After swapping out the wedding VCR

On the eve of our wedding, I heard my fiancé's conspiracy on the dashcam. He said marrying me was just to spite my ex, and that he planned to publicly call off the wedding during the city-wide live broadcast, utterly ruining me. He thought I was still kept in the dark, eagerly looking forward to being the most beautiful bride. Little did he know, I had already swapped the wedding reception's VCR video with that very recording—along with all the evidence of his infidelity. In seven days, I was going to marry Austin Miller. Word in our social circle was that I had hit the jackpot, going from Julian Rivers's desperate simp to Austin Miller's cherished darling. Even I had started to believe it. Over the past few years, Austin had treated me like royalty. He would drive halfway across the city through torrential rain just to bring me hot porridge, and he would cancel nine-figure business deals to stay by my side when I had period cramps. He once said, "Shannon, I'm going to give you a wedding of the century to shut everyone up." I believed him. Until ten minutes ago, when I received a text from him. [Babe, I had someone drop off the dashcam SD card at home. Could you export the fender bender footage and send it to the insurance company for me?] Immediately after, a voice message followed: "Thanks for the hard work, Mrs. Miller. I'll take you out for French cuisine tonight." Smiling, I replied with an [Okay], inserted the card into my computer, and loaded it up. I quickly found the video. After dealing with the accident, Austin hadn't headed to the office; instead, he had picked up two of his childhood buddies. Just as I was about to close the window, a teasing laugh came through the speakers. "Austin, that female driver's eyes were practically glued to you back there. If your wife-to-be found out, wouldn't she blow a gasket from jealousy?" My hand paused over the mouse. I expected to hear Austin's usual doting defense. "Jealous?" Austin's voice was as cold as ice, accompanied by the crisp flick of a lighter. "Her head is completely filled with thoughts of being the most beautiful bride. She doesn't have time to be jealous." The smile froze on my face. The conversation inside the car continued, every single word cutting like a knife. "Just to piss off Julian, is dropping millions on this wedding really worth it?" "What if Shannon refuses to let go of you when the time comes? After all, you two have been sleeping together for four years." On screen, Austin exhaled a ring of smoke, blurring his handsome profile. But it didn't blur the sheer callousness in his eyes. "Spending a few million to see Julian looking like he's at a funeral? That's a bargain." He gave a soft chuckle, as if discussing some worthless trinket. "The higher you hoist someone, the harder they fall. On the day of the wedding, I'll announce game over in front of the entire city." "Julian's face will be priceless." A malicious burst of laughter erupted from the men in the car. "Then what about Shannon? Getting jilted on a city-wide live broadcast—won't her life be completely ruined?" Austin flicked his cigarette ash, indifferent: "It's an adult game. She's the fool here. Who else can she blame?" The video abruptly ended. Dead silence fell over the study. I sat paralyzed in my chair, the blood in my veins turning to ice. So those four years of devotion were nothing more than an elaborate, premeditated pig-butchering scam. My stomach churned violently. I rushed into the bathroom and dry-heaved over the toilet, but nothing came up. Tears splashed onto the floor, only to be wiped away viciously. *Shannon, don't cry.* *He's a piece of scum. He's not worth it.* I splashed cold water over my face and stared at my pale reflection in the mirror. If thrills are what you want, I'll give you everything you asked for. I walked back to the computer. My hands were still shaking, but my eyes had turned freezing cold. I backed up the five-minute conspiracy in the car, along with the accident footage, onto my cloud drive. Then, I clipped only the accident portion and sent it to the insurance adjuster. [Ms. Vance: Sent it over.] The adjuster replied instantly: [Received! Wishing you and Mr. Miller a very happy marriage!] Happy marriage? Ha. My phone screen lit up, Austin's message popping up: [Babe, did you send the video? I'm coming home to pick you up soon. Wear that red dress tonight, you look gorgeous in it.] I stared at that familiar avatar, my knuckles turning white from clenching