During the four years with school heartthrob Mason Grant, Agnes Barker had been super nice to him.

Agnes used her connections to find a kidney donor, saving his mom's life.

She reached out to a top school in Washington D.C. and got his sister enrolled.

And she invested in his ventures, making him a business elite.

But on the night before their wedding, Agnes was shocked to see Mason's childhood sweetheart, Vivian Herrera, clinging to him and crying her eyes out.

"I knew you don't love Agnes. It's always me. Back then, we were almost together, but you had to be her boyfriend for Mrs. Grant and Kathy's sake.

"You've been with her for years, and now you're so successful. Why even marry her? I can't accept that. If you do, I'm gonna jump off!"

On the 30th floor of the building, one glance was enough to freak Kathy Grant and Nancy Dodson out. They hurried to talk Mason out of it.

"Mason, I've known Vivian since she was a kid. I've always seen her like my daughter-in-law. You can't let her down!"

"Mason, why don't you break up with Agnes? Vivian loves you so much, and I want her to be my sister-in-law."

"Say something, Mason. You're strong enough to leave Agnes now. Why not just break up with her? You even wanna marry her?! If you really like her, I'll kill myself!" Vivian threatened again.

Amidst the chaos, Mason still stayed silent.

Without getting a reply from Mason, Vivian finally broke down and was about to jump off the building.

Mason grabbed her hand tightly, his voice low and stern. "Fine, I'm not marrying her."

Vivian was overjoyed. "I know you're into me. How about leaving Agnes at the altar to embarrass her? She deserves it for keeping you with her all this time!"

Everyone's expressions changed at the words.

Seeing Mason didn't answer right away, Vivian couldn't help sobbing, "Mason, you hate her, don't you? As long as you're on it, I'll never commit suicide again."

Hearing this, Nancy and Kathy started to persuade Mason again.

They also asked Mason to run away from the wedding and teach Agnes a lesson.

A frown creased Mason's forehead. He was lost in thought. It took him a while to finally agree.

Kathy and Nancy immediately beamed with joy. Vivian also let out a sigh of relief. She smiled through tears and threw herself into his arms.

"That's settled then. I can't wait to see how sad Agnes will be," said Vivian.

Agnes witnessed the whole thing.

She didn’t confront them but quietly headed downstairs.

Back in the car, Agnes sat in the back seat for a long time and then called her mom.

Agnes said, "Mom, you're right. Mason's not Kelvin, no matter how similar they look. I am not gonna marry Mason."

"Kelvin's been gone a long time. You've been looking for someone like him. You can keep Mason, but no need to marry him."

Hearing her mom sigh, Agnes paused for a second. Gazing out the car window, she got lost in her memories.

Ever since Agnes was little, she knew her neighbor Kelvin Lester, who was two years older than her.

They were childhood sweethearts and inseparable all those years.

Agnes was a troublemaker, but Kelvin was the popular and gentle guy in their circle.

Kelvin would always be there for her, cleaning up her mess and protecting her.

Agnes loved him with her heart and soul, vowing to marry him.

On Kelvin's 22nd birthday, they were planning to get married at City Hall.

Agnes waited at City Hall all day, but he never showed up.

She only found out later that Kelvin had been killed in a car crash on his way there.

From that day on, Agnes lost all hope for her life.

She couldn't accept it, searching for Kelvin everywhere.

A similar side profile, a pair of clear eyes, a gentle voice...

She had met countless people. Anyone who even kinda looked like Kelvin, she'd feel drawn to.

Four years ago, she bumped into Mason at a bar, who was working part-time there.

He was strikingly similar to Kelvin. Seeing Mason, Agnes decided she had to keep him around her.

She asked about his family's situation, made a deal with him, and became his girlfriend.

After they got together, she never looked for any other substitute.

Everyone thought Agnes really fell for Mason.

But Agnes was using Mason to fill the void. She was missing Kelvin.

Agnes was lost in her own fantasy, mistaking Mason for Kelvin.

It wasn't until Agnes saw that scene that she finally snapped out of it.

To her, Mason was merely a substitute.

Agnes said in a husky voice, "Mom, I'll settle down in Ireland and stay with you."

And then, she would spend the rest of her life missing Kelvin.

After hanging up, she went back to the new house alone, finding the designer had been waiting with over a hundred wedding dresses for hours.

Seeing those fancy dresses, she lost all interest, casually waving her hand. "I won't choose any of them. I'm not getting married."

The next moment, Mason walked in, his eyes sharp. "What do you mean? You are not getting married?"

Agnes didn't expect that Mason would be back so soon.

But in this relationship, she was always the one calling the shots.

So she didn't hide anything and told him the truth.

"I'm not getting married. What's wrong with it?"

Seeing the indifferent expression on her face, Mason figured she was ‌throwing a tantrum‌ like she always did.

