Chapter 4
At 3:00 AM, my phone buzzed with a message from Jasper.
Tess, I've finished setting up the wedding venue. Do you like it?
He attached a video. A burgundy plush event carpet stretched for hundreds of yards across the grand hall.
White rose petals were scattered thickly over it.
Wind-chimes hung on both sides of the heavy, European-style estate banquet entrance.
In the quiet early morning breeze, the chimes echoed like smooth silk.
If I had seen this three days ago, I would have cried tears of joy.
It was ironic, really.
Jasper used to sneer at these details, calling them cheap and tacky.
Now, he was actually willing to do all of this for me.
But I didn't care anymore.
I casually typed a single word—Perfect—and turned off my phone.
On the other end, Jasper had been feeling anxious.
But when he saw that single word—Perfect—his usual arrogance and confidence flooded back.
He chuckled to himself.
Maybe he had gone a little too far these past few days.
Still, there was no way a girl from a remote, rural small town could resist his wealth and status.
See? It only took a few taps on his screen to win her forgiveness.
After today, they would be tied together by legal and financial interests.
It would be so easy to make her wipe away all the messy scandals and cheating rumors from the past few days.
Relaxing completely, Jasper pulled out his VIP guest list.
He started texting the elite business tycoons he had been dying to network with.
Of course, he also messaged his uncle, Gilbert Rainer.
Gilbert had been furious about the recent drama.
Today was the perfect chance to smooth things over.
If his uncle was happy, he might finally hand over full control of the family corporation to Jasper.
After all, it was just a lovers' quarrel.
Since that stupid woman had chosen to forgive him, his uncle couldn't exactly keep holding a grudge.
The thought of the massive power and endless wealth within his reach blew away any lingering dark clouds in Jasper's mind.
By the time Jasper's personal assistant came to the house to rush me for the third time, I had finally finished my makeup.
I put on my dress and walked out.
A massive sea of reporters blocked the entrance to the estate.
The parking lot was packed with luxury cars, proving that every high-status figure in the city had shown up.
I let out a soft laugh, stepped out of the car, and walked straight through the main doors.
In the center of the grand banquet hall, Jasper was greeting guests.
He was wearing the custom tuxedo I had picked out for him.
The maroon boutonniere pinned to his chest was blindingly bright.
He was grinning from ear to ear, looking like a completely different person from the pale, pathetic man who had knelt before me just yesterday.
Through the clinking of champagne glasses, Jasper finally spotted me walking through the entrance.
The second he saw me, the smile vanished from his face.
He stormed over and grabbed my wrist.
His voice shook with panic and anger.
"Tess, where is your wedding dress? What... what is the meaning of this outfit?"
I gently peeled his freezing fingers off my wrist.
Then, I smiled and slipped my arm through the crook of the man standing beside me.
"Keep your hands to yourself, Jasper," I said sweetly.
"From now on, you should call me Aunt."