the phone. Finally, I texted back two words: [Sent it.] Putting down my phone, I walked into the walk-in closet. The red dress hung in the most prominent spot, air-shipped by him from Paris just last week. He said that only my fair skin could do justice to such a vibrant red. Memories instantly flashed back to that stormy night four years ago. Julian Rivers had tossed the birthday gift I bought him straight into the trash, mocking me in front of everyone: "Shannon, do you not understand what 'get lost' means? Looking at you makes me sick." The whole room burst into mocking laughter. I was humiliated, standing there like a clown. It was Austin Miller who stepped out from the corner, draping his suit jacket over my shoulders and shielding me from those humiliating stares. "Come with me," he said. "I'll take you home." That night, I thought he was my salvation. Only now did I realize that every single bit of it had been a lie.At seven in the evening, Austin arrived right on time to pick me up. He had changed into a dark gray suit; the tie he wore was the one I had tied for him myself this morning. The moment I got into the car, he leaned over and pressed a kiss against my forehead. "Why are your hands so cold?" He took my hand, his brow slightly furrowing with genuine concern in his eyes. "Did you keep the AC too low in the study?" If I hadn't heard that recording, I would have undoubtedly believed I was the happiest woman in the world right now. I pulled my hand back, pretending to smooth down my skirt. "Maybe I'm just hungry." Austin didn't suspect a thing. Smiling, he started the engine. "Let's hurry then. Can't let my bride starve." The restaurant was booked on the penthouse floor, offering a panoramic view of the entire city's night skyline. While cutting my steak, I spoke up as if casually, "Austin." "Hmm?" He swapped his neatly sliced steak with mine, the motion seamless and natural. "I ran into Leo Shaw today." I looked straight into his eyes, not letting a single flicker of expression slip past me. "He asked if I was nervous." Leo Shaw was Austin's childhood buddy—the very one in the car who wondered if I'd cling to Austin. Austin's hand paused as he cut the meat. Just for a split second, so fleeting it was barely perceptible. Then he looked up, his smile completely flawless. "That guy has no filter. Ignore him. All you need to do is look gorgeous." "He also mentioned..." I tightened my grip on the cutlery, my fingertips pressing hard. "...that Julian Rivers returned to the country recently, and asked if things would be awkward for you." "Shannon." Austin put down his knife and fork, reaching across to cover the back of my hand. His palm was warm, but his tone carried an unquestionable resolve. "Why bring him up? Like I said, we're getting married. The past is in the past." He gazed at me, his eyes brimming with enough devotion to drown in. "I only want you." If that recording weren't sitting in my cloud drive, I would have fallen for it all over again. "Yeah, it's in the past." I lowered my gaze, spearing a piece of beef and popping it into my mouth. Medium rare, still tinged with pink blood. Even though it was top-grade Wagyu, it tasted like cardboard in my mouth. "Oh, right." As if suddenly remembering something, Austin produced an exquisite velvet box and slid it toward me. "Almost forgot. Here's an early wedding gift for you." I opened it. It was a sapphire necklace, deep in hue and clearly exorbitant. "Do you like it?" he asked, looking at me expectantly. Staring at that deep blue, I suddenly remembered a post Chloe Vance made on her social feed last month: [I'm totally in love with this deep blue, but Austin said it doesn't suit me.] So, it was only because it didn't suit her that it ended up with me. Or perhaps he had bought two, and this was the leftover? "I love it." Snapping the box shut, I offered him a slight smile. "It must've been very expensive." "Whatever I spend on you, it's worth every penny." Austin ruffled my hair, his eyes brimming with tenderness. I excused myself to the restroom to touch up my makeup. Standing in front of the sink, I looked at the exquisitely made-up woman in the mirror and forced a smile that looked uglier than weeping. Since you want to put on a show of true love, let me give you a hand. I pulled out my phone and dialed the immigration agency. The call connected quickly. "Ms. Vance, have you made up your mind?" Looking at myself in the mirror, my voice was terrifyingly calm: "Reschedule my flight." "To