The night before Thanksgiving, my boyfriend told me he was taking me back to his home to meet his parents.

When I woke up again, every organ in my body had been labeled, ready to be auctioned off.

My stepbrother, who once had rejected me when I confessed my feelings to him, flew in from far away, offered unlimited bidding, and took me away.

Back home, my private photos spread everywhere. My stepbrother hugged me protectively and told me to break up with my boyfriend and marry him instead.

The day before the wedding, I came home early and heard laughter coming from the study.

"You really know how to handle things. All of your dad's inheritance is right back where it belongs, and we even made a little extra on the side. She's finished—lost everything and everyone."

"Ha, serves her right. She and her temptress mother both had it coming—seducing me and my dad? This is the payback."

I let out a bitter laugh, placed the will I'd been holding down on the floor, and decided to run away from the wedding.

***

"Don't forget my cut, Mr. Langston. You've got no idea—she's like a corpse in bed. No wonder you didn't want her even when she threw herself at you. You'd better pay me extra for the emotional trauma."

A man's broken English drifted out from the room, sending a chill through my entire body.

"Where'd you find those actors? They were pretty convincing. Even I was a little spooked."

My stepbrother chuckled in response, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand, his voice as calm as ever.

"If it wasn't convincing, how else would we have made her cough up the money? She didn't know what was good for her, so this little photo scandal will be a lesson. Let's see if she dares to go after what doesn't belong to her again."

The door to the study was ajar. I stood hidden in the shadows of the hallway, biting my lip so hard it nearly bled, terrified they'd hear me.

I couldn't bear it anymore. I stumbled away, barely able to stand.

Sitting in my car, staring into the mirror at my fully disguised face—something I had to do to survive the wave of rumors—I suddenly let out a laugh.

So this whole thing, from the moment I met Jeremy Donovan, had been a carefully laid trap. They really went all out to destroy me.

My phone rang. It was Jordan Langston.

I stared at his name for a while, forcing myself to breathe before I answered.

"Hello? Nora. Didn't you say you were going to look at wedding dresses? Why aren't you back yet? There's an auction later—I want to take you with me. Pick something you like. I'll get it for you as a gift."

I sniffled, forcing my voice steady. "I'm coming now."

He didn't notice anything wrong. I hung up quickly.

After waiting for about ten minutes to make it seem like I'd just arrived, I went inside.

Jordan was sitting on the couch. Jeremy must have left already.

Hearing the door, he got up quickly and came over. Seeing how pale I was, his face filled with concern.

"You don't look well—are you feeling sick? Come on, let's go to the hospital."

I didn't move. I stared at him for a long moment before slowly shaking my head.

"I'm just a little tired. I'll be fine after some rest."

I gently pulled my arm out of his grasp and went upstairs, doing my best to ignore the heat of his gaze on my back.

Lying on the bed, the tears I had held back finally burst free. I thought I had better control than this, but the moment I saw him, all my strength crumbled.

"Nora?"

He knocked on the door. When I didn't respond, he crept inside. I turned my back to him immediately.

Thinking I was asleep, he called my name a few more times. When I didn't answer, he finally took out his phone and began replying to messages without a care in the world.

"Get everything ready. I'll bring her tonight. That's it."

Evening came. His assistant delivered over a dozen haute couture dresses.

"Nora, take a look—see which one you like."

I glanced over them. Every single dress revealed far too much skin. I frowned, remembering the call he made that afternoon.

"They're too revealing. I don't like any of them."

He froze for a second, clearly surprised. The old me would've jumped at the chance to show off my figure.

"Nora, I knew you were still feeling insecure. Don't be afraid. I'm here—no one would dare touch you."

I looked at him with an unreadable stare. He was right. No one would dare—because he was the one behind it all.

In the end, I didn't choose any of those dresses. I put on a plain, modest, long gown instead.

When I came out, I clearly saw a flicker of disappointment flash across Jordan's face.

Once we arrived, he took my hand, then paused when he felt how cold it was. He lifted his left hand to my forehead.

"Nora, you..."

"I'm fine," I interrupted him. "Probably just caught a bit of a chill yesterday. It's just a minor cold."

