A Bride Switcheroo on the Big Day

"Are you sure you want to change the bride's name to Jasmine Shaw, Quinn?" Quinn Sullivan's voice was resolute. "Yes, I'm sure. Do as I say." She sat in silence for a long time after hanging up. She recalled what she saw after her engagement party. Her fiancé had his arms wrapped around another woman in a swaying car. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear, looking like he couldn't bear to leave. Quinn didn't understand. She and Nicholas York had gone through so much to get to marriage. How could he cheat on her? Well, it didn't matter. She was willing to give him her blessings since he was in love with another woman. He could marry someone else, then. She would give him the wedding of his dreams. Chapter 1 "Are you sure you want to do this, Quinn?" Quinn Sullivan suppressed the conflicting emotions in her gaze and nodded. She opened her phone and deleted her name from the electronic wedding invitation she had prepared, replacing it with Jasmine Shaw's. Upon seeing that, her best friend, Stella Harper, glanced at her worriedly. Once Quinn was done amending the invitation, she sent it to Stella. "Have someone send this out the day before the wedding, and replace all the photos and videos with ones of Nicholas and Jasmine. I'll be leaving Heathridge on the day of the wedding," she said. Once Stella left, Quinn spent some time looking out the window, unmoving from her spot. She and Nicholas York had just held their engagement party eight hours ago. Amidst the well-wishes of many guests, she had thought that her long-awaited wedding with Nicholas would come quickly. However, three hours ago, Quinn found that he had gotten into his car with a female celebrity from his company after the engagement party. She witnessed it through her phone, which had been left in his car. Nicholas said, "I despised you so much when you broke up with me for money back then, Jasmine. But I promised you that I would save my wedding night for you. "Just this once today, okay? I don't want to spend my first night with any woman who's not you." His voice carried a slight hint of drunkenness, yet every word came from his heart. He even sounded as if he was about to cry. Their actions grew more intimate in the car as Jasmine held Nicholas in her arms. She then started kissing his neck. "I didn't leave you for the money back then, Nicholas. It was because I felt I wasn't good enough for you. I would've never let you go if I knew you'd end up marrying someone like Quinn," she said. Nicholas was taken aback, but he soon happily pulled Jasmine into his embrace. "You're the only one for me even if I marry her, Jasmine." Soon, Quinn could only hear their heavy breathing. She chuckled bitterly as she took off the engagement ring from her finger. The ring was a creation by Carlos Hued, her favorite designer. Nicholas had spent more than six months abroad trying to convince Carlos to craft these one-of-a-kind engagement rings—all just to make Quinn happy. She couldn't understand how someone who had always confessed his love for her could so quickly become involved with someone else. Quinn spared one last glance at the wedding ring before tossing it into the trash can. She no longer wanted the ring—and she no longer wanted Nicholas the same. Since he loved Jasmine so much, Quinn would do him a favor and make the wedding, a month from now, his and Jasmine's. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of knocking. Linda Boston, a household staff member, entered with a glass of hot milk in her hand. "Mr. York called earlier and instructed us to get you a glass of hot milk, Ms. Sullivan. He also mentioned that he has a surprise for you when he gets back, so he asked you not to sleep just yet." Quinn gestured for Linda to place the glass on the table before dismissing her. The milk was still steaming, just like every night before. Ever since Nicholas knew she had trouble sleeping at night, he would personally warm up a glass of milk for her daily. He would smile happily whenever she finished the milk. At the height of his career, he would announce their relationship to the public, telling everyone how much he loved Quinn. He would turn down important deals time and again for her, even if it meant paying huge penalties. But what moved her the most was the fact that Nicholas, someone who had never set foot in the kitchen, could warm up milk for her every day for years without fail. The tip of Quinn's fingers touched the glass. It was hot, yet all she felt was the numbing coldness in her heart. It turned out that grand gestures might not always mean true love. She had never been able to accept betrayal. Quinn wondered what Nicholas' expression would be when he saw the bride at the wedding in a month's time. As soon as the clock struck 12, she received a call from Nicholas. He shouted excitedly, "Look out of the window, Quinn!" Quinn instinctively looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. The sky was lit up by countless fireworks, only stopping half an hour later. The door burst open, and Nicholas ran over to wrap