Not Marrying the One I Love

Seeing me cry so sadly, my mother said, "Zane, we can put pressure on the Winters family if you still want to marry her. Celia will come and apologize to you."

However, I knew Celia would come and apologize to me even if my parents did not put pressure on the Winters family. I shook my head. "Mom, I'm sorry I've embarrassed you both. I won't be with Celia anymore. I’ve dumped her."

"It's good that you won't marry her. We don't want a woman like her," My mother said nothing more after that and just rubbed my hair.

My parents knew I was unhappy. Thus, we arranged a family trip that very night after getting home.

I chose Iceland out of selfish motives. We went to see the northern lights together.

It was the most beautiful scenery to me all these years because I had saved Celia right here. We used to snuggle up together to watch the northern lights, so I chose to end everything here now.

I let go of those eight years in just one week.

However, I did not expect public opinion to be directed against me upon my return.

Shane's fans maliciously edited and reposted my statement at the wedding. My original words were twisted into: "Since you like Shane, marry him. I'm not marrying you."

They knew nothing about the wedding; they just thought that I dragged Shane into it.

Furthermore, the Winters family did not clarify the situation, leading Shane's fans to manipulate the online narrative and insult me viciously.

My funeral portrait was widely circulating online within just one week.

However, both my parents and I knew that public opinion could never have escalated to this extent without manipulation. Even my family's public relations team could not suppress it.

My first thought was that it had something to do with Celia.

I heard Shane's voice when I called her.

I asked, "Celia, don't you have anything to say to me about the online rumors?"

Celia's voice on the other end of the line sounded utterly indifferent, seemingly unaffected by the wedding chaos. "Zane, if you apologize to Shane now, our wedding can be rescheduled. I'll still register our marriage."

I despised myself for having secretly hoped for a change in her attitude. I was so mad I almost laughed. "Celia, I also wanted to ask Shane if you both have any sense of shame. The online uproar is so huge, yet you expect me to apologize instead of explaining."

"Shane wouldn't have almost lost his job if it weren't for you. Those insults are well-deserved." She was as condescending as ever.

I hung up without further hesitation. Later, I turned to my parents and said with a chuckle, "Dad, cut off the Winters family's funding. A woman like her doesn't deserve it."

There was no other reason. I just wanted to know if Celia would still make me apologize to Shane without the support of my family's financial chain.

I did not directly try to clarify things online; instead, I spent money to remove it from the trending list. I did this to more intuitively see whether there was anyone guiding public opinion behind the scenes.

One night passed, and it was still trending. This time, I knew that someone was trying to mess with me. The remaining matters would be much smoother to solve once the goal was set.

Just then, Shane's messages started coming in. They were photos of him and Celia, taken during the seven days I was out travelling, as well as his text message.

Shane: [Zane, do you really think Celia loves you? I'm the only one she loves.]

Among dozens of photos, there was one that particularly stung. It was a photo of Celia and Shane embracing each other under the setting sun on the mountain top.

My heart ached in waves.

Celia once told me that she disliked outdoor sports, but she was willing to climb the highest mountain in the city together with Shane.

Although these photos did upset me for a moment, I still thought Shane was stupid.

Public opinion online was originally aimed at me, but not anymore.

I did not mind using Shane as a shield, regardless of whether he actually did it. I sent the photos and screenshots Shane sent me to several paid marketing accounts. They completely reversed public opinion in just two hours.

Even though Shane had spent a fortune to make this topic trend online, it could not withstand the solid evidence he helpfully provided himself.

After doing all this, I was bombarded with messages from Shane. My phone was filled with countless vulgarities.

Even Celia called me countless times. Perhaps more than she had in three years. It was ironic.

I ignored them all, spending a few days at home calming myself down before driving to work.

Just as I parked my car at my workstation, someone suddenly rushed toward me from a distance.

I instinctively sensed danger and tried to get back into the car, but it was too late; she was fast.

A woman charged straight at me, holding a gleaming dagger.

A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, momentarily blurring my consciousness.

I seized the opportunity to grab the woman tightly. Even if it meant death, I would not let her escape justice.

In a daze, I heard the woman make a phone call. "Shane, don't worry, I've dealt with that wretch. No one will ever be able to hurt you again!"