He didn't take it seriously, took off his jacket, and spoke coldly, "Who was so desperate to get married? Now you're calling it off. What's your game now?"

Seeing the people in the room looking tense, Mason casually pointed to a wedding dress. "Just this one."

Agnes glanced over and saw the wedding dress he had chosen. It happened to be the same one she favored in a video a few days ago.

She was a bit surprised, but she didn't read too much into it. She just looked at him. "Where were you today?"

Mason lied calmly, "I was busy with work. Don't worry. I'll keep my word and have sex with you every day. I won't forget."

With that, he bent down to pick her up, heading back to the bedroom.

But Agnes pushed him away. "No need for that. You can sleep in the guest room."

Mason paused. There was a hint of disbelief in his eyes as if he was seeing her for the first time. "Didn't you always want to sleep with me?"

Agnes put on a self-mocking smile. "Didn't you always say forced love does not last?"

Mason's eyes flickered before he put her down. "Whatever."

With that, he turned and headed upstairs without looking back, walking into the guest room.

The next day, Agnes woke up early.

The servant brought her coffee and casually mentioned Mason's whereabouts.

"Mr. Grant left early this morning for a workout. Would you like to have breakfast with him?"

Agnes shook her head. "I need to go out later. I'm not waiting for him."

After breakfast, Agnes got in her car and headed out. After finishing up some paperwork for permanent residence, she found a nice open-air café to enjoy the view.

She looked up from her phone and saw Mason.

He was pulled by Vivian, walking into the café downstairs.

He ordered two cups of coffee, specifically asking for one to be warm.

Vivian pouted for the iced one. Mason could do nothing but ruffle her hair. "No way. You're on your period. You can only have the warm one."

They had grown up together, so he remembered that clearly, right?

Agnes stared at them without blinking.

Vivian's shoelace came loose, and Mason bent down to tie it for her.

She wanted to try his coffee, and he handed it to her.

She admired the clothes in the window, and he offered to take her in to try them on one by one...

Seeing them act like a couple on a date, Agnes felt like she was seeing the real Mason for the first time.

It turned out that when he was with his beloved girl, he would smile, crack jokes, and look at her with a doting gleam.

He would not keep his distance or act indifferent. Instead, he remembered her preferences and even helped her pick out clothes.

He wasn't a buzz killer. No matter what Vivian talked about, he would quickly find a way to join in and never end the conversation.

With Vivian, he dropped the fake cold mask and would just be himself.

He became ambitious and cheerful again. He knew how to love others.

And these were the real, lively moments Agnes never saw when she was with Mason.

She finally got it. Love could make a huge difference.

It was not something money could fix.

After watching them entering a bakery, Agnes got up and headed to the mall.

As she was about to pay for a dress, she heard a familiar voice from behind.

"I'll take this dress. Wrap it up for me."

Turning her head, Agnes met Vivian's provoking gaze.

She knew Vivian wasn't a pushover, but she spoke calmly, "I took a fancy to this dress first. Besides, it's expensive. You can choose a different style."

Looking at Vivian's outfit, the salesperson chimed in, "Miss, I'm sorry, but the clothes here might not be affordable for you. If you need something, you can go check out the big sales downstairs."

For a moment, everyone turned to look at Vivian, who blushed with embarrassment.

"You're looking down on me, aren't you? I like this one, and I'm swiping my card now!"

With that, she took out Mason's black card and threw it at the salesperson.

Agnes looked at the card, then at the shocked onlookers, and also took out her own card.

Vivian was the newly rich customer while Agnes was the one who took a fancy to the dress first. The salesperson was caught in the middle, extremely awkward.

Just when she was at a loss about what to do, Mason's voice suddenly came over. "What's up?"

Seeing this, Vivian hurriedly moved closer and started to tattle.

"Mason, it's my birthday today, and I wanted to buy myself a dress as a gift. But Ms. Barker also picked this one and she wouldn't let me pay first. She said I couldn't afford it."

Mason's expression got even colder.

He looked at the dress, his voice totally indifferent. "You have lots of clothes at home. Why are you even arguing over this one? Plus, it looks better on Vivian."

Then he turned to Vivian. "This one isn't enough. Pick more. I'll pay for them."

Hearing this, Vivian raised a triumphant smile.

She no longer focused on that dress and grabbed a dozen other styles.

For a second, everyone in the store was envious of her. "Wow, he's so generous! When can I get a boyfriend like that?"

"Look at that girl. She's been faking it all day but not buying anything. Her whole outfit must be fake! What a poser!"

Hearing these whispers, Agnes didn't bother to explain.

She was about to push the door open when suddenly the alarm in the mall went off.

People rushed down from upstairs, screaming and running for life.

The whole shop was in total chaos, and Agnes got knocked to the ground.

Countless feet stepped on her, leaving bruises all over her body.

She was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face. She tried to protect her head.

