Chapter 4
As soon as the words left Vincent’s mouth, the banquet hall broke into chaos.
“Do it now! Do it!”
The entire hall erupted with loud cheers and excitement.
in the middle of the noise, Vincent’s eyes wandered toward a quiet corner.
Alice sat quietly, looking down at her phone, the screen’s cold light hiding her expression.
He spoke in a tight voice, “It’s all too sudden.
“I haven’t even got the ring ready…”
“You’re all I need!” Before he could finish, Juliana threw herself into his embrace, crying into his shirt.
From the side, Alice watched them hug, her fingers digging painfully into
her hands.
It looked exactly the same as before–except last time, she had been alone at the bridal shop, putting on the wedding dress Juliana didn’t want.
“Give me 30 minutes.”
Vincent pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant.
Soon, the banquet hall turned into a full–on proposal setup.
The floor was filled with rose petals, and the champagne glasses sparkled under the lights.
08.04
Chapter 4
Juliana wore the wedding gown the assistant had brought, shaking with joy.
Suddenly, she rushed over to Alice and handed him a camera. “Alice…
“Can you help us capture this special moment?”
“Sure,” Alice replied casually.
As soon as Vincent heard her agree, his grip on the phone tightened slightly.
He expected her to scoff, smash the camera, or say something sharp, just like she often did before.
Instead, she calmly accepted it and even gave a small smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the photos turn out great.”
Her strange politeness made him feel even more uneasy inside.
Just before the proposal started, he couldn’t stop himself from sending her
a text.
“Alice, I know exactly what you’re up to!
“If anything happens to Juliana, I swear you’ll regret it.”
The notification sound was almost drowned out by the noisy crowd.
Alice glanced at her phone. The lock screen reflected a blurred image of herself, pale and quiet, like an old photograph faded by time.
She flipped the phone face down in her palm, but when she lifted the camera, her hands were steady.
Through the lens, Vincent’s white suit glowed warmly under the light.
He walked toward Juliana, holding a bouquet of roses–every step
echoing memories that still lived in Alice’s mind.
“The moment I saw you, I just knew.”
When Vincent knelt down on one knee, the small click of the ring box opening made Alice’s fingers tremble.
The way he looked up at Juliana was so gentle that it pulled her back to her previous life, to the marriage certificate she had once tucked away in a
safe.
The certificate was the same, but the name written on it was no longer
hers.
As the crowd burst into loud celebration, Alice watched through the camera as Juliana leaped into Vincent’s arms.
He lost his balance for a second but smiled and hugged her even closer.
The camera caught it all without missing a beat.
The fabric of his trousers pulled tight as he leaned in, his lashes trembling faintly as their lips met.
There was also the glimmering fragments of light refracted from the diamond on Juliana’s ring finger.
After lowering the camera, Alice noticed a small crescent mark left on his
hand.
She saw the couple hugging, surrounded by a laughing and cheering. crowd, and a quiet smile appeared on her face.
At this grand ceremony, she finally understood how to be a proper bystander.
Alice respectfully gave the camera to Juliana, wearing a polite expression.
Chapter d
“Congratulations-”
But before Alice could say anything more, a loud scream came from behind.
She didn’t even get the chance to turn before someone shoved her hard.
She stumbled forward and smashed into the champagne glasses.
Crash!
The sound of the breaking glass made her ears ring.
Cold wine mixed with blood spread beneath her like a blooming stain, and sharp stinging pain shot through her arms and legs.
She slowly forced her eyes open, and through her hazy sight, she noticed. Vincent anxiously checking if Juliana was okay.
“Don’t worry, Juliana. I shoved her to protect you. You’re not hurt, right?”
Those words felt like sharp glass stabbing straight into her heart.
Alice wanted to laugh, but the tears running down her lips tasted bitter and salty.
So this was how he saw her, not even as a living, breathing person, just something he could throw in front of danger when it mattered most.
Her mind started to go blank, and the loud voices around her grew quieter and more distant.
Right before she blacked out completely, she faintly recalled the marriage. certificate in her previous life.
How ridiculous!
