The wedding was canceled.

But the consequences had only just begun.

Three days after that night, the entire Bennett family knew that I had given up my engagement.

Everyone believed the same thing.

That I was the abandoned sister.

The woman who had lost her fiancé because her younger sister was too fragile.

Exactly what I wanted them to believe.

Because for twenty-five years, I had always been the strong one.

The one who could sacrifice.

The one who could understand.

The one who could step aside.

And nobody ever asked what happened when the person who always gave finally stopped giving.

The morning after the engagement was canceled, Adrian came to my house.

He stood outside the door for almost ten minutes before I opened it.

His eyes were tired.

His expression was complicated.

—Natalie.

I looked at him calmly.

—Why are you here?

He lowered his head.

—I wanted to apologize.

I almost laughed.

Four years of love.

Three months of wedding preparation.

And the apology came after he had already chosen another woman.

—For what?

His throat moved.

—For hurting you.

I nodded.

—Okay.

My calmness made him uncomfortable.

He probably expected anger.

Tears.

A question.

Anything that would prove I still cared.

But I didn’t give him that.

—Is that all?

Adrian looked at me.

—Do you really not hate me?

I smiled.

—Hating someone means they still matter.

His face became pale.

Before he could answer, my phone rang.

It was my father.

“Natalie, come home. We need to discuss something.”

I knew exactly what it was.

The Bennett family shares.

The inheritance.

The things that suddenly became important after I stopped being the obedient daughter.

When I arrived, Mia was sitting in the living room.

She looked healthier than before.

Interesting.

The girl who was too weak to attend my wedding seemed perfectly capable of sitting comfortably when discussing my future.

My mother held her hand.

—Natalie, we know you are hurt.

I sat down.

—I’m not hurt.

Mia looked surprised.

My father frowned.

—Then what are you feeling?

I thought for a moment.

Then answered honestly.

—Free.

The room became silent.

Mia’s expression changed.

Because she finally understood.

I wasn’t fighting for Adrian anymore.

I wasn’t fighting for the wedding.

I was fighting for myself.

My father placed the old envelope on the table.

—Your grandmother left instructions.

—The shares, the property, and the investment funds belong to you.

Mia immediately spoke:

—Dad, but Natalie doesn’t need all of that now.

The moment the words left her mouth, everyone looked at her.

She realized her mistake.

She quickly corrected herself.

—I mean… since she doesn’t have a wedding anymore, maybe some things can be adjusted.

I lowered my eyes.

The same Mia.

Always taking.

Always needing.

Always believing someone else should lose something so she could gain.

The system-like words appeared again.

【The target is exposing herself.】

【Do not attack. Let everyone see naturally.】

I smiled softly.

—Mia is right about one thing.

Everyone looked at me.

—I don’t need those things to get married.

I paused.

—But they were never given to me because of my marriage.

My father nodded.

—Exactly.

My mother looked uncomfortable.

For the first time, she couldn’t tell me to give in.

Because there was nothing left to give.

That evening, Adrian came again.

This time, Mia was with him.

She held his arm.

The image was almost perfect.

The sick younger sister.

The devoted man.

The abandoned fiancée.

Except nobody looked at me like a victim anymore.

Adrian looked at me.

—Natalie, I want to talk.

—About what?

He hesitated.

—About us.

I shook my head.

—There is no “us” anymore.

Mia’s fingers tightened around his arm.

Adrian noticed.

And for the first time, I saw doubt appear in his eyes.

Because maybe he was finally realizing something.

He had not chosen Mia because he loved her.

He had chosen her because everyone told him she needed saving.

But saving someone and loving someone were never the same.

—Natalie, I was confused.

I looked at him.

—No.

My voice was quiet.

—You were certain.

He froze.

—You signed the documents.

—You chose her.

—You came to me only after realizing what you might lose.

His lips parted.

But he couldn’t deny it.

I walked toward the door.

—Adrian Blake.

He looked up.

—Thank you.

His expression changed.

—For what?

I smiled.

—For finally showing me that I was the only person in this relationship who was fighting.

Then I closed the door.

Behind it, I heard Mia’s voice.

—Adrian, don’t tell me you regret it.

And for the first time…

I didn’t care about his answer.

Because tomorrow, the Bennett family would receive another surprise.

The company shares my grandmother left me were not just an inheritance.

They came with controlling rights.

And the first decision I would make as the new majority shareholder…

Would change everything Adrian Blake thought he owned.