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Chapter 1 The Incident Before the Wedding

Chloe Morgan's POV:

Today was a beautiful day.

I was checking myself out in the mirror, trying on this stunning diamond necklace. Thinking about my boyfriend, Liam Anderson, made me grin like an idiot.

Tomorrow, I was gonna marry him and finally be his wife.

I'm Chloe Morgan, the only heiress of the Morgan Group. My mom passed away when I was young, but my dad, James Morgan, always treated me like his little princess.

Six years ago, my dad married our housekeeper, Mary Morgan, and she moved in with her daughter, Grace Dawson. That was when everything went sideways.

Liam, the guy I'd been crushing on forever, fell for my stepsister, Grace. He told me he saw me as a sister and never liked me that way, then went all out chasing Grace.

But before Grace showed up, he promised he'd marry me when we grew up.

Grace turned him down and went abroad to study, and Liam finally gave up.

One night, after a few too many drinks, he kissed me and said, "Chloe, let's be together."

I had been by Liam's side for twenty years before he finally noticed me. After two years of dating, we were about to tie the knot.

Thinking about Liam made me feel better, and I ignored my stepmom Mary's snarky comments.

Mary sneered, "You're getting married, but you look like you're trying to seduce someone."

She rolled her eyes and added, "Honestly, you've been after Liam for years. If it weren't for your pretty face, he would've turned you down ages ago."

Mary's always had it out for me, favoring her own daughter, Grace.

I felt a surge of anger but pushed it down.

Liam wanted both our families at the wedding tomorrow. Even though Mary didn't like me, I still hoped for a happy marriage with Liam.

I took a deep breath, thinking that once I left this house, I wouldn't have to deal with Mary anymore.

Even though I didn't want to fight with her the night before my wedding, she kept pushing.

Mary snapped, "Chloe, is this how you were raised, ignoring your elders? Makes me wonder how your mother brought you up. Everyone knows you've been chasing Liam for years. You should be ashamed of clinging to someone who likes Grace."

Hearing Grace's name made me sick.

It was Grace who intervened in Liam and my relationship. I began pursuing Liam only after Grace rejected him and left the country.

I spent years waiting for Liam to notice me. Now, he finally chose me.

Why should I feel ashamed?

Just because Grace rejected Liam, does that make him hers?

"But he and Grace were never together!" I shot back.

Mary declared, "So what? Liam never liked you. If Grace hadn't gone abroad, you wouldn't have had a chance."

I couldn't take it anymore and glared at Mary. "Do you want Liam to marry Grace? No matter what you say, I'm not canceling the wedding. Liam likes me now. Since he agreed to marry me, his feelings for Grace are over. I believe that even if Grace comes back, he'll choose me and won't let me suffer."

Hearing my words, Mary went quiet for a moment before saying, "Never mind. I ordered a dress from N.S for your wedding tomorrow. Go pick it up now."

I was super suspicious.

Why would she order a dress for my wedding?

Maybe sensing my doubt, Mary sneered. "I just don't want to embarrass the Morgan family at such an event."

Whatever her reasons, as long as she didn't mess with us tomorrow, it was fine by me.

I glanced at the time. It was getting late, but I could still make it if I left now.

I hurried out, ignoring Mary's weird look.

On the way to N.S, the streets were pretty empty.

N.S, a high-end boutique for the elite, was tucked away in the secluded and spacious Lianshan Bay.

As I approached a corner, I turned the wheel. Suddenly, a blinding white light flashed, and before I could react, there was a loud crash.

My car collided with a black car.

The impact was so strong that my head slammed into the steering wheel, causing a dull pain and a constant buzzing in my ears.

The car door was yanked open, and the next second, a hood was thrown over my head.

Someone dragged me out of the car and hit the back of my neck with a stick. As I lost consciousness, I heard someone nearby making a phone call. "I've done what you asked."

A bucket of cold water was dumped over my head, snapping me back to consciousness.

I moved my hands, which were tied behind my back, and felt a tearing pain in my shoulders, indicating how roughly these gangsters had tied me up.

Suddenly, the hood over my head was ripped off, and I was roughly shoved to the ground. The sudden light made my eyes water, and it took a moment for me to adjust and see clearly.

In the dilapidated warehouse, I was surrounded by men in black hoods. Opposite me stood a man in a long coat, with piercing brown eyes and a high-bridged nose.

He looked anxious and warned, "Don't touch her!"

It was Liam!

He came to save me!

I was about to speak when a cold knife was pressed against my neck. They looked at Liam with a threatening gaze and one of them said, "Liam, choose one."

What did that mean?

I stared at Liam in confusion, only to realize that his gaze wasn't on me but on the person next to me.

A familiar woman's sobbing came from beside me. "Liam, I'm scared."

I stiffly turned my head and saw a face I hadn't seen in years.

What was Grace doing here?

"Liam, I know you're rich and can rescue both women easily. But I don't want to make it that easy for you. Let's play a game," the gangster holding me said with a cruel smile.

Then he continued, "I did some research before capturing them. One is your fiancée, whom you're marrying tomorrow, and the other is the woman you've loved for years. Choose one. You can only save one of them."

My scalp ached as the kidnapper yanked my hair, forcing me to look up.

I knew I must have looked a mess, with my carefully styled hair pulled out in handfuls, the dress I had intentionally changed into now dusty, and my entire body in pain.

Tears of pain blurred my vision, but Liam didn't spare me a glance.

Then, I heard his voice, clear and cold, like a judgment from hell, "No need to think about it. I choose Grace. Now, let her go."

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