Rublier walked to the front of the wedding aisle and knelt on one knee before Satin.

It was scandalous, but the bride and her supposed lover were such a handsome pair that the scene unfolded like a painting. The guests gasped in awe.

Meanwhile, Satin kept stepping back, but soon she had nowhere to go as she bumped into the wedding arch. The flower petals decorating the arch fluttered down, adorning Satin and Rublier.

To the guests, it was a breathtaking effect, but for Satin, it was an infuriating ordeal.

“Satin Del Mare.”

He spoke her name. Not just Satin, but Satin Del Mare. It was a perfectly respectful address. Picking up the dropped bouquet, he handed it to her and spoke earnestly.

“Will you marry me?”

The unthinkable had finally happened.

Her head spun. She saw stars in broad daylight. Satin recalled the question she had asked Larie the day she found out about Gjorn’s infidelity.

‘If a man cheats on me with another woman, what would be the best way to take revenge?’

Larie had answered.

‘My mother once told me that in such cases, you should sleep with his best friend. That’s the most shocking thing you can do.’

At the time, she dismissed it as nonsense.

Rublier and Gjorn had entered the academy together and graduated as friends.

Oh my. The advice she had dismissed as nonsense was about to become reality.

Satin was about to protest but noticed the eyes on her and closed her mouth. Her family and the guests were all watching her, waiting for her reaction. She had just caused a scene by saying she couldn’t go through with the marriage. Her next words carried immense weight. In her urgency, she resorted to ventriloquism.

“What are you doing?”

Facing Satin alone, with his back to the guests, Rublier was in a better position. He whispered just loud enough for her to hear.

“You have to marry someone anyway. Marry me.”

“Are you crazy? What kind of chaos is this at someone else’s wedding?”

“That wedding just ended, and now it’s mine.”

His eyebrows twitched. As Satin stood speechless, Rublier added leisurely.

“By your decision, the Del Mare family has become enemies with the Sel Wio family overnight, and you’ve severed ties with your close friend. While I’m fine with the latter, what about the Del Mare family’s standing? Can they afford to make an enemy of Sel Wio? Your parents wouldn’t think so.”

His tone was relaxed, but his words were relentless. Each word struck her ears clearly. Satin couldn’t deny it. It was her reality.

“And Gjorn? A noble like Gjorn can have a mistress without much trouble. Thanks to your spectacle, only that prima donna’s reputation will rise.”

She knew it. She would be left with a broken engagement and all the responsibility.

“Is that the kind of ending you want?”

Satin retorted.

“…So what?”

“I’ll solve it for you. Trust me. I won’t let you suffer.”

“What’s in it for you?”

“Me?”

Rublier smiled faintly, still with an inscrutable expression.

“A marriage with you.”

What kind of suspicious talk was this? Satin bit her lip. As her hesitation grew, Rublier stood up.

“You’ve done enough, Satin.”

His voice was clearer than the conversation they had just shared, loud enough for the guests to hear.

“You’ve done your best for your family’s honor and this wedding, haven’t you?”

He aimed his last question not at Satin but at the guests. Satin finally understood Rublier’s intention.

The guests exchanged glances. Shocked by the many revelations, they subtly nodded in agreement.

“It’s not easy to control your emotions for the sake of the family, but the bride didn’t show any signs.”

“In comparison, Sel Wio went too far.”

Someone criticized Gjorn and quickly shut their mouth.

“Is what the Paladin said true?”

The cardinal’s question cut through the air.

Should she say yes or no?

Satin was at a loss. She couldn’t predict the reaction to her answer. What if she was lumped together with Gjorn and questioned?

Satin hesitated, observing the cardinal’s movements. He continued.

“If both had separate lovers, finding their own happiness before it’s too late is a courageous choice.”

His stance was mediatory. But Satin still couldn’t decide whether to feel relieved or to deny it. She had only considered whether to marry or not, not who the groom would be—Gjorn or Rublier.

Depending on this moment’s choice, tomorrow will change. However, there was too little time to ponder.

In contrast, Rublier was resolute.

“I think so too.”

As he declared this, Rublier cast a glance at Gjorn, a peculiar smile playing on his lips.

Gjorn was just as confused about where this wedding was heading.

When Satin declared the marriage invalid and received the cardinal’s reprimanding gaze, he felt his chest tighten. He felt so hopeless that he wanted to disappear like a bubble.

But when Rublier appeared at just the right moment and drew everyone’s attention, he could breathe a little easier.

It wasn’t as if Gjorn was entirely happy about marrying Satin. Of course, he couldn’t deny that she was a perfect bride in terms of qualifications. Since a distant childhood he couldn’t even remember since when, Satin had been his betrothed. If he were to marry, it would naturally be her. This fact didn’t change even after meeting Delilah.

However, on the day Delilah’s patron tried to assault her.

From that day, Gjorn also thought he didn’t want to marry Satin.

Delilah had been in real danger. It was hard to ignore that, both as a human being and as a man. When he entered the dressing room, she was being dragged around, her stage costume torn to shreds, her hair gripped by her patron’s hand.

But Satin didn’t even try to listen to his explanation and slapped him right away. Although he knew about Satin’s fiery temper, he hadn’t expected her to raise her hand without even attempting a conversation.

The shock was greater than the pain. The more he thought about it, the more he feared Satin. He lost the confidence to live and breathe next to her.

Moreover, Satin must have tattled to her parents because the head of the Del Mare family and his wife stormed into the Sel Wio estate without any notice, turning everything upside down. Satin was the only daughter of the Del Mare family, a precious and rare daughter. Her parents were furious, claiming their daughter had been insulted.

‘I didn’t mean to insult the lady; I apologize. If you wish, I will meet her and ask for forgiveness.’

Only after Delilah came out, knelt, and cried, begging for understanding, did the commotion finally subside.

But the status of being the only daughter of the Del Mare family was never simple. While the friendship and mutual benefits between the parents played a part in Gjorn being chosen as Satin’s fiancé, they also needed a second son from a similar family to be the husband who would inherit Del Mare.

He was to be a sort of adopted son-in-law. After marriage, even though the Sel Wio family would be behind him, Del Mare’s influence would become much greater.

Would Satin ever look kindly upon Delilah?

Gjorn was doubtful. After barely reaching a compromise with the Del Mare family, he honestly told his parents.

Can’t we just call off this wedding?

Naturally, his parents shouted at him.

‘You want to throw away Del Mare for some singer? Are you out of your mind?’

‘The Del Mare family’s protest isn’t wrong, even if their method was harsh. You have someone like Satin, yet you get involved in a scandal with a commoner woman three days before the wedding? How could you disgrace our family like this! We can’t show our faces in front of Del Mare!’

‘Get rid of that woman. If she’s going to be a seed of discord with Del Mare, it’s better for us to send her away.’

Trying to cancel the wedding nearly resulted in losing everything. It was natural. The Sel Wio family had no reason to give up on Del Mare.

After being scolded thoroughly, Gjorn returned to Delilah, feeling deflated. Even after being treated like a punching bag by both families, Delilah comforted him with a kiss.