FREDRIC'S POVWho does Mathilda think she is? How dare she talk to me like that? If I didn't have an ounce of patience left in me, she would've passed out from the way I wanted to respond. Honestly, I wouldn't even be here if Grandma hadn't called me to come to the hospital. I'd much rather be with Paula."Jo, my dear grandson! Where's Mathilda?" Grandma's cheerful voice came from behind me as she exited the doctor's office. Her face was radiant, as if nothing terrible had happened to Mathilda's father."She went to the cafeteria," I said smoothly. "How's Goyle doing?"I had to put on an act-feign concern, wear the proper expression. In truth, I couldn't care less."He's stable," Grandma replied with a sigh of relief. "He didn't lose consciousness because of the stroke he had.""Oh, that's bad," I said mechanically. "But why do you have such a big smile coming out of the doctor's office? You didn't get bad news, did you, Grandma?""Well, you know... it's a difficult situation, but the

Fredric’s POVPaula’s moans echoed through the room, blending with mine. The walls were silent witnesses to everything that happened on this bed. I ignored several calls from the office — I was far too busy with the wild game we were playing.Letting go of all my stress and pressure with Paula had been the right choice. I couldn’t hold back the raw passion that consumed us. The sweat covering our bodies was proof enough of how perfectly satisfying the pleasure between us was.“I love you.”I stared into Paula’s beautiful eyes. The playful smile she gave me as her fingers traced my face was something I could never ignore. I couldn’t imagine what life would be like if we ever had to part — or worse, if her face were replaced by Mathilda’s.Disgusting. Just the thought of kissing Mathilda’s forehead made me sick; even the scent of her hair felt strange and wrong. Argh. Her face now flashed in my mind, replacing Paula’s beautiful one.“I love you too, baby. What are you thinking about?”P

Mathilda’s POV“Go shopping with her — she’ll show you the best clothes. If you find something that fits, I just hope your body can actually fit into the boutique’s dresses,” Paula said with her usual sarcastic tone as she approached me, standing in front of a mannequin. She gestured toward a boutique assistant who was walking our way.“What do you think?” Fredric appeared beside her, his presence somehow making the air heavier.“I told that salesgirl to assist Mathilda,” Paula said smugly. “I also described the event so she knows what kind of clothes would suit her. Now we can go.”Just as the assistant arrived, the insufferable couple left — arms wrapped around each other, looking every bit like the picture of love.“Hi! I’m the sales assistant assigned to help you pick an outfit for your event,” the woman said cheerfully. “Miss Liam already briefed me about it. Aren’t they such a perfect couple? I always love it when they visit!”She watched Paula and Fredric leave with glistening

Mathilda’s POV“Mathilda? Where are you? Come out.”I wiped away the tears that had been streaming down my face for the past twenty minutes. Fredric’s voice reminded me that I had to pull myself together. No matter what drama had unfolded tonight, I needed to play my part. I couldn’t let Mrs. Rosa see me weak.“Ah, there you are! I was so worried looking for you. What took you so long, Mathilda?”I looked up at Fredric — it was the first time I’d ever seen him worried about me. And honestly, seeing him like that sparked a small, fragile warmth inside me.“I’m sorry… I’m just not used to facing everyone, Mr. Fredric.”“I can’t believe I have to say this, but you don’t need to be afraid of their words. You’ve been great today — you look incredible. Just ignore their negativity; there’s nothing worth listening to. Alright? Are you ready to go? We still have to greet my grandmother and the rest of my family. Just hold on for another hour or two, okay?”I took a deep breath and nodded. Tim

Mathilda’s POVOne Week Before the Wedding – August 2017I can’t calm down. Since this morning, I’ve been swallowed by an unfamiliar kind of panic. How many times have I messed up ringing up customers at this convenience store already?“Are you okay, Mathilda?”My coworker can always tell when my thoughts are miles away.“Yes, I’m fine.”“You must be nervous — your wedding’s just around the corner, right?”I nodded. I’m not close with my coworkers — I don’t have close friends, period — but that’s one thing I can’t deny. I’m terrified. The days are flying by too fast, and today of all days, I have to go try on my wedding dress.“It’s alright, Mathilda. I’d feel the same if I were marrying a handsome young businessman like Fredric. You know, every woman here — no, probably every woman in New York — is jealous of you. So many of them would kill to be in your place.”If only she knew that my anxiety isn’t from happiness — but because a long nightmare is about to begin.“Okay, enough worry