Chapter 3

The sweeping train of the wedding dress hid Margaret's prosthetic legs. The moment the curtain was drawn, everyone in the room was captivated by her beauty. But Lester's gaze darkened. "Get out, all of you." The others quickly snapped out of their daze. No one dared linger, and they all left. He strode toward Margaret and captured her lips with unmatched fervor, kissing her until she could barely breathe or stand. He let go of her and placed her back in the wheelchair. Leaning down, he cupped her flushed cheeks and murmured, "Margie, you're gorgeous. Do you know that I've been dreaming of marrying you since I was 16 years old?" The kiss earlier had left her dress in disarray, exposing her prosthetics. But there was no trace of disdain in Lester's eyes, only overflowing affection. Margaret's nose stung. Just as she was about to speak, his phone rang. As he glanced at the caller ID, his expression shifted. He pecked her lips again before walking away to take the call. For some reason, he was on the phone for a long time. When he returned, Silas was with him. "Margie, something urgent came up. Silas will take you home instead." Margaret nodded, not doubting him at all. On her way back, she saw that the anonymous thread had updated again. "Today, he went to try on wedding dresses with his first love. I called him and said I missed him, and he immediately left her for me. Doesn't this prove he loves me more now?" Margaret stiffened. Even if she didn't want to believe that Scarlett was behind this, the coincidences were too glaring. She stared blankly out of the window, the happiness from earlier swept away by the wind. … Lester returned to Vista Heights late that night. But he was attentive as usual, helping Margaret dry her hair and apply body lotion. "What were you doing today?" she finally asked for the first time in a while. "There was a problem with a project at the company. I had to take care of it." He offered no more explanation, but the unease in her chest grew. After a moment of hesitation, she said softly, "I want to visit Scarlett at Lakeview." His hands stilled, and his expression changed. "Why all of a sudden?" Margaret's eyes never left him as she replied, "I just want to see her." She was trying to read something in his eyes, but his expression remained unfazed. He even sounded disgusted when he mentioned Scarlett. "There's no point," he said. "Seeing her will only bring back painful memories. Last time you saw her, you had nightmares for days. I can't let that happen again." He kissed the corner of her lips and crooned, "Come on. Let's not fuss about her. I will make her pay for what she did." In the end, Margaret didn't get to visit Scarlett. But the frequent updates of that anonymous thread were tugging at her nerves—everything was too much to be a coincidence. That weekend, Lester misread her distraction as a bad mood. He canceled his plans and stayed home to watch a movie with her instead. Halfway through the film, his phone rang again. As usual, he walked far enough away to make sure she wasn't within earshot. When he came back, he tucked the blanket around her legs and said, "Margie, I need to leave for work. Wait for me to come back, okay?" Hearing him use the same excuse sent a pang of dread through Margaret. She couldn't help but grab his hand. "Can't you stay?" Lester chuckled, gently prying her fingers away as he reassured her, "Be good and wait for me. I'll be back before you know it." She watched him disappear through the door. This time, she finally let her instincts take over. As soon as he left, she wheeled herself out of the villa. To make things easier for her, the house had ramps and accessible pathways everywhere. She hailed a cab just in time to see Lester's car leaving the underground garage. "Follow that car," Margaret told the driver, her voice tinged with indescribable anxiety. The cab kept a steady distance. To Margaret's horror, Lester—who claimed that he had work—was heading toward Lakeview. She watched him get out of the car and walk inside. Her heart sank, and a shiver ran down her spine. Why did he lie to her? Why was he here? The color had drained from her face when she stumbled out of the cab and wheeled herself toward the villa. As she drew closer to the entrance, her heart pounded. The door was slightly ajar. She inched forward and peered through the narrow gap. What she saw inside left her utterly shattered.