Not His Bride to Ruin

Later, the year I was accepted to Harvard, he booked an entire restaurant to celebrate my twenty-first birthday.

That day, under the glittering crystal chandeliers, his eyes shone with a fiery light as he knelt on one knee and slipped a ring onto my finger.

But everything changed the moment he met Sienna Vance, a glamorous intern at my own company.

He was completely captivated by Sienna's carefully crafted persona on social media—sweet, ambitious, a ray of sunshine in his dull life. A single selfie on Instagram was enough to send his protective instincts into overdrive.

Worried that I might try to sabotage her, Lachlan rented a luxury apartment for her away from the office, giving her a "creative space" of her own.

It's not that I didn't throw fits or protest. But every time, I was met with the same response:

"I'm just supporting her career. Can you stop being so unreasonable?"

After countless fights and empty reconciliations, we finally reached a point of no return.

I let out a long sigh. Just as I turned to go back inside, Lachlan strode toward me from a distance, his face a mask of undisguised fury.

I looked at him in shock, wondering what had set him off this time.

"Aveline Prescott, we had an agreement! I just spoke with the wedding PR. Why hasn't Sienna's name been added to the official announcement as maid of honor?"

"Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to publicly humiliate her tomorrow?"

So that was it. All this righteous fury because his mistress wasn't getting top billing at our wedding.

But I was already planning to let them have the stage to themselves. A wedding for the three of us was never going to happen.

"Aveline, I know you're upset that Lachlan is so protective of me, but he truly just admires my work and wants to help me. If you didn't want me as your maid of honor, you could have just said so. Why risk a scene tomorrow?"

Sienna continued, "The Bancrofts are a prestigious family, Aveline. They have a reputation to uphold. If their bride causes a scene at her own wedding… what will Boston society say about Lachlan? How could he ever hold his head high again?"

With that, she lowered her eyes pitifully, as if about to cry.

"Aveline, I'm begging you, just have a peaceful wedding with Lachlan tomorrow. I don't have to be the maid of honor. Just please, don't let him be embarrassed in front of everyone."

"As long as Lachlan truly loves me, a title is just a formality. I don't care about such empty honors."

Her words were laced with a hint of stubbornness and sorrow. With every word she spoke, Lachlan's face grew a shade darker.

"Aveline Prescott, do you have to be so vicious?"

"Do you have to humiliate Sienna and make me look like a heartless bastard? Who would want to spend their life with a jealous monster like you?"

Because we were at the entrance of the estate, some business partners attending the rehearsal dinner and our family's bodyguards had gathered nearby.

A portly banker sighed, "This Miss Prescott… She knows the Bancroft heir has someone on the side, yet she insists on getting married. She must be after what's left of their family name."

"It's normal for a man to have someone on the side. If she were a little more understanding, this would all blow over. Making a scene out here is just embarrassing."

"No wonder the Prescott heiress is so stubborn. After all, she's been entangled with Mr. Bancroft for over a decade. If they don't get married, she'll be a pariah in Boston's social circles."

Their words were like poisoned daggers stabbing at my heart. Seeing my pale face, Lachlan thought I was scared and grew smug.

"Aveline, I'm not that heartless. As long as you don't make a scene and accept Sienna, I'll still give you the wedding you deserve tomorrow and make you Mrs. Bancroft."

But in my past life, this ungrateful monster had not only caused my father's death but had also personally destroyed my career. Now, watching his self-satisfied, tragic-hero act, I found it utterly pathetic.

He really thought he was some kind of business tycoon, with every woman fawning at his feet.

Perhaps my expression was so desolate that a flicker of guilt crossed Lachlan's face.

"Aveline, I was a bit heated just now, and my words were harsh."

"Don't worry, after we're married, you'll always be the mistress of this house. Sienna will have to respect you. How about this: let her have the spotlight at the wedding. After that, you're my wife. How does that sound?"

"See? I'm still choosing you in the end. So stop with the princess tantrums."

Hearing his arrogant words, I almost wanted to laugh out loud.

He was right. In my last life, when he and Sienna went on vacation, I protested with a hunger strike, crying and begging him to stay.

But in this life, whether he wanted to take Sienna for a magazine cover shoot or a lavish dinner, it had nothing to do with me anymore.

Forcing a man who doesn't love you to stay... it just leaves a disgusting taste in your own mouth.

"Alright, Lachlan, it's getting late, and we have a wedding tomorrow. We should all get some rest."

My cold attitude made Lachlan's face darken. He took a step closer, his voice low and menacing, for only us to hear.

"You'd better let Sienna have her moment in the spotlight tomorrow. Otherwise, don't blame me for sending some 'interesting' deep-fake videos to all our clients. Then we'll see which conservative family would dare to use a designer with a reputation like yours."

My heart tightened. In my past life, this was how he had exploited my weaknesses, forcing me to bow to him time and again, which only made him bolder until he had the Prescott family firmly in his grasp.

With that, Lachlan took Sienna's hand and turned to leave.