when?" "The morning of the wedding, ten o'clock." Hanging up, I reapplied my lipstick. Staring at that crimson shade, my heart hardened inch by inch. Austin Miller. I'll be sure to remember this last supper of ours. When I returned to the table, Austin was typing a reply on his phone. Seeing me, he quickly locked the screen, smiled, and stood up. "Let's go home." I looped my arm through his, feeling his muscles tense for a fraction of a second. "Okay, let's go home."Five days before the wedding, Chloe Vance showed up. Under the pretext of helping me prepare for the wedding, she brazenly moved into the Miller mansion. Chloe was the daughter of the Vance family's maid and chauffeur, born just one day apart from me. Right after I was born, the maid swapped us and sent me away to be raised by relatives in the countryside. It wasn't until twelve years ago that the Vance family uncovered the truth and brought me back. Chloe and Austin had been childhood sweethearts; both families took it for granted that they would eventually tie the knot. Before I was even born, the Vance family patriarch and the Miller family patriarch had arranged a childhood betrothal between the two families. As such, Chloe was universally recognized in our circle as Austin's true beloved. Yet no one expected that she was just the fake heiress, and that Austin's legitimate bride by arranged childhood engagement was actually me. After I was brought back, my parents constantly protected Chloe, terrified that I might bully her. Austin's parents also looked down on me for coming from the countryside, preferring Chloe to marry into their family instead. Had the Miller family patriarch not vehemently opposed it, the title of Mrs. Miller would have belonged to her long ago. "Shannon, this toast dress looks gorgeous. Chloe stood before the full-length fitting mirror, wearing the red Cheongsam that had originally belonged to me. The waist had been altered to fit skin-tight, hugging her slender curves. She twirled around, looking over at Austin sitting on the sofa. "Austin, don't I look better in red than Shannon does?" Austin held a financial magazine, not even looking up. "Stop fooling around. Take it off. That's for your sister." Though his tone sounded like a reprimand, there wasn't a trace of genuine anger in it. Chloe pouted, reluctantly heading toward the dressing room. "Stingy. I just wanted to try it on." I sat off to the side, tea in hand, quietly watching the show. In the past, I would have thrown a fit. I would have made a scene with Austin. And then Austin would coax me with that helpless sigh, saying I was being petty, insisting Chloe was just a younger sister to him. Looking back, I really had been a complete joke back then. "Shannon, don't take it to heart. Chloe is still young." Young? She was literally one day older than me. Austin set down his magazine and reached out to take my hand. "If you don't like her here, I'll have her move out." "It's fine." I slipped my hand out of reach and poured him a cup of tea. "The more the merrier. Besides, there are plenty of rooms in the house." Austin froze for a second. Clearly, he hadn't expected me to be so generous. Before, whenever Chloe showed up, my quills would bristle instantly. "You're not mad?" he probed, searching my face. "Why would I be?" I smiled back. "She's my sister, and we'll all be family soon anyway. Besides, it's just a dress. If she likes wearing it, let her." After all, I had no intention of ever wearing it. A flicker of surprise crossed Austin's eyes, quickly giving way to relief. "Shannon, you've really changed. You've gotten so much more mature." Mature? You two forced me to be. Right then, a sharp crash echoed from the dressing room. Followed immediately by Chloe's shrill cry: "Ah!" Austin's expression shifted, and he flung his magazine aside, bolting toward the room. He moved so fast I didn't even have time to react. By the dressing room doorway, Chloe sat crumpled on the floor, surrounded by jagged shards of porcelain. It was my favorite vase—one Austin had bought for a fortune at an auction as a gift for me. "Austin, I didn't mean to..." Chloe's eyes welled with tears, looking utterly pathetic and fragile. "I tripped just now and tried to steady myself on the vase, but..." Austin didn't spare the priceless vase a single glance. He dropped straight to his knees, taking Chloe's hand to check it over. "Did you cut yourself? How could you be so careless?" "It hurts..." Chloe whimpered delicately. I stood a few yards away, watching