his arms around her waist. He smiled softly as he asked, "Do you like the gift I prepared for you?" His love for her always seemed so high-profile, as if he wanted everyone to know about it. Unfortunately, it was all fake. Nicholas leaned his head onto Quinn's shoulders and nuzzled affectionately. "It's like I'm dreaming now, Quinn. We really got engaged—this day finally came!" His words were filled with happiness. She might have thought everything that happened in the car was just her imagination if it weren't for the faint jasmine scent on him. Quinn got up and pushed away Nicholas' hand. As she looked at him, she happened to notice the necklace on his neck. He had been wearing it ever since they first met. On the inside of the necklace, a white flower was engraved. Quinn used to be curious about it, but Nicholas explained that white was his favorite color, and the flower design was something he picked at random. It was only now that she realized the white flower symbolized Jasmine. Chapter 2 Worry flashed across Nicholas' face when he saw the neglected glass of milk on the table. "Why didn't you drink it? Was it because I came back too late? I'll warm up another glass for you." He soon returned with another glass of milk while explaining, "The reason why I came back late was because I was preparing the fireworks for you. But I might be busy for the next few days, so you don't have to wait for me if I come back late." Quinn accepted the glass of milk, yet she did not drink it. Nicholas never came home late in the past—until one day when he hadn't returned all night. All her calls couldn't go through, and she spent the entire night looking for him. When he returned the next day, he explained that he had been caught up with a project. He had fallen asleep in a nearby hotel after finishing the deal. Back then, Quinn had naively believed that Nicholas was really working—she even felt sorry for him for a long time. It wasn't until two days ago that she learned that it was the same day Jasmine had joined his company. Before this, Quinn was only aware that Nicholas used to love his first love a lot, but she ended up leaving him for money. He had been stuck in that past relationship, unable to move on, until he met Quinn. From then on, he became obsessed with her. Quinn felt that Nicholas did not fit into any of the qualities she was looking for in her ideal partner. However, she gradually began to waver under his passionate and persistent pursuit. She even gave up her research career for him. And yet, Nicholas dealt her a crushing blow at the point when Quinn loved him the most. Looking at his gentle smile, she felt as if she was suffocating. She only felt better when she averted her gaze to look out the window. "What's wrong, Quinn? Are you feeling unwell?" Concerned, Nicholas grabbed her hand, only to realize that her ring was missing. "Where's your ring?" Quinn was about to explain when her gaze fell on his hand. She chuckled softly and retorted, "Where's yours?" Nicholas only noticed that his ring was missing then. He tried to hide his hand in a hurry, looking pale as he started explaining. "It might have been stolen during the party with so many guests around." "Is that so?" Quinn thought his excuse was flimsy and ridiculous. She wondered if he truly thought she was a fool. She used to love and trust him, willingly being kept in the dark. But she no longer wanted to be that fool anymore. "Who knows, it might have been left in the car instead," Quinn said. Nicholas suddenly felt diffident when he met her gaze. Quinn did not want to press on the matter further. Just as she was about to sleep, Linda came knocking on her door. "Haven't I told you guys not to disturb Quinn at night no matter what?" Nicholas said. "Jasmine said that something urgent came up, and she has to see you tonight, Mr. York," Linda replied. Nicholas' hand trembled slightly upon the mention of Jasmine's name. He glanced at Quinn, about to explain himself. However, Quinn interrupted him and said, "You should go. She probably really wants to see you." Seeing his anxious gaze, she then added, "Her rising fame might come crashing down if something really happened to the company." Nicholas visibly relaxed upon hearing her words. He gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders and said, "You can head to bed first, I'll be back soon." Shortly after he left, Quinn received an anonymous message. It read: "Look out of the window. Mr. York has prepared a visual treat for you." She walked to the window. Instead of looking up to the sky, she looked downward. Jasmine was holding onto Nicholas from the swing in the garden, kissing him repeatedly. That spot wasn't visible from anywhere else, but Quinn could see everything clearly from her room. Jasmine hugged Nicholas before pushing him down to sit on the swing. She then stood up and glanced upward, meeting Quinn's gaze. At that moment, Quinn knew that Jasmine was doing it on purpose—she was the one who sent Quinn the message. Nicholas seemed anxious, wanting to comfort Jasmine and get her to leave. However, she took out