Yes—before, no matter when or how he touched me, my hands had always been warm.

We were the last to arrive. The moment we stepped into the hall, every eye turned toward us. More accurately, toward me.

"Look at her. She's really got some nerve. If I were her, I'd be hiding at home in shame. So embarrassing."

"Oh, please. She's got someone backing her up—who'd dare say anything to her face? But honestly, Mr. Langston's the weird one. Nora chased after him for years, but he never budged. Now that she's involved in a scandal, he suddenly grows a conscience?"

I unconsciously clenched my fingers. Jordan gently pried them open and intertwined our fingers.

He leaned close to my ear and murmured, "Nora, don't be afraid. I'm here."

I used to think the people around me were the scariest. I never imagined the true monster was right beside me.

I excused myself to go to the restroom. The stares and whispers in the hall weighed heavily on my chest.

People's laughter trailed behind me. I lowered my head and quickened my pace, not noticing I had bumped into someone.

"What, are you blind? Can't even—oh? Isn't this Ms. Randall? Oops, I guess I should call you Mrs. Langston now."

The woman standing before me was Megan Macall—Jordan's business partner and ex-girlfriend.

She was at least 1.7 meters tall, towering over me with her high heels. Her tone dripped with sarcasm as she looked down at me.

If it hadn't been for that incident, she would've been the one marrying Jordan in two weeks.

I didn't want to deal with her. I just wanted to leave. "Sorry," I muttered and tried to pass by.

I tried to calm down, but she wasn't letting me go that easily. She grabbed my arm as I moved past her.

"Just a sorry? That's all? This dress I'm wearing is a limited seasonal release—a global exclusive, you know. You smudged your foundation on it. Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"

Megan wasn't the petty type—and the spot she pointed to was perfectly clean. She just wanted to pick a fight.

"Oh wait, I forgot. You gave all your money away to pay someone else's debts. What a sucker. If you're that broke, well, I guess there's always another way. You can just take a few more private photos, right?"

She let out a loud, cruel laugh. My face turned crimson. It felt like I'd been dragged back to that day all over again.

Her voice was loud enough to draw the attention of the guests in the main hall. People were craning their necks to watch the drama unfold.

Jordan pushed through the crowd and headed our way. Megan spotted him first and immediately switched to an innocent, sweet expression.

"Mrs. Langston, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I know you're upset about my past with Jordan. Don't worry—I promise I won't show up around you again."

Her sudden change in tone left me momentarily stunned. It wasn't until I heard the restrained voice behind me that I realized what was happening.

"What's going on?"

The question was aimed at me, but his eyes never left her.

"Jordan—sorry, I mean, Mr. Langston—Mrs. Langston got makeup on my dress. I said I'd let it go for your sake, but she accused me of seducing you and demanded to congratulate her and call her Mrs. Langston."

She looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Jordan, haven't I backed off enough? What more do you want from me?"

Most of the people here knew, at least vaguely, about their past entanglements. And now that she was acting all humble and pitiful, it naturally made her look like the victim.

Jordan didn't say a word. His expression was unreadable—calm, detached—but the way he gripped my hand betrayed him. It was so tight it felt like he was trying to crush my wrist.

"I didn't—" I tried to explain.

"I'll apologize on her behalf," he cut me off. "No need to ruin everyone's evening over a little misunderstanding. Let's just forget it happened."

Then he added, "Megan, come to my office tomorrow. I'll replace your dress."

I instinctively wanted to defend myself, to explain. But with that one sentence, he had already confirmed I was in the wrong.

He pulled me away with long, decisive strides, completely ignoring how I felt.

The guests took their seats, and the auction finally began. The first few items were fairly ordinary—nothing special.

Then, a painting was brought out, and I couldn't take my eyes off it. Jordan noticed.

"You like it?"

I nodded silently. It was one of my mother's paintings—her final piece before she passed. I had been searching for it all this time and never expected to see it here.

"Can you bid on it for me? I'll pay you back—I promise."

He gently patted my head, his voice soft. "Silly girl. What's mine is yours. If you like it, I'll buy it for you as a gift."

