The wedding was held at St. George's Hall in Liverpool, its neoclassical marble columns gleaming like pearls under the morning sun. Emily stood before the full-length mirror in the dressing room, draped in the ivory wedding gown Ryan had custom-made for her. For a moment, she barely recognized herself—the intricate lace neckline framed her slender collarbone, and the tailored pleats accentuated the curves normally hidden beneath her loose-fitting clothes.
"Nervous?"Ryan appeared behind her without a sound, the black tails of his tuxedo accentuating his tall, lean frame. In his hand was a single unopened white rose, which he gently tucked into her hair.
Their eyes met in the mirror. Ryan's amber eyes shimmered with unusual clarity, like melted honey. She noticed the faint tremble in his fingers as he adjusted her veil—a small detail that somehow made her heartbeat quicken.
"A little," she admitted. "I never imagined I'd get married like this."
Ryan leaned in, lips brushing against her earlobe."Remember—no matter what happens, leave it to me."His breath tickled her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. The intimacy of the moment left her breathless until he straightened and stepped back with practiced elegance.
As the wedding march began, Emily walked down the crimson aisle on Ryan's arm. The guest list was short, but every face exuded that particular blend of refinement and scrutiny found in elite social circles. Her gaze was drawn to a tall man in the front row—older than Ryan by about ten years, with more angular features and piercing gray-blue eyes that gleamed like a sword drawn from its sheath.
"That's my brother. Lucas."Ryan's voice was taut, unfamiliar in its tension."He flew in from Zurich."
Lucas Li stood as they approached. He was half a head taller than Ryan, his sharply tailored charcoal suit hugging a soldier's frame. When he shook Emily's hand, his grip was firm—measured, not warm.
"Congratulations," he said in baritone English with a faint German accent. "My brother's finally found his muse."The words were meant to bless, but the undertone carried a subtle probe.
Emily felt Ryan's arm tighten slightly around her waist. She smiled, letting her Mandarin dip into a southern accent, gentle but firm:"Thank you for coming all the way from Switzerland, Mr. Lucas."
Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly, as though assessing an antique for authenticity.Before the silence could grow awkward, Ryan smoothly cut in."Brother, after the ceremony, I'd love for you to take a look at the site plans for the new property we acquired."
The wedding dinner was held at a five-star hotel next to the city hall. Crystal chandeliers lit the banquet hall like daylight, and waiters flowed between tables with trays of champagne. Emily had changed into a red cheongsam-style gown. Ryan's hand rarely left the small of her back, as if declaring their closeness to the world.
"To the most beautiful bride," Ryan said during the toast, eyes fixed on her. He had clearly drunk more than usual—his cheekbones were flushed. When he leaned in to kiss her, the touch of his lips carried the chill of champagne and the heat of alcohol. The kiss went far deeper than their contract's clause for "formal gestures," drawing a round of laughter and applause.
At the main table, Lucas carved his steak with surgical precision. When Emily's eyes accidentally met his, his gaze was glacial—like snow over the Alps.
"I'm going to the restroom," Emily murmured to Ryan, desperate for air.
In the golden mirror of the restroom, her cheeks were visibly flushed. She splashed cold water on her face just as the stall behind her creaked open. A woman in her fifties, dressed in a Chanel suit with hair coiled into a perfect bun, stepped out.
"Congratulations, Mrs. Li," she said while washing her hands, her Cantonese-accented Mandarin poised and practiced. "I'm Miss Lam, Mr. Lucas's personal assistant."
Emily straightened instinctively."Thank you."
Miss Lam retrieved a lipstick from her pearl clutch and touched up her makeup with practiced grace."Mr. Lucas asked me to pass along an invitation. He hopes you'll join him for lunch tomorrow at noon—Le Petit Chef at the Intercontinental."
Emily opened her mouth to decline, but Miss Lam was already slipping a gold-embossed card into her hand.
"Please make time," she said with a flawless smile. "It's in the best interest of both you and Mr. Ryan."
Back in the banquet hall, Emily saw Ryan and Lucas arguing on the terrace. Through the glass doors, their conversation was inaudible, but Lucas's furrowed brows and Ryan's unusually animated gestures told enough. When Lucas turned suddenly and caught her watching, Emily quickly averted her gaze, pretending to adjust her dress.
Late that night, in their hotel suite, Ryan tossed his jacket onto the sofa. The alcohol and fatigue had worn away his usual poise. His bowtie hung undone, his collar unbuttoned, revealing a glimpse of skin at his clavicle.
"My brother doesn't trust you," he said hoarsely."He thinks you're after my money."
Emily's hand froze mid-motion as she removed her earrings."And what did you say?"
Ryan approached her from behind, hands settling gently on her bare shoulders. In the mirror, his figure loomed behind her like a wall of protection."I said…"His thumbs brushed against her shoulder blades,"Even if that were true, I'd still choose you."
