Chapter 8
Just then, my phone buzzed with a delivery notification.
The package I had sent to Dorian was out for delivery, and judging by the tracking, the courier was getting closer and closer to the altar.
My anticipation began to rise.
But Selina, realizing she had been used as nothing more than a prop in this mating ceremony, suddenly lost it.
She clung to Dorian, sobbing and screaming for him to complete the ritual, even shouting in front of the entire crowd that she was his Luna.
Dorian’s Beta and the others quickly picked up on the awkwardness and dragged her off the stage.
And then, Dorian knelt down on one knee, right in front of the camera, his voice full of passionate remorse.
“Corinna, I know you’re watching this, aren’t you? I know everything the second personality did. I didn’t think he could be so vile, so cruel to you. But I–this version of me–I’m innocent. I never meant to hurt you like this!”
“When I went to pick up your wedding dress and got ambushed, almost torn to pieces by rogues, all I could think about was: I have to survive. I have to come back and mark you!”
“I loved you so much that, in that moment between life and death, it triggered my second personality. The healer said that version of me was smarter, more tactical, which is how I made it out alive. I never imagined he’d use that cleverness to destroy you.”
If I hadn’t heard the truth firsthand, I might’ve actually believed his crap.
I’d once felt relieved when the healer told me his second personality was bold, clever, and daring.
But I never expected that “cleverness” would be turned against me.
I tugged at Thalia’s hand as she furiously typed out scathing comments in the livestream chat.
“Stop. Don’t give him the satisfaction of being hated. He might get off on it.
“If there’s even the tiniest scrap of guilt in him,” I added, “he’s about to feel it soon.”
Thalia scoffed. She didn’t buy it.
Truthfully, neither did I.
But when your heart’s been shattered, sometimes you just need something to make it feel whole again.
And then the delivery guy finally reached the altar, standing just a few feet from Dorian.
He raised his voice above the crowd: “Delivery for Dorian! Got a package here!”
Dorian, still in the middle of his big heartfelt monologue, didn’t even glance at him.
His Beta rushed over to sign, but the courier stopped him with a shake of the head.
“This one’s from a Ms. Corinna. Dorian must sign in person.”
The moment Dorian heard it was from me, he jumped up like a spring,
He even motioned to the cameraman to adjust the angle to capture his best side.
He signed the receipt eagerly, grinning ear to ear.
That smile and that ridiculously wide, delighted grin–it reminded me of the day he proposed, when he held me in his arms and cried tears of joy.
But I knew better now.
Chapter 8
80.00%
That man–the one who used to look at me like I was his whole world–he no longer existed.
What we had was gone, lost somewhere in the mess of lies I mistook for love.
Still grinning, Dorian turned back to the camera and shouted, “Corinna! I knew you wouldn’t just disappear. This must be a gift, right? Something special you prepared for me!”
“Come on, everyone–let’s see those comments! Drop your blessings in the chat! I’ll show you all the surprise right now!”
Thalia’s insults and curses were quickly buried beneath a tidal wave of well–wishes.
Dorian soaked it all in, basking in the attention.
He raised the package high and shouted, “Louder, guys! Let’s blow this up! I want the whole world to know how much I love Corinna!”
The stream was blowing up with traffic, strangers flooding in just to cheer and spam heart emojis.
Dorian turned back to the camera with a soft, worshipful gaze.
“Corinna, you see this? My love for you–it’s real. It’s eternal. Just tell me where you are, baby. I’ll come get you the second I open this!”
He tore into the package, and the first thing he pulled out… was a glass jar.
Inside it was something unidentifiable, a pale, shapeless mass floating in translucent liquid.
The room fell silent.
The guests in the front row stared, confused and disturbed.
Then a healer from the OB–GYN ward spoke up, voice trembling.
“That… that’s unformed embryonic tissue. A pre–viable fetus.”
Gasps erupted throughout the room.
And then Dorian pulled out the next item–a folded piece of paper.
He opened it.
And read the words at the top: Spontaneous Miscarriage Report.
His eyes locked onto the diagnosis.
His hands began to shake.
His entire body trembled uncontrollably.
