Chapter 4

“Does it only count as betrayal if you sleep with someone else?”

I looked at him.

“When you gave another woman the care that was supposed to be mine, when you watched the whole company humiliate me as some promiscuous woman and chose to stand aside, your heart had already shifted, Pei Yan. And that’s what matters.”

He went white, then gritted his teeth and raised his voice, as though something inside him had broken.

“Yes, I admit I indulged her a little. Do you know why? When I first saw Su Xiaoxiao, she was bright, enthusiastic, full of ambition. Just like you when you started working five years ago! But look at yourself now. All you do is work. You’re cold, like a machine with no feelings. I can’t find the Jiang Zhaozhao who used to smile at me and be affectionate anymore!”

He stepped closer. As though he’d finally found the perfect excuse, a note of grievance entered his voice.

“The point is, I still love you! Su Xiaoxiao was only a substitute. I wanted to find the old you in her. Zhaozhao, I did nothing wrong. You can’t condemn me over a substitute!”

For a moment, his selfish reasoning left me speechless.

Then I laughed.

I laughed until tears nearly came.

“Pei Yan, your hypocrisy makes me sick. Five years ago, you said I wasn’t mature enough. You made the rules: no overnight stays, avoid suspicion. You forced me to become this accommodating, distant person. You killed the Jiang Zhaozhao who loved you so openly. And now you call me boring and find someone young and lively to remind you of her?”

His face went utterly still.

I delivered each word clearly.

“The only person moved by your love is you.”

**8**

Our wedding day was sunny. The venue was decorated in my favorite platinum-and-starry-sky theme.

Just as the emcee announced the exchange of rings and vows, the doors burst open.

Pei Yan rushed in, eyes bloodshot, suit disheveled. None of his usual lofty composure remained.

“I object!”

Ignoring the astonished guests, he strode to the front and stared at me.

“Zhaozhao, you said you wanted to marry me. How can you marry someone else? I don’t care about anything anymore. We can go public. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the company and tell everyone about us. Come with me. Don’t marry him!”

I looked coldly at the man I’d once begged for the smallest scrap of attention. Now he was utterly abject.

Before I could speak, Jiang Yu stepped in front of me, shielding me firmly.

He looked down at Pei Yan, his eyes cold.

“Mr. Pei, this is my wedding to Zhaozhao. If you’ve come to celebrate, there are seats over there. You’re welcome to one. Otherwise, please leave immediately. Don’t ruin our wedding.”

Pei Yan’s face turned ashen. He tried to move around Jiang Yu and reach for me.

“Zhaozhao, I’m begging you. Give me one more chance…”

I stepped out from behind Jiang Yu and avoided his hand.

Meeting his eyes, I spoke softly, leaving no room for hope.

“Your love came too late, Pei Yan. It’s worth less than weeds. I don’t want you anymore.”

Under his despairing gaze, Jiang Yu signaled to security.

Four large guards rushed forward and forcibly removed him as he struggled.

The doors closed again, shutting out the noise.

Jiang Yu turned back and gently adjusted my veil.

“Now, Mrs. Jiang. Shall we exchange rings?”

I smiled and held out my hand.

“I’d be honored.”

**9**

Later, I heard that Pei Yan lost control completely after being thrown out of the wedding.

He returned to the company and had Su Xiaoxiao’s computer and entire chat history examined.

Only then did he discover that none of those incidents had been coincidences.

Staying at his apartment, deliberately taking a selfie in his shirt in the living room, and posting it on WeChat Moments.

Appearing at just the right moment when Director Chen harassed me, producing that photograph of them together, and steering the whole company into humiliating me.

Su Xiaoxiao had carefully planned the trap to drive me away and install herself as the boss’s partner.

When Pei Yan learned the truth, his fury was uncontrollable.