The luxurious hotel was hosting a grand wedding ceremony.

“Bad news! The groom ran away!”

The sudden message made the wedding emcee’s face turn pale as he hurried to inform the groom’s parents.

But he forgot—his lapel microphone wasn’t turned off, so what was meant to be a private conversation ended up being broadcast to everyone present.

In an instant, the cheerful laughter of the guests froze. It was as though someone had pressed a pause button on the entire room.

As reality sank in, countless eyes inevitably shifted toward the bride standing on the center stage.

Dressed in a stunning white wedding gown, her angelic beauty was unparalleled, yet Isabella Carter had now become the laughingstock of the crowd.

Nobody had ever witnessed a groom ditching his bride on the day of their wedding, let alone among families of such high status.

...

“I heard Isabella’s temper is terrible. The groom must’ve bailed because of that!”

“No, no, it’s probably because she’s always in the spotlight. Maybe the groom couldn’t handle it.”

“Don’t know if you realized how shady the entertainment industry is, but fame comes with a price. For Isabella to be so popular, she surely… used certain methods, right?” Standing tall on the stage, Isabella Carter kept her dazzling smile intact, her expression steady as ever.

But the fists clenched in her lace sleeves, turning paler by the second, gave away the storm raging inside her.

She couldn’t believe it. Michael Hughes, that spineless jerk, had actually grown a spine—for once—and bailed on his wedding!

He’d better watch his back. If she didn’t make him pay for this, she’d lose her last shred of dignity as a Carter.

The Carters were top-tier in Selville, a name that commanded respect. Today’s union with the Hughes family was supposed to be the event of the season, a spectacle attended by Selville’s entire elite circle.

But for Michael Hughes to ditch her like this? It wasn’t just humiliating—it was a slap in the face for her family.

And she wasn’t about to let that slide. Not today, not ever.

Let them say she couldn’t find a husband, huh? Well, she’d prove everyone wrong—starting now.

If that coward couldn’t muster the guts to marry her, then fine. She’d find someone who could.

With her father Richard Carter’s piercing gaze boring into her, Isabella raised her chin high, her confidence radiating like a blazing light, and stepped down from the stage.

No one had a clue what this jilted bride planned to do next. All eyes stayed glued to her, curious and intrigued.

After all, Isabella Carter wasn’t just your average wealthy heiress—she was one of the hottest beauty influencers on social media right now. Isabella Carter, the queen of social media, known for her iconic sharp tongue and luxurious aura, had always dominated the online scene. Today, however, the situation took a drastic turn. Being stood up by the groom at her grand wedding? That was sure to make her the center of another viral trending topic soon.

Isabella walked over to her bodyguard, Damian Brooks. Without hesitation, she stood on her tiptoes, her arms—delicate and fair—looping around his neck. Then, she kissed him.

“Marry me!”

The two words rang out loud and clear in the silent hall, hitting everyone like a thunderclap.

The guests were in complete shock, unsure what Isabella was even trying to pull off. Sure, being ditched by the groom was humiliating enough, but picking a new husband out of thin air? And this man of all people?

If she truly wanted to save face, shouldn’t she pick someone with a background as influential as hers? After all, the Carter family was one of the most prominent names in Selkirk City. Could those rumors be true—that the Carter heiress had fallen for her bodyguard?

Damian’s brows furrowed as he stared at Isabella. His gaze lingered on her flawless face. Even he couldn’t deny it—she was stunning.

The custom-made Italian wedding dress elevated her elegance to a whole new level. If only her feisty personality could tone down a bit, he thought, then perhaps there’d be a lot more wealthy suitors eager to keep this beautiful ‘ornamental vase’ around. After spending three years by Isabella Carter's side, he knew exactly how her mind worked.

She was stuck in a tight spot now, turning to him for help.

If she didn’t pull off this wedding today, by tomorrow she’d be the laughingstock of the entire city. Someone as proud as her? She could never stomach such humiliation.

But as for stepping in to save the day? That was entirely his call.

Damian Brooks remained unmoved, prompting Isabella to urge him. “What’s the problem? Don’t want to?”

Before he could respond, she quickly added more bait to the offer. “Marry me, and we’re even. I’ll help you get what you want.”

