Chapter 8
Willow contentedly took his arm as they walked up the steps, ready to rehearse the wedding ceremony.
But the moment she turned around-
“Riiip!”
The dress suddenly tore along the waistline, and then the entire gown collapsed like an avalanche!
Willow screamed, frantically grabbing at the fabric, but she missed her footing and tumbled straight down the stairs!
“Willow!”
Mason’s face went white as he rushed over to catch her, quickly pulling off his suit jacket to cover her exposed body.
But it was too late. The rehearsal venue was packed with reporters–camera flashes went off like crazy, capturing every moment of Willow’s naked
umble.
That same day, hashtags like #Vale Corp Bride Exposed and #WillowWedding Fail shot straight to the top of trending topics.
At the hospital, chaos reigned.
When the bodyguards forced Lyra into the hospital room, Mason was standing by the window with a cigarette between his fingers, the ashtray already overflowing with butts.
He turned around, pain flickering in his eyes. “Lyra, have you lost your mind?”
Lyra looked at him calmly. “What?”
‘The dress!” He crushed out his cigarette violently, his voice suppressing barely contained rage. “I thought you really didn’t care anymore, but you actually sabotaged the wedding dress?!”
Lyra was stunned for a moment, then laughed. “You think I did this?”
‘Who else could it be?!” Mason grabbed her wrist, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush her bones. “Destroying someone’s reputation is the lowest hing you can do, especially when she’s carrying my child! Willow’s hemorrhaging badly now–we almost lost the baby! She has a rare blood type and the hospital’s running low. You need to donate blood!”
Looking at his furious expression, Lyra suddenly found it all absurd.
He didn’t even ask–just assumed she was guilty.
She opened her mouth to say “it wasn’t me,” but she knew even if she refused, they’d force her anyway.
She was leaving soon. She didn’t want any more complications.
So she lowered her eyes and said quietly, “Fine. I’ll donate.”
The blood draw took forever.
Lyra lay on the hospital bed, watching the red blood flow through the tube, drop by drop–like all the love she’d given Mason over the years, slowly being drained away.
Outside the room, Mason’s parents rushed in and immediately pointed at Lyra, raging, “You vicious woman! Sabotaging the wedding dress! Now Willow’s been humiliated and hospitalized because of you–we almost lost them both! Are you happy now?!”
Lyra’s face was pale, her voice weak. “I never touched the dress…”
“Shut up!” Mason’s father snapped. “The evidence is clear and you’re still lying?!”
Chapter A
Mason’s mother immediately ordered, “Guards! Take her to the family chapel and carry out the family punishment!”
Mason stood to the side, his hand trembling as he lit a cigarette, but in the end… he said nothing.
Lyra was pressed down on the cold floor of the chapel, the whip tearing open her back, flesh splitting.
She bit her lip hard, refusing to cry out.
But tears fell uncontrollably.
She remembered years ago, the first time she came to the Vale house–Mason had taken her hand and proudly told his parents, “Mom, Dad, this is Lyra Sinclair, my future wife.”
Back then, Mason’s parents had been so kind to her.
But now, they wished she were dead.
When the final lash fell, Lyra finally couldn’t hold on anymore and passed out.
When she woke up again, she was lying in the guest room bed, her back burning with pain.
Mason sat beside the bed. Seeing her awake, his expression was grim. “The doctor said the baby was saved, but Willow’s emotionally unstable now… I was wrong to think you two could coexist peacefully.”
He pulled out a plane ticket and placed it on the nightstand. “Mom and Dad want you to go abroad for a while. Come back after Willow gives birth.”
Lyra looked at the ticket and suddenly laughed.
Tomorrow was his and Willow’s wedding.
He was probably scared she’d make a scene, so he was in a rush to get her out of the way.
She said nothing, just reached for the ticket.
Mason relaxed, his tone softening. “Lyra, get some rest. When this is all over, I’ll come get you.”
Lyra turned her back to him and quietly hummed in agreement.
The next day, the entire city was broadcasting Mason and Willow’s wedding.
Lyra’s immigration paperwork was also finalized.
She dragged her suitcase through the airport terminal.
She looked down at the plane ticket Mason had given her.
Destination: Switzerland, a quiet little town.
She tore the ticket in half and tossed it in the trash.
Then she bought a new ticket.
One–way to Canada.
While waiting to board, the airport’s big screen was broadcasting Mason’s wedding.
Mason wore a sharp suit, Willow was draped in white, beaming with joy.
Lyra suddenly remembered when she was sixteen–Mason’s flushed face as he shouted “Lyra Sinclair, I like you!” across the basketball court.
She remembered her twenty–second birthday when he knelt in the snow, holding out a ring with a trembling voice saying, “Will you marry me?”
She remembered their wedding when she was twenty–five–how he lifted her veil with tears streaming down his face, saying, “Lyra, you’re the only
Chapter &
one I’ll ever love.”
She smiled softly, turned toward the gate, and never looked back.
At the wedding venue, Mason stood on the red carpet, feeling inexplicably restless.
“Now, will the bride and groom please share a kiss-”
Mason frowned and coldly questioned, “Didn’t we say we were cutting that part?”
But before the officiant could answer, his assistant suddenly rushed onto the stage, pale as a ghost, and whispered something in his ear.
Mason’s expression instantly froze.
He grabbed his assistant’s collar, his voice shaking. “…What did you say? Say it again!”
The assistant said tremblingly, “We… we just got word that Ms. Blackwood’s flight to Switzerland… crashed… All 178 people on board… no survivors…”
Chapter 9
