who took care of her and Gavin, no one ever came by.
But Margaret had been here before. She had studied the villa completely.
She knew where people could be concealed.
Marjorie looked surprisingly well, wearing a long white dress and draped in Gavin's coat.
Margaret felt like a thief.
She had rushed out in such a hurry earlier, running so fast that she lost one of her shoes. Now, barefoot, she stood in the muddy earth, feeling the cold sting of dirt and the tiny crawl of ants against the soles of her feet.
But she wasn't frightened. She was numb, standing still as she watched Gavin and Marjorie's happiness unfold.
Marjorie was barefoot too, but she had her feet resting on Gavin's legs, her pale toes curling up.
She smiled brightly and asked, "Gavin, where's the gift you promised me?"
Gavin pulled out a Burberry handbag.
"Here you go. Do you like it?" Gavin asked softly, running his fingers through her hair.
Marjorie eagerly took the bag, inspecting it, then pouted. "You didn't buy me a fake one, did you? This bag comes with a free perfume! Where is it?"
Margaret froze. She suddenly realized—Gavin hadn't brought her any gift at all.
That bottle of perfume? It was the freebie from Marjorie's gift.
Gavin paused, then shrugged. "I figured it wasn't worth anything, so I tossed it in the trash."
The sharp pain in Margaret's stomach grew, and she slowly sank to her knees. Beads of sweat trickled down her face as her vision blurred.
She had promised herself she wouldn't cry…
But here she was, unable to help herself.
She wiped away the tears that had fallen from her eyes, her body trembling.
The man she thought would always protect her, the one she believed only cared for her… He'd only ever seen her as a trash bin.
Margaret had thought she would be above it, that she could handle the heartbreak with grace. But she was wrong.
Once you've loved with everything you've got, you can't just let go like it's nothing.
And that was why Gavin couldn't just let go of Marjorie.
He had protected her for so many years, kept her within his sights, held on stubbornly.
Marjorie took the bag from Gavin, excitedly slinging it over her shoulder.
"You're the best, Gavin," she beamed. "You always remember what I like. Do you remember when we got engaged? You had yellow roses, and I was carrying my Burberry bag. And you also gave me…
"No, wait…" Marjorie's voice suddenly faltered, and her eyes filled with panic. "You didn't propose to me, did you? Gavin, why haven't you proposed to me? Don't you love me anymore?
"Gavin, we're not married yet, are we?"
Marjorie dropped to the floor suddenly, screaming as she struggled to get up.
Gavin rushed to pull her into his arms, but she slapped him several times in a frenzy.
"Why won't you marry her?!" Marjorie screamed, throwing a picture frame to the ground with a crash.
In an instant, shards of glass flew across the room, cutting Gavin's arms in several places.
A photo, spinning wildly, floated out from the wreckage of the frame.
Margaret could see it clearly.
It was a photo of her and Gavin, taken the first time she had appeared in public as his fiancée.
That day, she had been wearing a Burberry crossbody bag.
"Shh, it's okay." Gavin reached for her, letting Marjorie bite down on his arm, nearly tearing a chunk of flesh from him. "Calm down. I promised you I'd marry her, so I will…"
Margaret couldn't bear to watch any longer.
She turned and fled, almost stumbling in her rush to leave.
Barefoot, she walked over the cold concrete, the night stretching endlessly into the early morning.
And no one even noticed.
Chapter 4
Margaret kept walking until noon the next day.
She had wandered in a daze, and when she saw the villa, it felt like she was in a different world.
Her feet were so sore and raw that she could hardly feel them anymore. She furrowed her brow, took a deep breath, and barely managed to calm herself down.
But when she pushed open the door, it slammed shut with a loud bang, as if something had exploded around her.
As she looked around, she saw colorful streamers hanging everywhere.
Nearby, someone was filming, and it looked like they were livestreaming the event.
Soon, a crowd of onlookers gathered, their faces full of envy as they gossiped excitedly.
"I heard Mr. Hartley has been planning this proposal for a long time!"
"Margaret must be the luckiest woman in the world to be with Mr. Hartley! I'm envious!"
