Chapter 2 - The Two-Faced Bride
Before Lily could sign another word, a freezing shadow fell over them.
"There you are," a cold, sharp voice echoed in the hallway.
Ethan slowly stood up and turned around. Standing right behind them was Vanessa, his beautiful, thirty-something fiancée. She wore a stunning, sparkling silver evening gown, holding an expensive crystal champagne glass.
In front of the wealthy guests, Vanessa had been playing the role of the devoted, heartbroken future wife, constantly doting on her "sick" fiancé. But right now, there was no crowd to perform for.
Her flawless, sweet party smile had completely vanished. She directed an icy, terrifying, venomous glare directly at the little girl in the white lace dress.
Lily violently flinched backward away from Vanessa, snatching her stuffed bunny from the floor and clutching it like a shield. The sheer, unadulterated fear radiating from the child was undeniable.
Suddenly, Maria, the young housekeeper in a black maid uniform, rushed into the hallway.
"I'm so sorry, ma'am!" Maria panicked, practically throwing her body between Vanessa and her daughter. She grabbed Lily’s tiny hand, pulling her back. "She got away from the kitchen. I'll take her upstairs immediately. Please forgive her."
The second the housekeeper spoke, Vanessa’s face shifted. It was a terrifying, cinematic transformation. The venomous glare instantly evaporated, violently replaced by a sweet, perfect, deeply concerned smile.
Vanessa stepped forward and gently placed her manicured hand on Ethan's tuxedo arm, acting as if nothing had happened.
May you like
"It's alright, Maria," Vanessa said sweetly, her voice dripping with fake kindness. She looked up at Ethan. "Everyone is waiting for us, darling. It's almost time for the toast."
👉 Ethan looked into his fiancée's eyes, realizing his mysterious terminal illness wasn't a tragedy—it was an assassination.