his ring from her pocket. He reached out for it, but she put the ring onto her own finger. She then took a photo of it. Soon enough, Quinn saw the photo on Jasmine's social media. The caption read: "It seems like he'll never refuse a request from me." She continued to scroll up and came across a photo posted ten days ago. The caption read: "A glass of hot milk before bed—truly a bad habit someone has spoiled me with." A wave of bitterness spread across her heart. What she had thought was care from him was once a privilege enjoyed by Jasmine. Quinn's heart throbbed painfully. She steadied herself by grabbing onto a chair but ended up falling onto the ground. Nicholas came rushing up shortly after he heard the loud commotion. Tears welled up in his eyes as soon as he saw the bleeding cut from the glass shards on her arm. He cried out, "You're hurt, Quinn! Let me get you to the hospital!" Chapter 3 Jasmine was nowhere to be found once Quinn went downstairs. Nicholas frowned as he looked around. He was somewhat distracted not seeing Jasmine around. He kept glancing at his phone even when they were in the car, accidentally running the red light a few times while his mind was elsewhere. He looked at Quinn diffidently after running the red light for the third time and narrowly avoiding an accident. He started explaining, "I'm rushing to go to the hospital because I'm worried about your injury. I hope I didn't scare you." She looked away and stared ahead. She then replied indifferently, "I'm alright, so just drive safely and stop running the red lights." Nicholas noticed that something was off with her attitude. He was about to ask about it when his phone buzzed. A brief flash of joy flickered in his eyes. The worry and tension on his face finally faded after he read the message. … As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Nicholas left the ward under the pretense of buying supper for Quinn. The doctor, Margaret Snyder, checked her condition once he left. She frowned while asking, "Do you have any heart-related issues?" Quinn nodded, a bitter taste rising in her mouth. She'd suffered from heart disease since she was young. But nothing serious had happened over the years as she had always taken good care of herself. It was only in recent months that she had started staying up late to wait for Nicholas' return. It seemed to have contributed to the worsening of her condition. That was why she had collapsed when she saw Jasmine's post earlier. "You need to rest more. You might need surgery if this keeps up," Margaret advised, treating her wound before leaving the ward. The empty ward was silent except for Quinn's breathing. She looked up at the ceiling and suddenly recalled the way she would always stay by Nicholas' side whenever he was sick in the past. But now, he had left her alone in the ward for another woman. Quinn's phone chimed with a notification, and she saw yet another new post from Jasmine. It read: "He always remembers what I like. I still remember that the first dish he made for me was beef stew." Her hand trembled involuntarily as she gripped her phone. It turned out that Nicholas even cooked for Jasmine personally. … Nicholas only returned to the ward an hour later, wearing a faint blush on his cheeks. Quinn noticed the fresh love bites on his neck as he leaned down to open the food container for her. "The traffic was bad outside, that was why I came back late," he said. A hint of mockery flashed across Quinn's face when she saw the beef stew, now cold. Nicholas said, "You can eat up while I check with the doctor about your condition." Quinn received a call from him no sooner after he left. However, Jasmine's voice was heard on the other end of the line. "She's still in the ward—shouldn't you be taking care of her now?" Her voice was tinged with evident jealousy. Nicholas chuckled and said, "Are you jealous? Aren't you supposed to be happy now that I've left her to come find you?" Jasmine asked, "Can you stay with me tonight? For some reason, I feel uneasy whenever I remember that you'll be marrying someone else." "It'll be daytime soon. How about I stay with you for the whole of tomorrow instead?" Nicholas replied. "Can you kiss me for now then—" The line was cut off halfway through Jasmine's words. Although Quinn couldn't manage to hear the rest of the conversation, she could imagine what would happen. When he saw the beef stew remained untouched on the table, he ran over to her bedside worriedly and grabbed her hand. "Are you feeling unwell?" Quinn shook her head and replied, "No, I just don't have any appetite." Nicholas panicked as soon as he heard her words. He ran out to get Margaret to come perform a series of checks on Quinn. He only relaxed when he had confirmed that she was alright. He took note of every instruction Margaret gave without any hint of impatience. Once she left, he took Quinn's hand and smiled gently. "Don't worry, I remember everything the doctor said, Quinn. I won't let you get hospitalized again. Is your injury hurting you now? It's all my fault—this wouldn't have happened if I'd taken the glass