Four Weddings Betrayed, I Married My Billionaire Sweetheart

This was the fourth time we had attempted to hold this wedding, and Orion Castellan was late again. Only yesterday, he had told me, "This is the wedding I'm holding for you after all these years of secret marriage. I promise to make your fairytale princess dream come true." This time, however, I was the target of online mockery for being a gold digger who had failed at social climbing, and a video of me had been leaked. The internet was flooded with insults like, "Is this woman delusional? She’s clearly lost her mind trying to go from rags to riches." My friends had tried to comfort me by calling us a Cinderella and Prince Charming fairy tale. That was until Orion finally arrived with his childhood friend, looking like he’d been nursing a hangover. After offering a careless apology, he said, "Liana is very ill and wants to experience being a bride. Could you let her have the wedding for a few days?" Liana clung to his arm. "Besides, your marriage license is fake anyway. Stop dreaming. You aren't Cinderella; you're just a placeholder wearing someone else's glass slipper." Orion came over to soothe me with a smile, but his expression froze when he saw my eyes were red and brimming with tears. "Once I take care of this, I'll get you a real marriage license and a proper ceremony." I didn't answer, just offered a bitter smile. He only knew me as Summer, the Cinderella, but he had no idea I was actually Summer Morrow, daughter of Benedict Morrow, the wealthiest tycoon in Crowncrest. I lowered my gaze, pulled out my limited-edition luxury phone, and dialed home. Liana noticed my phone. She pursed her lips and smiled. "Orion, how could you let her use a knockoff?" The friends and servers at the wedding venue looked over, their gazes filled with ridicule. "Did you buy that on SwapList? It's a pretty good imitation," she continued. "Though, the original model is only available to the world’s top billionaires by invitation. The taxes alone on one of those would last you a lifetime. Even if you aren't actually married, isn't it a bit pathetic to live like this?" As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding crowd began to murmur. My fingers tightened around the phone. The black-and-gold edges felt cold, making my fingertips turn pale. Liana Ashford came from a background comparable to Orion's—a well-matched match. As a prominent socialite in the local elite social circle, her words were always taken as gospel by our friends. I had always been frugal, and after we "married," I rarely spent his money. "I've only seen that phone in videos. I couldn't even tell it was fake. You're so impressive, Liana." "It looks like the rumors online are true. She really is desperate to marry into the old-money elite. No wonder Orion has dodged the wedding four times; he doesn't actually want to marry her." Everyone had decided I was a cheap, greedy Cinderella using knockoffs. I felt like a living joke—embarrassed and wretched. After the last wedding was canceled, I was mocked for a long time until Orion hurried over to make it up to me. He had booked an open-air hotel, filled the balcony with heart-shaped candles, and knelt on one knee to beg for my forgiveness, just as he had during his first marriage proposal. Cupping my face, he promised, "Summer, I missed the wedding this time, but Liana couldn't survive her surgery without me. But trust me, next time I will give you the most perfect wedding." I loved his loyalty and his soft heart—he couldn't bear to see others suffer. That was why I forgave him and believed in the fourth attempt. "Orion, today is our five-year anniversary," I said, my voice trembling and hoarse. Orion looked taken aback. "It is. That’s why we scheduled the wedding for today. But Liana is sick, so let’s just give her this, okay?" My mind went blank for a moment, and my nose stung. It turned out he remembered; it was just that our anniversary wasn't as important as Liana. In the past, I might have made a scene, gotten angry, or hysterically questioned him. Now, I simply brushed my fingertip over the simple platinum band on my ring finger, which was engraved with our initials. The next second, I ruthlessly pulled the ring off, and it hit the floor with a crisp clang. "Since the marriage license is fake, I assume the ring is too. This is the end for us. I don't use fakes." Orion's face changed, his smile fading. Impatiently, he said, "Summer, don't you know why the marriage license is fake? We had just graduated, you were an orphan, and my family would never have agreed to let me marry you! Don't make a big deal out of this. I was with Liana at the hospital when I missed the previous weddings. She even came to apologize to you in person this time. She’s being more than generous." A suffocating tightness in my chest left me feeling dazed. I had been away from home for years and only referred to myself as an orphan, never imagining that one day it would become the reason Orion used to blame me. "Cough, cough..." Liana began to cough violently, her voice sounding frail and pitiful. "My... medicine... in my bag..." Everyone’s attention shifted to her immediately. Orion expertly retrieved the medicine from her bag, supported her as he helped her take it, then urged a waiter to bring warm water, feeding it to her himself. Liana looked at me, her eyes glistening. "I'm sorry for making a scene. But I just want to be a bride once before I leave this world. Can't you just let me have this?" Orion glared at me. "Stop acting up. You know what Liana's situation is. Just agree. I've already told the manager to bring the guests back so we can hold the ceremony here this afternoon. Just... let her have the wedding for a few days. She doesn't have much time left." It felt like my throat was being sliced by a knife. He was indeed loyal and affectionate—it was just a pity that it wasn't reserved for me alone. I remained silent for a few seconds, then curled my lips. "Our story is over." I turned and walked away, though my footsteps were uncharacteristically unsteady. His friends chuckled. "Orion, it looks like she’s actually mad." "She's definitely just throwing a tantrum. Besides, how could someone as poor as her bear to give up the luxurious life Orion gives her?" Orion didn't deny it. He simply said, "It's fine. She's easy to coax." His tone was light, as if he were telling a joke. I lowered my eyes. A part of my chest felt like burnt paper—once the wind blew, not even the warmth of the ashes remained.