Her only option now was to bepletely honest and show sincere repentance, all while ying the victim in hopes of stirring Finnian''s sympathy.


    But from start to finish, Finnian''s expression remained cold and distant.


    He withdrew his hand from Liliana''s grasp and said evenly, “Liliana, we''re not getting married."


    His words hit her like a bolt of lightning. Liliana''s face turned deathly pale, and she stood frozen in ce.


    Finnian continued, "You deceived me and wasted so much of my time. Considering that you once saved my life, I''ll let all of this go. From now on, let''s just be strangers. You don''t have to return any of the gifts the Everly family gave you. Keep them."


    With those words, Finnian turned and strode away.


    He wasn''t leaving the gifts to her out of kindness—or aspensation.


    After all, in this situation, he owed Liliana nothing. If anything, Liliana owed him far


    more.


    If Liliana hadn''t upied that spot beside him that night, he would have woken up and, finding no one else in the room, gone to look for the woman he truly had been with. He would have found Amara.


    Back then, he and Amara were still married. Once he found her, the two of them would have talked things through, and the shared experience would have brought them back together.


    Amara had been pregnant with his child. Even if he''d felt nothing for her at the time, responsibility alone would have prompted him to look after Amara—and, in time, affection would have grown.


    He couldn''t even bear to imagine how happy their lives might have been. The very thought of it left his heart in agony.


    So, in this matter, it was Liliana who had wronged him. She was the one who had turned his chance at happiness into nothing.


    He wasn''t sure whether he should hate Liliana—but one thing he was certain of: he never wanted to see her again. That''s why he didn''t want the gifts back; he was determined to cut everyst tie between them.


    Finnian left decisively, and the


    stairwell echoed with emptiness, leaving Liliana utterly alone. No. longer able to hold back, copsed to the ground, arms wrapped around her head, and broke down in tears.


    Finnian had said they would never get married. His eyes were so cold, his voice so calm-he wasn''t justshing out in anger. He truly meant it. He really didn''t want to marry her anymore...


    Liliana simply couldn''t handle it.


    She loved Finnian deeply—not just for the man he was but also for his status, his influence, and all the power he represented.


    Having grown up at the bottom, bing part of high society and building a sessful career alongside a powerful husband was her lifelong dream.


    She had been so close her dreams were right within reach, only for them to slip away at the veryst second. She was utterly helpless... What was she supposed to do now?


    Was she expected to just let Finnian go and watch him be with someone else? No, she couldn''t ept that!


    After breaking down in the hallway for a while, Liliana finally returned home. Jenny and Ethan immediately hurried over to her. “Liliana, what on earth happened.....?”


    Liliana wiped at her eyes, her voice cold and edged with bitterness. “The wedding''s off for now."


    "What?"


    Jenny''s voice rose in disbelief, clearly unable to ept the news.


    By now, Liliana had regained enough control to keep herposure. In a cool tone, she said, "Elonian and I have run into some problems, but it''s just temporary. Don''t worry-we''ll get married in the end."


    Without paying any more attention to her parents'' anxious questions, she pushed


    past them and went straight to her room.