Margaret stared at Gavin as he made his way through the crowd. It took a moment, but then it hit her—Gavin was going to propose to her.
The streamers, the balloons, the flowers, the gifts.
And all the friends and family they knew.
If she hadn't just come from Marjorie's place, Margaret would have been swept up in the fantasy once again.
She was pushed by the crowd into the center of the room.
The pain in her feet was like needles stabbing through her entire body. Yet not a single person noticed she was barefoot.
Her feet were bruised and bloodied. But all eyes were on Gavin's romantic proposal.
Someone handed Margaret a bag—a Burberry bag.
Gavin made his way through the crowd, holding a bouquet of yellow roses.
Margaret remembered telling him once that she only liked red roses—vivid, bold, and free-spirited.
Yellow roses, though, were Marjorie's favorite.
In that moment, Margaret realized the truth.
She understood now why Gavin loved Marjorie so much, and yet chose her as a stand-in.
She was a replacement in Marjorie's eyes. Marjorie had transferred all of her hopes for happiness onto Margaret.
It wasn't that Gavin needed her—Marjorie did.
So now, she was playing along with Gavin's charade, fulfilling Marjorie's fantasies.
Margaret couldn't stop herself from letting out a small, hollow laugh.
To everyone else, it looked like she was overwhelmed with happiness. But to her, all the cheers and shouts felt like they were coming from another world. None of it was hers.
Gavin kneeled in front of her, his eyes full of passion. "Maggie, will you marry me?"
Margaret looked down at him, her voice soft but sharp. "Gavin, are you sure you want to marry me?"
Gavin's brow furrowed slightly. He sensed something wasn't right.
After all, this was the second time in two days that Margaret had spoken to him with such doubt.
A nervous flutter ran through him as he tightened his grip on the yellow roses, lowering his voice. "Margaret, why would you ask that?"
He almost stood up in his haste, grabbing her hand, and began to explain.
"Are you mad at me for not being with you last night? There were some important matters I had to take care of. I didn't mean to stay out. Don't be upset, okay?"
The great Gavin Hartley, pleading like this in front of so many people.
Anyone who saw it would have to admit, he was truly a man in love.
So, naturally, everyone around them supported him, isolating Margaret.
"Ms. Chapman, stop being so difficult. Mr. Hartley had urgent matters to attend to. You can't just use his love for you as an excuse to act spoiled, can you?"
"Yeah, Gavin's the most eligible bachelor in our town. You should count your blessings!"
"You wouldn't believe what kind of engagement gift he has prepared for you!"
Someone squeezed through the crowd, holding up an iPad.
On the screen, a shining star was spinning slowly.
The corner of the screen read that it was a satellite software.
Gavin spoke softly, "Maggie, this is the engagement gift I got for you. Will you marry me?"
Margaret stared at the screen, the noise of the crowd fading in and out.
"Is that… a little asteroid?"
"It's a little asteroid! And Mr. Hartley even named it 'Maggie', a symbol of how much he treasures Margaret. I swear, if I could meet a man like Mr. Hartley in my life, I'd give up ten years of my life just to be with him!"
-
They all cheered and laughed.
Margaret smiled, too.
She lightly tapped the iPad screen, her thoughts circling around the name "Maggie".
This wasn't about Margaret.
It was about his one true love—Marjorie.
Margaret felt the wetness of tears on her cheeks.
They all thought she was moved to tears.
And she was. She was deeply moved.
She was moved by the fact that her fiancé loved another woman this much.
Chapter 5
The scene was over when Gavin finally noticed the bloodied mess of Margaret's feet.
He frowned, his expression shifting. "What happened to your feet? Weren't you at the hospital yesterday?"
Margaret gave a quiet, indifferent response, her tone flat. "I stepped out for a while."
Gavin lowered his gaze, then tore off a few sheets of tissue and placed them over his legs.
He had a thing about cleanliness, but still, he placed Margaret's feet on his legs.
If she hadn't witnessed Marjorie's bare feet placed so casually on Gavin's lap just yesterday, Margaret might have felt something.
Instead, a bitter smirk flickered in her eyes as she asked, "Why the sudden interest in getting married?"