out earlier," Nicholas said. He even started tearing up, and the guilt and heartache in his gaze seemed all too real. Suddenly, Quinn couldn't tell if Nicholas' concern for her was genuine or not. If it was genuine, why would he bring her Jasmine's leftover beef stew? But if it wasn't genuine, why then was he so concerned about her now? Nicholas continued to talk, but Quinn no longer had the heart to listen to him. He hurried to tuck her in when he saw her shutting her eyes. He then sat on the edge of the bed, resting his chin in his hand while he stared at her face. Nicholas said, "You're so beautiful, Quinn. I can't take my eyes off you. Sometimes I really think I'm lucky to have met you before you fell for someone else." Upon hearing his words, Quinn opened her eyes and looked at him. She wanted to ask him—who exactly did he truly love? Chapter 4 Quinn woke up in the early dawn, only to realize Nicholas was no longer in the ward. Only the breakfast he'd left behind remained on the table. "Something came up in the company, so I had to leave first, Quinn." On her phone was a message from him, sent an hour ago. Quinn wondered if he was that eager to see Jasmine. Nicholas only returned during the night, with a camera in his hand. He looked at her excitedly. "I found a perfect place for wedding photos today, Quinn. How about we go take some together? I've always felt the previous ones weren't perfect enough. I want to personally capture our happy moments this time." … Quinn only realized that they were at a desolate mountain, with no one around after they reached their destination. "Look at the stars here, Quinn! Aren't they so much more beautiful than anywhere else?" Nicholas said as he took out her wedding dress. He received a call just as Quinn was about to get changed. As he answered the call, she watched the way his smile gradually morphed into a worried frown. She could vaguely hear Jasmine's name as well. "Don't fret, I'll come over now!" Nicholas hurriedly ended the call. He then drove away before Quinn could say anything. She watched the car speed away from her sight without any ounce of hesitation. He did not even give her phone back. Quinn chuckled bitterly before she started making her way down the mountain, resigned. Her health wasn't great, to begin with, and it was very cold on the mountain. However, she only put on a thin shirt in order to go with Nicholas' photoshoot. Quinn walked for over four hours before she could finally hail a taxi. Her body was heating up by the time she arrived home. Just as she was ready to head to bed, she saw the entertainment news on her computer. "Rising star Jasmine Shaw caught in a scandal—Nicholas York personally clears the air." Quinn clicked into the video and saw the way Nicholas firmly stood in front of Jasmine. He said, "It's true that our relationship goes beyond just superior and subordinate. But Jasmine isn't a mistress—we've known each other for ten years. Also, the new endorsement was originally intended for her." Quinn's heart sank instantly upon hearing his words. What was initially her endorsement somehow had gone to Jasmine now. Besides, her endorsement had already been publicly announced. Now that Nicholas was saying this, everyone would think that she was the one who stole Jasmine's endorsement. As expected, war erupted in the comment section. Someone commented: "Does that mean that Quinn was the mistress instead?" Another wrote: "You could tell she wasn't a good person from the fact she gave up on her research career to enter the entertainment industry." Someone else replied: "She was even shameless enough to steal Jasmine's endorsement! " The video was still playing on the computer by the time Nicholas came back. He paled and anxiously started explaining, "I'm sorry, Quinn. I didn't mean to leave you on the mountain. I was just so worried. After all, this matter could greatly affect the company. "We're about to get married anyway, and you won't need to do this kind of work anymore. Just consider this time a small sacrifice for me and the company, okay?" Quinn looked up at Nicholas. "Back then, it was you who asked me to quit my research career and enter the entertainment industry for you." He replied, "I'm sorry, Quinn. I know it's unfair to you, but this will be the last time. Please don't be mad, okay? I'll let you get back to work once things calm down." Quinn kept quiet, no longer wanting to talk about it. After all, she decided to let go of both this career and Nicholas. … Quinn developed a high fever that night. To make things worse, she received news that Thomas Brooke, her maternal grandfather, fell ill. As she was his only relative in Heathridge, she had to hurry over. Quinn struggled to get up, but she passed out just after taking a few steps. She found herself in the hospital when she regained consciousness, feeling much better than the night before. Upon remembering Thomas, Quinn pulled out the IV drip and prepared to leave. However, she was stopped by Nancy Jones, the nurse. Nancy said, "Mr. York asked us to make sure you don't go anywhere, Ms. Sullivan. He's