In a flash, she saw Mason holding Vivian in his arms, heading for the exit.

Driven by pure instinct, Agnes shouted at Mason as loud as she could.

Mason turned around at the shout. His eyes narrowed when he saw her getting trampled.

Before he could even rush to help, Yumi yanked him back.

Vivian said something to him. Mason hesitated for a moment, turned to shield her, and walked away.

As she watched them vanish into the crowd, Agnes's last shred of hope was gone.

The tight space was choking, the air heavy with panic.

She was bleeding from the trampling, gritting her teeth as she slowly crawled to a corner.

She leaned against a wall and used her bloodied hands to pull herself up.

The crowd shoved her towards the mall exit, sapping all her strength.

Once she reached the open plaza, she buckled, gasping for air.

Not far away, a familiar yet urgent voice cut through the crowd's noise. "Vivian, wait for me here. I'll go check it out."

After settling Vivian down, Mason turned back into the mall and immediately spotted Agnes, covered in bruises.

Their eyes met again.

But this time, her eyes were devoid of any emotion.

Mason drove Agnes home, and they both remained silent.

After a long while, he cleared his throat and explained, "Today is Vivian's birthday. She was in a stampede at school when she was little, and it really scarred her. I didn't mean to leave you behind. I was going to take her somewhere safe and then come back for you."

For four years, Agnes had grown used to his cold words and jabs, so his attempt to explain made her feel weird.

And it was only because Vivian meant a lot more to him that he ignored her when she asked for help.

She totally understood.

Since she was leaving soon, she didn't care about that stuff anymore and just nodded. "Got it. You don't have to explain so much, or I might think you really fall for me."

Mason's face darkened right away, and his voice got cold. "I just feel like I didn't do what I was supposed to as a fiancé. It has nothing to do with love."

Was it only his responsibility?

Agnes breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon, this whole thing would be over.

The weight of responsibility on him and the chains on her heart would be all gone.

Back home, Mason got the first aid kit and took care of her wounds.

He was being super careful cleaning her wounds like he was scared of hurting her.

This side of him was nothing like his usual self, and it confused Agnes.

Just then, his phone rang.

Seeing Vivian's name on the screen, he stood up and answered the call right away.

"There are some footsteps outside your door? Lock the door and don't be afraid. I will get someone to handle this."

Agnes also caught the name on the screen, her eyelashes trembling.

Seeing him hang up and grab a cotton swab instead of leaving, she couldn't help but say, "Vivian is in trouble. You're not going to check on her?"

Mason paused. "We have some ground rules, right? Aren't we supposed to stick together unless we planned otherwise? I can't just leave you for the sake of others."

It turned out it was the rules that kept him here.

Agnes rubbed her forehead and then waved her hand. "Since it's so dangerous, you should go check it out today. Let's call it a special exception."

She never let him go out at night, not even to check a leak at home.

And now, she allowed him to keep Vivian company?

Mason felt something was up, and he wanted to figure it out. "Why?" he asked.

Agnes shrugged. "Your mom, your sister, and Vivian mean the world to you, don't they? If something happened to them, you would never be at peace. I'm just trying to help. It's your call whether you go or not."

Hearing her casual tone, Mason was stunned and looked at her with a mix of emotions.

But he didn't argue. He quickly pulled himself together, grabbed his keys, and walked out the door.

He never came back after he left.

Agnes didn't ask about his whereabouts either. She went to bed after taking care of her wounds.

The next day, she packed her stuff and sent it to Ireland.

As she packed, she found a bunch of couple stuff from their dating days. There were gifts she bought for him and even those group photos she made him pose for.

She tossed them all.

On the third day, she hung out with some friends at a bar, got a little drunk, and couldn't find the private room.

She was wandering upstairs when a familiar name reached her from a private room below.

"Mason, are you really planning to run away from the wedding for Vivian's sake? But Agnes has been so nice to you all these years. We have all seen it. Are you really going to leave Agnes just for Vivian?"

"Agnes is fine except for her temper. Mason, if you really marry her, you'll be stuck with her nagging forever, right? If you ask me, I think you should run away from the wedding and show her who's in charge!"

"I agree. She's totally into you, Mason. She would do anything for you and even go against her family to marry you. It's clear she can't live without you. Even if you run away from the wedding, she would probably beg you to come back. Then you could just play hard to get and you can call the shots in the future."

Mason stayed quiet and sipped his drink without saying a word.

His silence made his friends wonder what he was thinking, as they all tried to read him.

"Mason, what are you thinking? Are you really planning to run away from the wedding? If so, we will bring a camera to film the drama!"

"Yeah, just tell us. Why are you hesitating? You fall for Agnes or something? Then there's no point in running away."

Through the ajar door, Agnes saw Mason's indifferent face.

He sneered, "Fall for her? Will you fall for someone who has been forcing you from the start?

"All these years, I've just felt disgusted with Agnes."