their display of sickening affection. That vase had once been treasured by Austin, hailed as a symbol of our unbreakable love. Now that it was shattered into pieces on the floor, he didn't even blink. "Shannon!" Austin turned his head, urgency in his voice. "Go grab the first-aid kit. Chloe cut her hand." I stared at him, motionless. "What's wrong?" He frowned, clearly annoyed by my lack of hustle. "Nothing." I turned toward the cabinet, my voice deadpan. "If it's broken, it's broken." "It was getting old anyway. Time to replace it." Austin's body went stiff. He seemed to sense an underlying meaning, yet caught nothing concrete. Instead, his entire focus remained glued to Chloe's tiny scrape—one that wasn't even bleeding. I walked back with the first-aid kit and dropped it onto the floor. "Take your time cleaning that up. I'm tired, so I'm heading upstairs to rest." As I turned to go up the stairs, I heard Chloe whisper, "Austin, is Shannon mad at me?" Austin's voice sounded irritated. "Ignore her. I never knew her heart could be so cold." I didn't pause. Reaching the landing on the second floor, I pulled out my phone and texted the immigration agent: [Add one more pet transport ticket. I'm taking Dottie with me.]Three days before the wedding, the planners delivered our wedding bands. Austin was in the middle of a video conference in the study, so he asked me to sign for them first. I signed the receipt and carried the heavy box into his study. He was listening to a subordinate's report, his face stern. The moment he saw me walk in, his expression softened, and he gestured toward the corner of his desk, indicating I should set it down. I placed the box on the desk. As I turned, my elbow accidentally knocked over a stack of documents. Papers spilled across the floor, exposing a design sketch that had been buried underneath. I bent down to pick them up. My hands froze the moment I saw what was on the page. It was a sketch for a custom ring design. The center stone was an exquisite pink diamond, and the inner band bore a cursive engraving: Only One. The date at the bottom was from just two weeks ago. Meanwhile, the wedding ring I had just signed for featured a standard white diamond, engraved with S&A for Shannon and Austin. Austin slipped off his headphones and walked over. "What's wrong?" Following my gaze to the sketch, his posture stiffened. Smoothly, he pulled it away and slipped it into a folder. "It's nothing. Just a discarded draft." His tone was completely natural as he draped an arm around my shoulder. "Did you try the ring on? Does it fit?" I looked at him and smiled. "Not yet. I'll try it tonight." At two in the morning, the man beside me was breathing evenly in deep sleep. I slipped out of bed on quiet feet and padded into the study. I unlocked the safe—the passcode was my birthday. Inside lay two identical navy-blue boxes. I opened the one on the left. A pink diamond, dazzling and brilliant, inscribed with Only One. I opened the one on the right. A white diamond, inscribed with S&A, utterly ordinary. Austin once told me: "Shannon, you are my one and only." Turns out, his true "Only One" was never me. It was the rightful owner of that pink diamond: Chloe. I took out both rings. And swapped the boxes. I placed the pink diamond into the box meant for the wedding ceremony, and put the white diamond into the box destined for Chloe. Once finished, I locked the safe back up. Back in the bedroom, Austin rolled over, his arm instinctively reaching out to pull me close. I dodged his touch and lay down right at the edge of the mattress. Moonlight spilled across the floor, illuminating the calendar on the nightstand. A date was circled in bold red ink. Three days left.Over the next few days, I began my decluttering. The house was packed with gifts Austin had given me over the last four years. Hermès bags, complete sets of Cartier jewelry, limited-edition designer heels. Once, all of this had been proof of his devotion. I contacted a high-end luxury reseller. Because of the massive volume, they sent an appraiser directly to my door. "Mrs. Miller, these bags are brand new in box. Are you sure you want to let them all go?" Wearing white gloves, the appraiser looked at me with genuine regret. "Sell them." I took a sip of coffee, my voice calm. "Wire transfer upon completion. As fast as possible." When Austin returned home, he bumped right into several movers carrying boxes out. More than half the house had been cleared out, leaving it feeling hollow and