She couldn’t afford to lose today. She understood the man in front of her well enough; she’d need to present an attractive deal to make him bite.

Even if it meant sacrificing herself to fulfill Damian’s wish, she was dead set on seeing this wedding through.

Her flawless face betrayed no hesitation, her gaze radiating determination.

A hint of amusement flickered across Damian’s eyes. Who’d have imagined that the proud Isabella Carter would go so far just to have him marry her?

Not only had she cast aside her usual arrogance, but now she was offering up something she’d once stubbornly refused—all for the sake of closing the deal. Quite intriguing. Damian Brooks said nothing, but calmly reached out his long fingers to pick up the ring from the ornate box nearby. Sliding it onto Isabella Carter’s delicate hand, his actions spoke louder than words. As he leaned slightly forward, his warm breath brushed against her cheek. "As you wish," he murmured.

At that moment, Isabella felt her heartbeat quicken unexpectedly. Seriously? It must be because Michael Hughes’s cowardly stunt had completely driven her mad—there was no other explanation.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Isabella looped her arm through Damian’s and stood upright. With her chin lifted high, the two walked confidently toward the stage.

Meanwhile, Michael’s parents, the Hughes couple, couldn’t ignore the unfolding situation any longer. Forgetting for a moment the embarrassment of their son’s running off, they were now desperate to stop Isabella from tarnishing their family’s reputation any further. In a flurry, they attempted to intervene.

Richard Carter, however, had been subtly monitoring them all along. Before they could take a single step, he swiftly blocked their path. "Benjamin, we've known each other for years—are we really going to end up in a standoff here?" He spoke politely, yet the sharp glint in his eyes revealed his true emotions.

Seeing his daughter subjected to such humiliation, and now being stopped from reclaiming her dignity? Not happening.

Richard’s words made Benjamin Hughes freeze for a moment. He then grabbed his equally agitated wife by the arm, stopping her. Trying to smooth things over, Benjamin turned to Richard with an apologetic expression.“Richard, this was Michael's fault. We admit it! Congratulations to Isabella on her wedding. Our family isn't lucky enough to call her our daughter-in-law.”

With the Hughes family patriarch speaking, the rest of the Hughes relatives naturally fell silent.

Michael’s mother, however, couldn’t accept such a turn of events. She had spent so much effort finding the perfect match for her son, only for the position to end up going to some bodyguard. A bodyguard! How could this humiliation even be put into words?

She wanted to intervene, but Michael’s father stopped her. “Dear, don’t be hasty. Let’s just see how the Carters finish this charade.”

Isabella, the Carter daughter, marrying her own bodyguard. The real disgrace here wasn’t theirs but the Carters’. Why bother interfering? Let it play out.

Under Isabella’s bold and unyielding maneuvering, the host—after a period of stunned silence—finally collected themselves and resumed their duties.

“Miss Isabella Carter, do you take Mr. Damian Brooks to be your lawful husband, to love and cherish him, in both poverty and wealth, in sickness and health?”

Without even a moment of hesitation, Isabella replied, her exquisitely beautiful face carrying a hint of pride.

“I do!”

She glanced at the man opposite her. For the first time ever, the famously fearless and feisty Isabella found herself bowing her head voluntarily.

Her teeth gently bit into her red lips, her snowy complexion slightly dipping as she lowered her gaze. Her heart was pounding irregularly, almost wildly. Darn it, why was she feeling this way? Why did she, of all people, want to rush over to him right now?The handsome man on stage slightly parted his thin lips and uttered three words, his voice cold and detached, as if none of this concerned him.

“I do.”

His tone was so indifferent that Isabella Carter was tempted to snap at him right then and there. She only dragged Damian Brooks into this marriage because she couldn’t bear the thought of becoming a laughingstock across the whole country. Seriously, he should feel lucky.

The awkward tension on the stage was almost palpable. The host tried to smooth things over, raising his microphone with the intention of wrapping up the ceremony with a few well-placed words of congratulations, signaling everyone to begin the banquet.

But just as he lifted the mic, the banquet hall doors were suddenly pushed open, breaking the strained atmosphere.

A clear, confident voice rang out, “Wait…”