"You've been... acting a little strange lately," Gavin remarked while watching her closely, his brow furrowed. While gently disinfecting her wounds, he added, "What's going on?"
Margaret simply replied, her voice distant. "Nothing."
Gavin still looked concerned, his eyes searching her face, as though trying to figure out what was really bothering her, especially after what happened later.
He received a phone call from his assistant, and after he hung up, his face darkened.
"You're planning to auction off the Blue Diamond?"
The Blue Diamond was the sapphire ring Gavin had given her last year. A one-of-a-kind, limited edition—only one in the world.
Once the news hit that the ring was up for auction, it created a stir, and the event hall was flooded with people.
Gavin stood up abruptly, the sound of Margaret's foot hitting the edge of the chair barely registering.
She sucked in a breath of pain, cold sweat dripping down her back.
Gavin asked again, his voice heavy, "Why are you selling the Blue Diamond?"
Margaret kept her head down as she calmly reached for the iodine and applied it to her feet.
"There's no reason. I just don't want it anymore."
Gavin stood frozen, half of his face shrouded in shadow, his breath quickening.
After a long moment, he squatted down and looked at her with an expression of cautious concern.
"Margaret, something's not right." His tone was almost gentle, as though he were treading carefully around her. "What's really going on?"
For a brief moment, a surge of emotion rose in Margaret's chest.
She wondered—should she just tell him everything?
Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. Maybe Gavin and Marjorie weren't what she thought.
Maybe... maybe Gavin really did love her.
Margaret clenched her jaw, taking a slow, deliberate breath before she spoke, "Actually, I—"
But just as she was about to continue, Gavin's phone rang again.
The familiar pearl emoji popped up on the screen.
Without a second thought, Gavin abandoned all thoughts of Margaret. He quickly stood and walked toward the door.
The sound of his voice was muffled by the glass doors. Soon he came back as he uttered, "I have an urgent meeting. I'll have to go. Take care of your wound."
Margaret called out to him, her voice shaking. "Gavin, don't you want to hear my answer?"
Gavin's brows knit together, and irritation flickered in his eyes.
"What do you plan to do with the Blue Diamond?" Margaret asked, her voice colder now.
Gavin pressed his fingers to his forehead. "If you want to sell it, then sell it," he said, his tone weary.
With a sigh, he added quietly, "We'll talk about it when I get back."
He hurried out, his footsteps fading as he disappeared around the corner.
Margaret's feet curled slightly, and she let out a short, bitter laugh.
She wanted to tell Gavin that all of her courage had run out.
She didn't want to talk about it anymore.
Chapter 6
The auction hall was packed, the air thick with excitement.
As soon as Margaret sat down, someone approached her with a smile. "Ms. Chapman, I heard you're selling the Blue Diamond."
Margaret gave a faint smile, but before she could respond, the conversation had already shifted. "I'm set on getting the Blue Diamond today! It symbolizes Mr. Hartley's perfect love for Ms. Chapman. If I win it, maybe I'll find a man as amazing as him."
"You'd better not try to outbid me! The Blue Diamond has to be mine today!"
Margaret sat quietly in the corner, her gaze down while she absentmindedly scrolled through her phone.
On the screen, the latest surveillance footage appeared—Margaret had installed the cameras during her first visit to Marjorie's villa. From then on, she had kept a close eye on Marjorie, watching every move she made.
One by one, the auction items were presented, and when the Blue Diamond appeared, the room erupted in chaos.
"One million!"
"Three million!"
"Five million!"
The bids kept climbing, but Margaret remained calm while holding her earbud, the sounds from the video feed streaming directly into her ears.
"Just bid ten million." Gavin's voice came through clearly.
On the screen, she saw Gavin talking to his assistant.
"The Blue Diamond has to come back to me," he said, lighting a cigarette. The blue flame flickered in the dim light.
At that exact moment, the auctioneer called out from the event, "Ten million!"
The room went silent, stunned by the sudden jump in price.
"Who's bidding that high?"
"You don't know? I asked around. They said someone is bidding this Blue Diamond on behalf of his boss. Apparently, he's planning to give it to his wife."
