Savoring The Poison At Our Wedding Chapter 2

Dominic came back earlier than expected.

When he walked toward me, his eyes flickered toward Melanie for a split second before settling on my face. He smiled beautifully.

"Madeline, I’ve missed you these forty days. I’m here to take you home."

If not for that -60 favorability and those forty-four letters written in blood, I might have drowned in his gaze again.

The System’s electronic voice rang out, delivering a cold verdict:

[Host, the mission has failed again. In forty-five days, you will be extracted from this world. 'Madeline' will cease to exist.]

A strange sense of relief washed over me. "How do you define failure?"

[The target’s love and their 'first choice' have never been you.]

Twelve years plus forty days. I had hollowed myself out only to be the punchline of two carefully choreographed scams.

Dominic took my hand, his thumb stroking my knuckles. He looked almost pained. "Madeline? You're quiet. I swear, I’ll never marry anyone but you."

I caught the flash of jealousy in Melanie’s eyes and smiled thinly.

"Fine," I said. "In forty-five days. Let’s get married."

I looked at Gavin, my voice deliberate. "Mr. Westbrook, I expect you to be there. Bring your assistant, Melanie, with you."

Gavin’s jaw tightened. He looked conflicted, but finally, he nodded. "We’ll be there."

Good, I thought. By then, you’ll see my body, and you can finally be at peace.

Dominic’s preparations for the wedding were almost frantic.

Within half a day, the ring was chosen and the date was set. He bought a penthouse in the city center with a panoramic view of the skyline.

He wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder. "Madeline, I want the whole world to know you’re my only wife."

I leaned back against him, my fingertips touching the cold glass of the window. All this splendor, all this "devotion"—it was just a mirage.

I resigned from my position at the research institute and stopped going out. But Melanie began visiting under the guise of "apologizing." I didn't want to see her, but Dominic always let her in. Watching him subconsciously shield her made my eyes ache.

One afternoon, Melanie held my arm, offering a beautiful box of pastries. Her eyes were red. "Madeline, I was so immature before. I made these myself as a peace offering. Please, try one."

A faint, bitter scent of sandalwood wafted from the box.

Sandalwood Toxin.

I had spent years in pharmacology; I knew this poison. At first, it showed no symptoms. Slowly, it would corrode the internal organs. When it finally took hold, the victim would cough up blood and die in agony. There was no cure.

I looked into her eyes and saw the naked calculation. I swiped the box off the table.

The porcelain shattered. Pastries and shards scattered across the floor.

Melanie’s eyes flashed with hatred before she dropped to her knees, sobbing. "Madeline, even if you hate me, why waste food? I know you’re a high-born socialite and I’m just a commoner, but I put my heart into this..."

Before she could finish, my wrist was seized in a crushing grip.

Dominic’s voice roared in my ear. "Madeline! Enough! Melanie went out of her way for you. You’ve gone too far!"

I looked into his bloodshot eyes and felt a bone-deep exhaustion.

"Dominic, are you sure you want me to eat this?"

He frowned, his grip softening into a fake tenderness. "Madeline, just eat it. Don't be petty. She’s younger than you—just let it go. Once we move overseas, we’ll never have to see her again."

I looked at him for a long time, then slowly nodded. I bent down, picked up a piece of cake that hadn't touched a shard, and put it in my mouth.

The cloying sweetness of the cream masked the bitter sting as it melted on my tongue.

I only had forty-five days left anyway. I might as well give them a grand finale. I wanted to see Dominic’s face when he realized he was the one who forced the poison down my throat.