He raised his paddle without hesitation. I clutched my hands nervously to my chest—this was my mother's, and I had to take it home.

But Megan, seated right beside us, clearly wasn't done. She kept raising the bid every time Jordan did as if she was competing with us on purpose.

Still, he didn't let me down. In the end, he won the painting.

I let out a sigh of relief as I watched him step down with the painting in hand. He approached slowly, and I reached out instinctively.

But at the last moment, he turned. "Megan, Nora was out of line earlier. Since you like the painting so much, consider it a gift from me—an apology. And, of course, I'll still cover the dress."

My hand hung awkwardly in the air. My heart plummeted.

"Look! Oh my god, this is so embarrassing for Nora. She really thought he bought it for her, but he gave it away in front of everyone!"

"Oh my god, are Jeremy and Megan getting back together? I'm all in for them."

***

Even Megan hadn't expected him to hand over such an expensive piece right in front of the whole room.

"Thank you, Jordan. I really do love it."

I was completely out of it for the rest of the night. Jordan leaned down every so often to ask which pieces I liked, but I didn't respond. The one thing I truly wanted was already gone.

As the auction neared its end, the host suddenly took on a mysterious tone.

"Now, for our final item tonight—we've got a unique photo collection. 360-degree shots with no blind spots. Anyone interested in taking a look?"

The moment the words left his mouth, I had a terrible feeling. Most of the attendees were men, and when they heard how suggestively he pitched it, they perked up immediately, hollering and cheering to see it.

The host slowly unveiled it. At first, it was just a small statue, too far away to make out clearly. All I could tell was that it was a nude woman.

Then the big screen lit up—row after row of naked photos. I saw the sculpture's face clearly for the first time. It was me. Me.

I shot to my feet. Gasps and whispers erupted from the crowd as the bidding began.

Men's vulgar comments and lewd stares made my skin crawl. I couldn't hold back any longer—I rushed to the stage and started smashing everything in sight like a mad woman. Chaos erupted in the room.

Jordan grabbed me hard and yelled, "Can you stop making a scene? Isn't this humiliation enough already?!"

I froze. So this was the real reason he brought me here—not to make me happy, but to destroy me.

After I got home, I locked myself in my room and kept touching the photos of my mom and me over and over.

"Mom, I'm useless. I couldn't retrieve your things. Is all this really worth it? I don't think I can hold on anymore. I'm leaving."

I opened my contacts and found a number with no name associated with it. I dialed it.

"Darren, do you still need the Island Keeper you mentioned some time ago? I've thought it through. I want to go and finish what Dad couldn't."

"That's a good girl. I'm so glad you said yes. How about we meet at the cafe tomorrow and talk about the details?"

I didn't go back with Jordan, and I didn't care where he went. I slowly packed my things—even though there weren't many, I wanted to take them with me.

That night, he came home with Megan walking beside him. They were chatting and laughing like a perfect couple.

I stood on top of the stairs, looking down at them from above as they looked up.

"Nora, I came specifically to apologize to you. What happened tonight was the fault of the staff. Please don't take it to heart."

Only then did I realize that the auction was held by Megan's family.

"Jordan said you were bored at home, so I came to keep you company. We're both girls and the same age. You shouldn't mind, right?"

I lowered my gaze. Would it matter if I did? She was already here anyway.

"Megan, you'll stay in the second room from the left upstairs. I'll show you around—let me know if you need anything."

I didn't want to make things worse, so I turned back to my room.

Jordan came in, stumbling slightly on a box near the door, but he didn't even notice it.

"Nora, I wasn't trying to be harsh earlier. With so many people watching, your behavior was really out of line.

"We're almost married. I thought since you had no one to help with the wedding dress shopping, I'd bring her along to keep you company.

"And about that painting—its auction price isn't even worth the hem on Megan's dress. Since you were in the wrong first, it's only fair we make it up to her."

He spoke sincerely and logically. If I didn't know his true colors, I might've been fooled.

The next morning, I left early for the meeting place I'd agreed on with Darren Smith.