already dealing with your grandfather's situation. After he brought you to the hospital last night, he went straight to your grandfather." Stella arrived shortly after Nancy finished speaking. "Nicholas told me you're in the hospital. He was worried so he called to ask me to take care of you. "Nicholas has already rushed your grandfather to the best hospital for heart treatment. He's currently taking care of your grandfather over there, and I heard he hasn't gotten any rest. He even said he'll come to visit you later. She continued, "He had also canceled your upcoming appointments—forking out a huge amount just for cancellation fees. To be honest, I'm starting to believe he really does love you." Quinn chuckled bitterly when she heard Stella's words. Even she couldn't figure out what kind of feelings Nicholas had for her as well. But even so, she hadn't changed her mind. Betrayal was still betrayal—and she had never been someone who could tolerate it. Chapter 5 Nicholas rushed over from another hospital the same night. When he saw that Quinn had regained consciousness, he rushed over happily and pulled her into his embrace. "You really scared me! It's all my fault for causing you to fall sick. I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you!" Nicholas said. Quinn looked at him and gently pushed his arms away. "Thank you for taking care of my grandfather. You must be exhausted." Nicholas glared at her and said, "Didn't I tell you not to be so courteous with me? Your grandfather is like my own—it's only right for me to take care of him. "But you don't have to worry—Grandpa will be fine. He just had surgery, and I've arranged for several caregivers to take care of him." Nicholas then took out the sweets he had brought and placed them on the table in front of Quinn. "I heard that sweets will help you recover faster when you're sick, Quinn. These are all my favorites, so go ahead and try them!" He looked at her excitedly, yet she only stared at the sweets without any appetite. Sadness clouded Nicholas' gaze when he saw the way Quinn refused to eat. "It's fine if you don't like them, but you've been cold to me for the past two days, Quinn. Are you angry at me?" He started tearing up as he said, "You know that I'd be upset seeing you unhappy, Quinn." Quinn instinctively wanted to pull away when she realized that he was holding her hand. At that moment, Nicholas' phone rang. He accepted the call irritably, but worry soon clouded his features. "How did this happen? Where is she now? Alright, I'm coming over now. Make sure to protect her—don't let anything happen to her!" he said. Nicholas ended the call and rushed off in a hurry, forgetting to even inform Quinn. After he left, she opened her phone and saw that something had happened to Jasmine again. However, she also spotted her own name in an inconspicuous corner. Jasmine had actually stolen an important role from Quinn behind her back. This role was a crucial turning point for Quinn. If things went well, it could even take her career to the next level. But now, Jasmine actually took the liberty to forge Nicholas' signature on the document. She had even seized the opportunity when Quinn was sick to discuss the replacement of the role with the production team. The production team wouldn't have bothered with Jasmine if she was doing it alone. However, she now had Nicholas backing her up. Although he had the resources, he was always careful of his reputation. If it was any other artist in his company, Nicholas wouldn't have hesitated to fire them. However, Jasmine was the one behind such action this time. In order to cover up this situation, he spared no expense in buying trending topics and used his financial power to pressure the production team into replacing Quinn with Jasmine. However, Nicholas never took Quinn's situation into account. If she was replaced, she would lose any chance of accessing good resources in the industry. Her heart sank when she read the official announcement from Jasmine's account. At the same time, criticism flooded her own comment section. Quinn had just finished reading through the hateful comments by the time Nicholas returned. Dark circles weighed his exhausted eyes, and his steps were even unsteady. But it was evident from his relaxed expression that he had resolved Jasmine's crisis, resulting in his good mood. Nicholas walked over to Quinn and linked arms with her affectionately. "Let's head home to sleep tonight. It's more comfortable sleeping at home than in the hospital." Upon hearing his words, she softly asked, "Are you concerned about me?" Nicholas was taken aback. He started laughing and said, "Of course—who would I be concerned about if not you? No one else is worth my time other than you." Quinn wondered if it was the same for Jasmine. She looked out the window. She couldn't make out anything in the dark—just like how she couldn't make out Nicholas' thoughts. She could no longer distinguish between his truth and lies. As soon as they arrived home, Nicholas fell onto the bed and fell asleep instantly. Quinn then went downstairs to sleep in the