"I heard they've been together for almost ten years now, but they're still acting like they're in the honeymoon phase."
"Wow, there's another great guy in the world... Why can't he be mine?"
"Ten million, sold!"
The hammer came down, and the Blue Diamond was once again in Gavin's hands.
In her earpiece, Margaret heard his low voice, calm and firm. "Bring it back."
Two hours later, Margaret, curled up in the corner of the auction hall, watched the footage on her phone. She saw a man from the auction driving the Blue Diamond back to Gavin.
Gavin took it carefully and placed it gently in Marjorie's hand.
The moment Marjorie saw the Blue Diamond, she screamed; "It's hers! This is Maggie's! Don't give it to me. I don't want it! This belongs to Maggie. Only she can wear it!
"You're Maggie's too! Why won't you marry her? You don't love her anymore, do you?"
With a swift gesture, Marjorie tossed the Blue Diamond. It slammed against the wall with a sharp crack, shattering into pieces.
To Gavin, ten million meant nothing.
He held Marjorie, his eyes red with unshed tears. "But you're my Maggie," he whispered, his voice thick with regret. "You're the one I want…"
He sighed, his breath heavy with frustration.
With a sharp motion, Margaret hurled her phone across the room.
The staff nearby jumped, startled, and quickly approached. "Ms. Chapman, is everything alright?"
Margaret shook her head lightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"No problem at all." The staff member smiled, trying to ease the tension. "Congratulations, Ms. Chapman. You're getting married to Mr. Hartley in just three days."
Margaret froze, her heart sinking. "What do you mean?"
The staff member paused for a moment before raising her phone, grinning.
"It was just announced by Hartley Group. Your wedding with Mr. Hartley is set for three days from now. No need to keep it a secret anymore."
Margaret's face went pale, her expression stiff as if she had been struck by ice.
How absurd—she didn't even know she was getting married in three days.
All because Marjorie had asked, "Why won't you marry her?"
Chapter 7
When Gavin called to tell Margaret about the wedding, she was at the hospital.
Her mother's condition had worsened. She desperately needed a kidney transplant, but the organ Margaret had arranged for her was still in Chesterio—still far from reaching her.
Margaret had originally planned to use her own identity to secure that kidney for her mother.
But on the other end of the line, Margaret's younger sister, Eloise Chapman, spoke in a calm, collected tone, "I told you, I'm climbing Mount Casendron right now. I can't make it in time. Even if I flew over now, it'd be tomorrow night before I could get there."
Margaret's hands shook as she whispered, "But Mom really can't hold on much longer. You wanted my identity, didn't you? If Mom dies, I won't have any use for your kidney anymore. Why should I give my identity to you then?"
"I can't do anything about it!" Eloise's voice grew cold as she abruptly hung up.
Margaret felt her hands grow colder too. Her mother's warmth was slowly fading away.
The doctor entered again. "Ms. Chapman, any news about the kidney?"
"Please, please save her..." Margaret's words were barely coherent as she stumbled forward, dropping to her knees. She grabbed the doctor's sleeve, begging relentlessly. "You must have other options, right? Please, save her..."
The doctor gently pushed her hand away, his voice full of regret. "Ms. Chapman, I'm sorry."
His silhouette disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.
Her mother suddenly opened her clouded eyes. She grasped Margaret's hand with a strength she didn't have left.
"Margaret... you must... be happy..." Her voice was weak, each word a struggle.
Then, as she let out a soft sigh, her hand slipped from Margaret's grip, and the machines emitted a sharp, continuous beep. Margaret held her mother's hand, unable to stop the tears that flowed freely, her sobs echoing in the sterile room.
It was then that the phone rang.
The moment Margaret saw the caller ID, she instinctively answered it, almost as if it were a lifeline.
She choked out the words to Gavin.
"Gavin, what should I do?" she whispered between sobs. "My mom... she's gone..."
There was a long silence on the other end of the line.
Faintly, Margaret thought she heard Marjorie's voice in the background.
"Gavin! Who are you talking to?" Marjorie's voice was sweet, almost childlike.
