In his early years, Justin Shaw received great help from the Grant Family, and owed them an immense debt of gratitude.
This marriage alliance with the Grant Family was suggested by them. Justin Shaw agreed, not only to repay the favor but also to latch onto such a powerful family. Five years ago, Lily Shaw had already publicly severed her father-daughter relationship with him, so he could only marry off Crystal Shaw.
The Grant Family was a prestigious family from Aethel, completely out of the Shaw Family of Silvercrest's league.
The man marrying Crystal Shaw this time was Aiden Grant, the actual head of the Grant Family who wielded all its power.
Compared to heads of other aristocratic families, Aiden Grant was highly visible—almost everyone from a respectable background knew: Aiden Grant lost his ability as a man due to an accident five years ago. He was no longer a real man in the traditional sense.
After hearing Miles Morgan say this, Crystal Shaw's eyes flashed with a hint of light. Yet she calmly leaned against Miles Morgan's chest and said, "Miles, my sister has already broken ties with our family, so the only one who can marry Aiden Grant is me."
She quickly struggled out of Miles Morgan's arms, lowered her head bitterly and said, "Miles, I know I'm letting you down. But I can't watch Mom and Dad be disappointed, I can't selfishly choose my own love."
Miles Morgan let out a soft sigh and asked her, "Crystal, aren't you afraid of being branded as someone who ran away from marriage?"
Crystal Shaw raised her head quickly, looking at him in disbelief: "Miles, what do you mean by that?"
Even many years later, whenever Lily Shaw recalled this part of her past, that stabbing heartache remained as vivid as ever.
Wearing the wedding dress she had designed for herself, watching her fiancé holding another woman's hand and walking toward her — at that moment, it was as if a sharp knife drove straight into her heart. The pain spread rapidly from her chest to every part of her body.
Miles Morgan met her gaze without flinching, his grip slowly tightening around Crystal Shaw's hand. "Lily, I'm sorry."
"Oh wow, what kind of dog-blood drama is this? Miles Morgan, are you trying to run away from your wedding?" Mandy Young's voice suddenly rose, turning high and shrill from anger: "Miles Morgan, do you think our Lily is a fool, so you can just treat her however you want? The wedding's about to start and you come here hand in hand with another woman to call it off? I'm telling you, Miles Morgan…"
"Mandy, enough," Lily Shaw finally spoke, a faint, bitter smile tugging at her lips. "Miles Morgan, aren't you going to give me an explanation?"
"Lily, it's my fault. I'm sorry. I know what I'm doing is terrible, but I really can't marry you." Miles Morgan was silent for a while. Then he looked up at the expressionless Lily Shaw and solemnly apologized.
He waited for a while, but Lily Shaw didn't say anything—her face was as wooden and empty as ever.
Hearing Miles Morgan's words, Lily Shaw's mind drifted far, far away. In fact, she'd already prepared herself for all of this.
Miles Morgan didn't love her—she had always known that he didn't love her.
The fact that he had suddenly proposed to her, arranged the wedding in such haste, had already given her a clue.
Mandy Young kept cursing loudly, and Lily Shaw's grandmother rushed over when she heard the news, flustered: "You brat from the Morgan Family, how can you do this? How could you do such a thing at such a critical moment? Lily, don't be afraid, Grandma won't let that brat from the Morgan Family break off the wedding! Raymond, what are you waiting for? Hurry and drag that stinking boy to the church for me!"