study. … Quinn was roused by the abrupt doorbell the next morning. She got to the door and realized it was Jasmine. "Where's Nicholas, Quinn? Is he home? I need to see him urgently." Before Quinn could reply, she heard hurried footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw that Nicholas had rushed over without even putting on his shoes. "It's too early for you to be coming over, Jasmine. Did something happen?" he asked. "My father is sick! Can you come to visit him with me, Nicholas? I'm so worried," Jasmine said, tearing up. Nicholas immediately went to get changed and put on his shoes. He rushed back soon after. Quinn called out for him as he was about to leave. "Nicholas, today—" Before she could finish speaking, Nicholas interrupted her. "Let's talk about it when I get back, Quinn." Chapter 6 Quinn could only swallow her unspoken words when she saw Nicholas hurrying away. He seemed to have forgotten about their appointment with the reporters. On the day of their engagement, he had contacted several reporters to come over for an interview, hoping to document their pre-wedding preparations. Today was the day of their appointment. Quinn was about to contact the reporters to cancel today's interview, but they had already arrived. A reporter asked, "Do you have anything to say regarding the fact that you knowingly became someone's mistress, Quinn?" Another said, "I heard that you've been arrogantly canceling confirmed collaborations, and Jasmine ended up having to fix your mess. Are these things true?" "Where's your professionalism as an actress, Ms. Quinn Sullivan? Can you offer the public a proper explanation regarding the recent events?" someone asked. Quinn's heart sank instantly upon hearing the reporters' aggressive questions. Even though they were aware of the recent events, since Nicholas had invited them over to record their warm daily life, they wouldn't have come up to her with these blunt questions. Someone must have been pulling the strings behind the scenes with all those questions. Upon seeing the growing crowd of reporters and paparazzi, Quinn could only retreat back into hiding in the house. Unfortunately, the crowd refused to leave and remained waiting outside. As the sky grew darker, the crowd grew, yet Nicholas did not come back. She tried calling him multiple times, yet nobody picked up. Quinn had been kept awake from the commotion outside, unable to sleep. By dawn, she could clearly feel her heart acting up, yet the crowd outside still hadn't dispersed. She knew she would be surrounded at once if she showed herself now. Those reporters and paparazzi wouldn't listen to her explanation anyway. Feeling the uncomfortable tightness in her chest, Quinn reached out for her phone. Her hands trembled as she dialed Nicholas' number once again. The call finally got through, yet it was Jasmine who picked up. "Are you looking for Nicholas, Quinn? He was busy the entire night and just fell asleep. If there's nothing important, you can just call him again later." Quinn wondered what Nicholas had been busy the entire night with. Jasmine continued, "We'll be going to the hospital to visit my father later. I'll end the call now, Quinn." Quinn ended the call with a bitter chuckle when she found out that they weren't even in the hospital last night. Looking at the crowd outside, she clutched her chest and curled up on the couch. She broke into a cold sweat from the excruciating pain. Nicholas only returned during the afternoon. He rushed in hurriedly after sending the reporters outside away. Quinn's heart was already in unbearable pain then. She struggled to get up to go to the hospital when she saw the reporters had finally dispersed. Just as she passed by a bookshelf, a sharp pain shot through her chest. She subconsciously reached out to steady herself on the shelf, only to knock over a glass music box sitting on the bookshelf by accident. Quinn collapsed at the same time the music box fell to the ground. She broke up in cold sweat from the excruciating pain. However, Nicholas rushed over and pushed her away. Instead, he picked up the music box behind her and carefully checked if it was broken. Quinn couldn't help but chuckle bitterly upon seeing the sight. She couldn't believe a music box was actually more important than her to him. Upon noticing her gaze, Nicholas carefully placed the music box back onto the shelf before walking over to help her up. Quinn pushed him away with all her might just as he reached out for her. Under his shocked gaze, she struggled to get up by supporting herself with the nearby table. Nicholas said, "Are you blaming me now, Quinn? This music box was something Jasmine's mother left for her before she passed away. She gifted me this music box, and I have to cherish it. After all, this was from her mother." Quinn looked up and chuckled. "Of course, the music box would be more important than my illness then. You'd better check if the music box is still working." Nicholas finally realized something was wrong when he saw her pale complexion. "What's wrong, Quinn? Why are you looking so pale? Wasn't