barren. "What's going on?" He frowned, staring at the emptied-out walk-in closet. "I want to redecorate." I walked over and gently loosened his tie. "Clear out the past and start fresh with everything new after the wedding. I want every single corner of our home to represent a brand-new beginning." Austin paused, visibly startled. Then, a tender smile broke across his face. He probably thought I was hopelessly in love with him—that I wanted to wipe away my past and devote myself entirely to being Mrs. Miller. "Alright." He took my hand and kissed my fingertips. "Whatever you want. As long as you're happy, you could tear the whole house down for all I care." "By the way." I pointed toward the dog bed in the corner. "I boarded Dottie at the pet hotel. The house is a mess these days, and I didn't want the noise stressing her out." Dottie was the Golden Retriever we raised together. Austin absolutely doted on her. "Whatever my wife says goes." He didn't suspect a thing. If anything, he was touched. "Shannon, thank you for working so hard for our family." Once Austin went into the bathroom to shower, my phone buzzed. It was a deposit notification from my bank. The figure was a long string of numbers—more than enough to buy a cozy flat in London. I deleted the text and opened the encrypted cloud storage app. I queued up that dashcam footage and scheduled an automated delivery. Recipient: the master control room at the wedding venue. Scheduled time: 10:00 AM on the day of the ceremony. Just as I finished, the sound of running water stopped. Austin walked out wrapped in a bath towel, water dripping from the tips of his hair. "Babe, could you hand me my pajamas?" I passed them to him. As he took them, he pulled me straight into his arms, his voice a bit husky. "The wedding is the day after tomorrow. Nervous?" Resting my cheek against his chest, I listened to his steady, rhythmic heartbeat. Thump. Thump. "Not nervous at all," I said. "I can't wait."The day before the wedding. I went to the wedding planning agency to finalize the rundown. The moment I stepped out of the elevator, someone blocked my path. Julian Rivers leaned against the hallway wall, a lit cigarette dangling between his fingers. Through the drifting haze of smoke, his face was as aloof and arrogant as ever. "Shannon Vance, you really have the guts to go through with this." He flicked an ash from his cigarette, looking at me like I was a complete idiot. "Do you honestly believe Austin Miller has turned over a new leaf?" I stopped, staring at the man I had chased for seven agonizing years. Once, I would have waited three hours in a blizzard just to catch a glimpse of him. Now, looking at him, not even a single ripple stirred in my heart. "What words of wisdom do you have for me, Julian?" "Austin is playing you." Julian sneered, stepping closer. "He's been competing with me for years. Marrying you is nothing more than his way of sticking it to me. Mark my words—the second the ceremony wraps, you're getting discarded." He was right. Pity he was too late. "And your point is?" I met his gaze, a teasing smirk playing on my lips. "Are you feeling sorry for me, Julian? Or are you just bitter you're losing me?" Julian's expression twisted, as if he'd just heard the most ridiculous joke. "Shannon Vance, don't flatter yourself. I just don't want to watch you be a brainless fool who comes crying to beg me for help later." "Don't flatter yourself, either." I brushed back a stray lock of hair stirred by the draft. "Even if it kills me, I will never beg you." Julian's face darkened. "Ungrateful." I brushed past him and headed toward the elevator. As our shoulders brushed past each other, I stopped in my tracks and turned my head toward him. "Julian, make sure you take a seat in the front row at tomorrow's wedding." I smiled, my voice soft. "After all, this show wouldn't be half as entertaining without you in the audience." Julian stared at me, his brow tightly furrowed. For the first time, a flicker of panic and unreadable emotion appeared in his eyes. The elevator doors slid shut. Cutting off his probing gaze. My phone buzzed. It was a call from Austin Miller. "Shannon, where are you? The wedding planner said there's a slight change in the schedule, so they need us over for a rehearsal." I looked at the caller ID flashing on my screen. A change? He probably meant replacing the VCR montage of our sweet memories with something else. "All right, I'm already downstairs." I answered, keeping my tone gentle. "I'll be right up."