Her breath hitched.She turned to face him and, for the first time, noticed the scar above his left brow—more pronounced under the warm light.
"How did you get this?"
Ryan's gaze drifted toward the window."When I was fourteen, a gang beat me up on the streets of Liverpool. I refused to give them a secondhand watch my brother had just bought me for my birthday."
Emily instinctively reached out and touched the scar. Ryan caught her wrist and pressed her palm against his cheek. The intimacy startled them both.
"Tomorrow…"His voice barely rose above a whisper."No matter what my brother tells you, remember our agreement."
At noon the next day, Emily arrived at the Intercontinental Hotel. Le Petit Chef was a Michelin-starred restaurant with impeccable privacy. Lucas was already waiting in the private dining room, dressed in a navy three-piece suit with a pocket square folded to perfection.
"Thank you for coming," he said, pulling out her chair with mechanical grace."I've ordered the prix fixe menu. I hope it suits your taste."
As the starter arrived, Lucas opened his briefcase and pulled out a folder."I've looked into you, Miss Chen. Or rather—Mrs. Li."Inside were her academic records, family history, even her bank statements."Your father, Chen Zhiming, borrowed from loan sharks before his company collapsed."
Emily's fork clattered onto her plate.Even Ryan didn't know that.
"No need to panic," Lucas said coolly, sipping his wine."I just needed to understand the kind of woman who could make my brother marry her after three days."
"You could've asked him directly."
"Ryan's a romantic. I'm a realist."His gaze sharpened."When do you plan to apply for permanent residency?"
"If I said I don't care about British residency?" Emily asked stiffly.
Lucas's lips curled into a rare smile."Interesting. Did you know that when Ryan was ten, he waited six hours in the rain to adopt a stray cat? It bit him and ran off the next day."
He set down his glass."My brother always gives his heart to those who don't deserve it."
"I'm not that cat," Emily said quietly.
As the main course arrived, Lucas changed tactics."Has Ryan told you how our parents died?"
Emily shook her head.
"Plane crash. I was twenty-two. He was twelve. From that day on, I swore to protect him."He looked up, eyes gleaming like a knife."Even from people with hidden agendas."
Emily set down her utensils."If you want to warn me away from your brother, just say so."
"No," Lucas said, sliding a check across the table."This is one million pounds. It's yours. On one condition—when the marriage ends in two years, you initiate the divorce and ask for nothing else."
Emily stared at the string of zeros.Suddenly, she understood the origin of the scar between Ryan's brows.
She slowly tore the check in half. Then into quarters.
"Keep your money, Mr. Li. My loyalty to your brother isn't for sale."
For the first time, Lucas's composure faltered.Before he could respond, the door opened—Ryan stood there, jacket slung over his shoulder, no tie in sight.
"Brother," he said icily."I thought we had an understanding."
Lucas wiped his mouth calmly."Just a friendly family lunch."
Ryan crossed the room and reached for Emily's hand.His palm was scorching.
"We're leaving."
As they walked out, Emily glanced back.
Lucas remained in his seat, his gray-blue eyes darkened under the shadows—like a sea just before the storm.
Back in the car, Ryan pulled Emily into his arms without a word.
His heart was pounding—fast and heavy—thudding against her cheek through the fabric of his shirt.
"No matter what he said to you," Ryan whispered, voice hoarse,"don't believe a word of it."
Emily didn't respond right away. She was still shaken, not just by Lucas's offer, but by the fact that Ryan had predicted it so precisely. That level of understanding between brothers could only come from years of entanglement—years she would never fully grasp.
As the car sped through the streets of Liverpool, Emily stared out the window at the passing lights, her reflection fractured in the glass.
She thought of the check. Of the scar on Ryan's brow. Of the warmth of his hand when he pulled her away without a second of hesitation.
And yet… a quiet voice inside her whispered:If it's all real, why does it still feel like a performance?
She turned her head slightly, stealing a glance at Ryan's profile in the darkened car—strong, still, unreadable.
"Did you really mean it?" she asked softly."When you said you'd go through with this marriage even if I was only in it for the money?"
Ryan looked at her, eyes gleaming with something unspoken.
"Yes," he said simply."Because if helping you means I can repay just a fraction of what I owe this world… I'd do it, even if you walked away the moment your dreams come true."
Emily's throat tightened.
Outside, the rain had returned, streaking across the windshield like a veil being drawn over the city. The silence inside the car grew heavier, more intimate, like something sacred was about to be said—but never quite made it to the surface.
At the next red light, Ryan finally asked:
"Will you still meet me at the courthouse tomorrow? To finalize the legal documents?"
Emily hesitated. Then nodded once.
"I'll be there."
But even as she said the words, part of her was already wondering—What if Lucas was right?What if this wasn't just a marriage of convenience, but a maze with no clear way out?
The light turned green.The car moved on.And so did they—together, but no longer entirely on the same page.