everything alright when you were discharged?" he asked, concerned as he reached out to help her up. At that moment, Quinn was overwhelmed with so much pain she couldn't utter a single word. Upon seeing her hand pressed firmly against her chest, Nicholas suddenly realized something. With a trembling voice, he asked, "Do you have a heart disease, Quinn?" Chapter 7 Jasmine's call came in at that very moment. Nicholas helped Quinn up. He rejected the call after giving it a glance. "Why didn't you tell me earlier, Quinn? I'll bring you to the hospital at once!" His phone rang again as soon as he spoke. The shrill ringing of the ringtone pierced through their ears, and Nicholas rejected the call once again. "I'm fine, there's no need to go to the hospital. I'll be alright after some rest—" Before Quinn could finish speaking, she saw his phone lighting up again. She pushed his hands away and said, "Just take the call. It might be something urgent from the company." "Sit down and rest for a bit then, Quinn." Nicholas helped Quinn over to the couch before walking over to the side to take the call. However, gone was his usual gentle tone. He spoke coldly, "What's wrong? Why are you calling me relentlessly? I've already made arrangements for the best doctors and caretakers for your father. You don't have to be so worried." It was Jasmine again. Quinn leaned against the couch and closed her eyes, exhausted. Nicholas soon ended the call and returned to her side to take care of her. … Nicholas did not go to the company for the next few days. He stayed at home to prepare for the wedding. Quinn's gaze darkened as she watched him clutching onto her custom-made wedding dress, twirling happily before her. "I'm so happy, Quinn. Tomorrow's the day I finally get to marry you!" he exclaimed. Looking at Nicholas' smiling face, her gaze inadvertently landed on the wedding dress. She had received a video just three hours ago. In that video, Jasmine was wearing the same wedding dress, her arms intimately wrapped around him. "Get some rest early tonight, Quinn," Nicholas said. Quinn pretended to fall asleep, noticing the way he had slipped out. She knew he was saving the night of his wedding eve for Jasmine. She quietly got up and began packing her few important belongings. She did not take a single gift Nicholas had gifted her all these years. After that, she quietly waited until dawn broke. She then headed to the wedding venue. Most of the guests had arrived. Quinn stood by the entrance, swapping out her and Nicholas' wedding photo for one of him and Jasmine. At that moment, Nicholas hurried down from the car. "I was late because of the bad traffic along the way, Quinn. Let's get changed now!" Jasmine, who was dressed just like a bride, followed closely behind him. She met Quinn's gaze with a hint of provocation. Nicholas, who was anxious and in a hurry, did not notice the wedding photo by the entrance. He linked arms with Quinn and pulled her to the dressing room. While he was changing, she noticed the lovebites that even his thick foundation couldn't quite cover. Nicholas asked, "Why aren't you getting changed yet, Quinn? The wedding is about to start." Quinn smiled at him and shook her head. She said softly, "I'm not in a hurry." Nicholas was distracted by her smile. Although she was smiling gently, he was somehow feeling uneasy deep down. He only realized that Quinn was nowhere near ready once he was done getting ready. Amidst Nicholas' confusion, she reached a hand out to him. He took her hand, and she brought him out. Under the watchful eyes of many guests, Quinn let go of his hand to play the video. Nicholas shyly turned around, yet he froze when he saw images of him and Jasmine on the screen. Panicked, he looked at Quinn and was about to say something. She interrupted him and said, "I'm here as a friend to attend your wedding with Jasmine today." Nicholas felt his knees go weak, almost collapsing to the ground. He finally understood why he had felt uneasy earlier. Although Quinn had been smiling, her gaze was cold. She was looking at him as if looking at a stranger. "What are you talking about, Quinn? Today is our wedding day!" Nicholas walked over to her and grabbed her arm, trying to make one last effort. "No, today is your and Jasmine's wedding day." Quinn gestured for him to look at the invitation card and photos in the venue. Only then did he realize that Quinn's name and photos had been switched to Jasmine's. Nicholas said, "That's impossible! Something's wrong… Quinn—" However, his voice was covered by the recording played in the video. It was the conversation he had with Jasmine on the day of his engagement. "You're the only one for me even if I marry her, Jasmine," came his voice. Nicholas' mind went blank that very moment. He realized that Quinn had known about everything from the start. Glancing at Quinn, who was in front of him, he tightly gripped her arm. Only one thought remained in his head—he couldn't let her leave. She pushed his hand away. With a calm and gentle smile, she said, "We're done, Nicholas. I wish you a happy marriage with Jasmine."