"Nora, are you sure? This is for three whole years. No contact with anyone, no leaving. It'll be boring and lonely—even older folks can't handle it. Are you really ready?"

"Darren, don't worry. I've thought it through. I can do it. However, I have one condition—you must not tell anyone where I am. Not even Jordan."

Darren looked stunned. He hesitated before speaking. "Your so-called stepbrother? I almost forgot about him. Aren't you two getting married? Did he agree to this?"

I forced a bitter smile, tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Darren, we're done. It's all over. No need to talk about it anymore."

One week before the wedding, I packed all my things and sent them to Darren's place.

Four days before the wedding, Megan came into my room holding a recording.

"Nora, this was all Jordan's plan. His marriage proposal was fake—he only wanted the shares you hold. He said once he gets what he wants, he'll dump you like trash."

I didn't react. Her provocation didn't faze me at all.

The day before the wedding, I gave all my belongings to Megan. Looking at her surprised face, I said, "You're the bride now."

On the wedding day, I took one last look at this house and then left the keys and the real will on the table.

"Goodbye, Jordan."

At the same time, "the Island Keeper's newest member" was trending everywhere.

I threw away my phone SIM card and traveled light, heading to the place my father had always dreamed of.

Jordan was panicked all day. As he rode along to the wedding venue, his heartbeat was racing faster and faster—so nervous that even those around him noticed.

"Mr. Langston, relax. Why are you acting like a nervous teenager?"

People teased him, but instead, his body tensed even more. He couldn't explain why, but an ominous feeling nagged at him.

It wasn't until he saw Megan—disguised as me—step out in the wedding gown that he finally exhaled.

Our figures were very similar—without high heels, we were almost the same height. Without looking closely at the face, it was hard to tell us apart.

She walked down the aisle with her face hidden behind a veil, so no one noticed anything unusual in time.

When she reached Jordan, he took her hand and whispered, "Nora, you look so beautiful."

Later that night, Megan sat on the bed, still in the gown and wearing the veil.

Jordan looked a little drunk, swaying as he sat beside her, pulling out an agreement he had prepared in advance.

"Nora, the company's been having some issues lately, and I'm short on cash. How about this—you give me your shares for now, and once I'm back on my feet, I'll pay you double, okay?"

His tone was careful, testing the waters. Seeing no reaction, he fell silent for a moment before realizing something.

"Man, what am I thinking? The veil hasn't even been lifted yet. Are you ready, Nora?"

The woman nodded. Jordan took a deep breath and yanked off the veil, revealing a familiar yet strange face.

"Why is it you? Where's Nora?"

Megan's smile froze halfway, her lips pouting with a pitiful look.

"Jordan, Nora ran away from the wedding. She said she didn't want to marry you and dumped the wedding dress and everything on me. I went after her, but just as I stepped outside, I saw her get into a black car. Before I could tell you, the ceremony was starting, so I decided to go to the wedding venue.

"I wanted to tell you earlier, but I never found the right moment. I didn't want to embarrass you, so I kept putting it off—and now here we are."

Jordan suddenly threw the folder of agreement across the room in frustration, tugging at his tie. His face was dark and stormy.

Megan trembled—this was the first time she had seen him like this.

"Jordan, we..."

"Just go rest, Megan. Sorry for making you upset today. I have things to do. I'm leaving."

Jordan cut her off and left without looking back.

It was almost 10 p.m. by then. Without checking the time, he called his assistant, Logan Monroe.

"Hey, start looking for Nora right away. I don't care what methods you use. Report back to me as soon as possible."

Logan hadn't shown such emotions since the last time Jordan found out his father had given the assets to Nora and lost his temper. It had been a long time since then.

Logan sprang into action, but Nora seemed to have vanished without a trace. Because it was late at night, places like airports were hard to monitor.

Accidentally, Logan opened Twitter and saw a picture on the homepage. Although the face was covered, it looked oddly familiar.

"Mr. Langston, I haven't found any leads on Ms. Randall yet, but look at this trending post. Don't you think this silhouette looks familiar?"

Jordan wearily rubbed his forehead and clicked on it. With his knowledge of Nora, he almost instantly knew—it had to be her.