Then there was a sharp beep—Gavin had hung up.
Margaret clutched her phone, which now felt hot to the touch, her heart sinking with each passing second.
Two minutes later, a message popped up on WhatsApp.
[Are you okay?
[I'll come as soon as I finish my meeting.]
Margaret's hands trembled as she opened the surveillance footage. There, she saw Gavin holding Marjorie in his arms, soothing her like a child. He held another woman so tenderly while telling Margaret he would hurry over once his meeting was done.
It was almost laughable.
Her mother's hand still had warmth, but it was quickly fading.
Margaret stared at her mother, and at that moment, she finally understood the meaning of her mother's last words.
To be happy, she could only be happy as Margaret. She couldn't be anyone else's substitute.
Chapter 8
By the time Gavin returned home, it was already past midnight.
Margaret had taken care of all the funeral arrangements for her mother. She had paid a hefty price to move things along quickly, and now, her mother's ashes were resting in a small urn she cradled in her arms.
Gavin entered and froze, surprised to see the urn in the suitcase. "Why is it in the suitcase?" he asked.
Margaret's voice was calm as she answered, "I'm taking her back to her hometown."
Gavin paused, a frown creasing his brow. "When are you planning to take her back?"
"Tomorrow," Margaret replied.
His frown deepened. "The wedding is the day after tomorrow. Maybe you should wait until after the ceremony to take your mom home."
Margaret's fingers clenched tightly around the edge of her coat, her knuckles turning white.
Then, unexpectedly, she smiled, her voice soft but laced with an edge. "My mother's gone. Do we really need to go ahead with the wedding? Our family tradition is to mourn the deceased..."
Gavin sighed, his tone thoughtful. "The wedding has already been announced to everyone. It wouldn't be appropriate to change the date now. I'm sure your mom wouldn't mind. Didn't she always want to see us get married?
"Getting married now would fulfill one of her wishes," he added, his eyes filled with sincerity.
It was hard to deny the truth in his words, yet Margaret felt a deep sadness welling up inside her, a sadness she couldn't shake.
No. Her mother wouldn't want to see her marry a man who didn't love her.
Her mother had wanted her to be happy.
"I understand," Margaret whispered. Her hand gently brushed over the urn, and she spoke with a quiet calmness, "We'll wait until after the wedding, then."
But deep down, she knew. There would be no wedding.
At least, not one for her and Gavin.
Since it was two days before the wedding, Gavin arranged for a wedding dress to be delivered. It was the exact style Marjorie had always loved.
The wedding venue was adorned with countless yellow roses—the very flowers Marjorie adored.
Margaret silently accepted everything Gavin had planned, taking in every detail of the wedding setup. Everything had been done according to Marjorie's tastes.
The night before the wedding, Gavin stopped by the villa to drop off the Blue Diamond—only for Margaret to immediately realize it was a fake.
She could tell. Gavin clearly loved Marjorie deeply and was determined to give her the perfect wedding—one that catered to all of her dreams, right down to the smallest details like the ring.
"See you tomorrow," Gavin said in a low voice while hugging her lightly. "Maggie, you're going to love this wedding."
Of course, his Maggie would love it. But she wouldn't.
At 1:00 AM, Eloise's call came through. "I'm here! Now that Mom's gone, are you sure you still want to trade identities? I don't have anything to give you."
"It's fine. I don't need anything," Margaret replied calmly. "By the way, about tomorrow's wedding..."
Eloise responded eagerly, "Don't worry. I'll be there! Marrying the sweet Mr. Hartley? I couldn't ask for anything better!"
All the words Margaret had wanted to say in that moment were swallowed, replaced by a soft "Okay" before she ended the call.
She pulled her suitcase out, and, under the cover of the deep night, climbed into a cab headed for the airport.
As the city passed by in a blur of lights and noise, a strange impulse stirred in Margaret's chest. She felt like crying, but no tears came. Her eyes were dry, as though the sadness had drained away.
It didn't seem so hard anymore.
Margaret took the phone card from her phone and tossed it out the window. It disappeared into the flow of traffic, vanishing into the night.