No Ring, No Rights

I glanced at the glittering jewels on screen, then at the cheap cup set in my arms, and let out a hollow laugh. Perhaps in Simon’s eyes, I really was just a tragic joke.

Their foreheads touched in the video, then their lips crashed together. The obscene, wet sounds of their kiss echoed jarringly through my speakers.

[Oops~ Just so you know, after your little wedding show, Simon will be marrying me legally. Remember, the woman without the certificate is the real mistress~]

I swiped the video away. Then it hit me. In my past life, after I married into the Smith family, their corporation had suddenly been flooded with lucrative partnerships.

Deals materialized overnight, assets skyrocketed, and within months, the Smiths topped Sea City’s wealth rankings.

The elders called me their "fortune-blessing bride," treating me like gold. Even Simon’s indifference could not shake my belief that I was happy.

It was not until I discovered Carina’s existence that I realized that his coldness toward me all those years was simply because he had already spent all his warmth on her.

Just then, my mother entered my room with news that Spencer Smith would return from abroad in a week to finalize our marriage.

The announcement caught me off guard. In my past life, Simon’s older brother had remained unmarried his entire lifetime. I had not expected our arranged union to progress so smoothly.

The next morning, I arrived at my studio early to revise the design of my wedding dress.

Art had always been my passion, and ever since I was a child, I had been sketching visions of my bridal gown. Back then, however, every stitch had been tailored to Simon’s tastes. Now, for the first time, I could design a dress for myself, for my marriage to someone else.

The day after I submitted the finalized designs to the family, I was looking through social media when Carina posted an update. There she stood in the photo, wearing my custom gown, the one I had just redesigned, now fabricated overnight and draped over her smug frame. Behind her, Simon gazed at her with infatuation.

[He had it custom-made in one night! A one-of-a-kind in the whole world hehe~ Feeling blessed.]

I stormed to the location tagged in her post.

There, Carina was in my wedding gown with Simon’s hands groping her waist through the delicate fabric that was part of my design.

"That’s my design!" I seethed. "How dare you have it made for her! You even embroidered her name on it!"

Carina instantly burst into performative tears. "Oh, did I do something wrong? Boohoo... I just wanted to wear something pretty..."

Simon shoved her behind him, glowering. "Francesca, have you gone mad? It’s not like you weren’t going to wear this for me anyway. Letting Carina try it on first is no big deal. God, you’ve gotten so petty."

The audacity choked me. "Who said this was for you? This was for my wedding!"

Simon simply shook his head and sneered, "Cut the act, Francesca. I’m giving you the ceremony, aren’t I? Quit being dramatic."

Then I saw it, the handheld mirror on the side table.

In one fluid motion, I smashed it against the edge and slashed the jagged shard across the gown’s hem in his grip.

"Look closely, Simon." My voice was ice. "I don’t keep dirty clothes, and I sure as heck don’t keep dirty men."

In my past life, he had ended me with broken glass.

This time, I used it to sever the last thread between us.

Simon was stunned when he saw my resolution. After all, no matter how much I had acted out before, it had always been in a coquettish manner. He had never seen me so stern.

Instinctively, he stood up to reach for me, only for Carina to burst into sobs at that moment.