After resting at home for a few days, Wren Wynter finally adjusted to the time difference. The day of her best friend Crystal Nash’s wedding had also arrived.

On the day of the wedding, she changed into the bridesmaid dress Crystal Nash had sent over, put on some light makeup, and rushed to the venue.

Joy Lynch was waiting at the door. When she saw Wren Wynter appear, she enthusiastically ran over and linked arms with her. "Wren, you’re finally here! You look so beautiful today."

Joy Lynch pulled Wren Wynter into the dressing room. Crystal Nash was getting her hair and makeup done. She looked up, saw Wren in the mirror, and her brows curved into a satisfied smile.

"I knew I made the right choice. This color suits you perfectly."

Wren Wynter’s skin was fair. The purple bridesmaid dress, with its cinched waist and straight-cut shoulders, made her look noble and elegant, like a fairy with a captivating aura.

"Wren looks great, but I’m the one who’s suffering," Joy Lynch grumbled, looking down.

Crystal Nash rolled her eyes and retorted, "Oh, stop it. You look great in this color too. My taste is never wrong."

DING—

Joy Lynch glanced at her phone. "Haoran is here. I’ll go out and get him."

Seeing Joy Lynch leave, Crystal Nash nodded to the makeup artist, signaling for her to step out for a moment.

Only she and Wren Wynter were left in the dressing room.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" Crystal Nash asked, looking at Wren Wynter’s face through the mirror.

They had known each other for years and understood one another well. Wren’s hesitation to speak didn’t fool her.

Wren Wynter walked over and sat down next to Crystal Nash. "Crystal, do you regret this?"

Crystal Nash seemed to recall something and zoned out for a moment. It took a while before she started fiddling with her fingers and pulled herself together.

’Regret it?’

’Maybe someday in the future, I will. But right now, I don’t.’

"Wren, love isn’t a requirement for marriage. Marrying Miles Shaw is good for our families, and he’s good to me. As I see it, this is the best choice."

Wren Wynter looked at Crystal Nash and recalled the night Miles Shaw came to pick her up. He seemed gentle, elegant, modest, and polite—a man who knew how to be considerate and take care of people.

’He would be a good partner.’

Since this was a decision Crystal Nash had made after careful consideration, Wren Wynter decided to support her as a friend.

"Crystal, congratulations on your wedding. I hope you’ll be happy."

"Wren, I’ll do my best to be happy."

As she spoke, Crystal Nash took Wren Wynter’s hand. "Wren, you too. I hope you can grasp your own happiness."

"Mm," Wren Wynter squeezed back, her eyes filled with sympathy and heartache.

The three best friends had all had such rocky love lives. She had just gotten out of a failed marriage and didn’t want to see her other two friends end up like her.

Just then, Joy Lynch pushed the door open. Seeing that both of their eyes were slightly red, she came over and hugged them.

"You two are terrible, whispering secrets behind my back."

"We weren’t! You were off getting someone, weren’t you?"

Joy Lynch grinned. "This time, I’ll let it slide for the sake of Crystal’s wedding, but don’t let it happen again. Crystal, you get back to your makeup. I need to borrow Wren for a second."

"Go on," Crystal Nash said, waving at the two of them.

A wedding involved a constant flow of guests and a mountain of complicated tasks. She figured she’d just let her two friends handle the commotion.

Joy Lynch pulled Wren Wynter into a corner outside the door and whispered, "Wren, I just saw Hugh Hale outside."

Wren Wynter’s heart skipped a beat.

She had been one of the witnesses to Hugh Hale and Crystal Nash’s past.

They were once a couple who couldn’t live without each other. Now, she was marrying someone else. ’He couldn’t be here to crash the wedding, could he?’

Joy Lynch shared her worry. "You weren’t here last time. At Crystal’s engagement party, Hugh Hale showed up and made a scene, trying to take Crystal away. Crystal didn’t go with him. Now he’s here again. I’m afraid he’s going to ruin the wedding on purpose."

Wren Wynter frowned. This was her friend’s happy occasion, and she wouldn’t let anyone ruin it.

She straightened her shoulders and patted Joy Lynch’s hand. "Don’t worry. I’ll handle it."

Influenced by Wren Wynter’s calm resolve, Joy Lynch felt a bit more at ease and nodded firmly. "Okay."

Wren Wynter walked out and found Hugh Hale in front of the large photo of the bride and groom displayed at the entrance.

He was much thinner than Wren Wynter remembered, his eyes fixed dazedly on the photograph.

As she got closer, she saw that he was looking at Crystal Nash in the photo.

"Long time no see," Wren Wynter said, breaking the silence.

Hugh Hale didn’t reply right away. His gaze lingered on the beautiful face in the picture for a long moment before he sighed. "As expected. She’s so beautiful in a wedding dress you can’t look away."

He turned his head. His eyes were bloodshot, and the dark circles underneath made him look haggard. "Is... is she happy today?"

Wren Wynter smiled, her expression one of unshakable, calm defense. "Hugh Hale, the bride will be the most beautiful and happiest woman here today."

"Don’t worry, I’m not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to see her. As long as I can see that she’s happy, I’ll be satisfied."

For five years, he had tried to give up, but giving up was too painful. He just could never let her go.

Now that she was marrying someone else, he finally understood how she must have felt back then, when she saw him being intimate with other girls.

’I was wrong,’ he wanted to say.

But it was too late.

Crystal Nash had told him before: cheat on me once, and I’m done with you forever.

She had also said she would never look back.

Hugh Hale felt a sting in his nose and raised a hand to wipe the moisture welling in the corner of his eye.

"Wren, honestly, I can’t accept this. But I know I’m not the one who can make her happy anymore. I just want to see what kind of man can. If he doesn’t treat her well, if he’s not worthy of Crystal..."

"Hugh Hale," Wren Wynter interrupted him, "that is Crystal’s choice. She has the ability to grasp her own happiness. You did too, but you were the one who let go."

She had no sympathy for anyone who was unfaithful. Facing the guilty, down-and-out man before her, Wren Wynter only wanted to protect her best friend.

"You should go. If you truly want to make amends, then stop disturbing her search for new happiness."

Wren Wynter’s words were like a sharp knife plunging into Hugh Hale’s heart.

He lowered his head in silence, then a bitter smile spread across his face.

After a long moment, he gave a seemingly self-mocking nod, waved a hand at Wren Wynter, and listlessly left the hotel.

Behind him, the lively and luxurious wedding was just getting into full swing.

The wedding proceeded as scheduled.

As bridesmaids, Joy Lynch and Wren Wynter stood by Crystal Nash’s side, listening to the new couple exchange their vows. But an endless sadness flooded Wren’s heart.

"Miss Crystal Nash, whether in poverty or in wealth, in youth or in old age, are you willing to marry Mr. Miles Shaw?"

"I do."

"Mr. Miles Shaw, whether in poverty or in wealth, in youth or in old age, are you willing to take Miss Crystal Nash as your wife?"

"I do."

The simple vows were like an iron chain, binding the two of them tightly together.

When it was time for the bouquet toss, Wren Wynter silently stepped back, considerately making room for those who wanted to catch it.

Wren Wynter found a spot in the shadows of a floral arch below the stage and stopped, shrugging her tired, stiff shoulders.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind her.

"What are you thinking about?"