The Winter estate buzzed with quiet excitement. Preparations for Ophelia and Sen’s wedding had taken over the household, though April barely noticed. For days, she had kept to herself, ignoring the flurry of activity around her. The announcement of the venue—a lavish cruise ship named The Pearl—only fueled the bitter ache in her chest. It was the same cruise she had once begged to host her birthday on, only to be dismissed by her father as “wasteful.” Now, it was reserved for Ophelia’s grand day.

April stewed in her room until, one evening, an idea struck her. She adjusted her hair in the mirror, plastered a sweet smile across her face, and made her way to Ophelia’s door.

The soft knock startled Ophelia, who had been lost in thought. "Come in, Mom," she called out.

Instead, the door creaked open to reveal April.

"Sis," Ophelia said, her tone cautious and uncertain.

"What?" April raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t expect me to be here?"

"No," Ophelia stammered. "I mean… you don’t usually come here."

April crossed her arms, her face softening into an almost sincere smile. "I’m here to apologize," she said simply.

Ophelia blinked, her mouth opening and closing as she searched for a response. "I… no, I mean… why so suddenly?"

"I’ve been thinking," April said, leaning casually against the doorframe. "I was immature, and I’m sorry for that. I was being selfish, and I hope we can move past it."

For a moment, Ophelia studied her sister, trying to gauge the sincerity of her words. Finally, she nodded with a small smile. "It’s okay. No matter what, we’re sisters."

"Thanks," April said brightly. "So, we’re good now?"

"Yeah," Ophelia said, relaxing. "All good."

"That’s great!" April said, clapping her hands together. "By the way, did you fix your wedding date?"

Ophelia hesitated, her guard creeping up again. "Why do you ask?"

"Chill," April laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "I don’t plan to keep crushing on Sen. It’s his life, and he chose you. I’m moving on."

"Are you sure?" Ophelia asked skeptically.

"Absolutely." April’s smile widened, and she leaned in conspiratorially. "Actually, I was hoping you’d ask me to be your bridesmaid."

Ophelia’s face lit up. "I was worried you’d say no!" she said excitedly. "Of course I want you to be my bridesmaid."

"Don’t worry, I wouldn’t miss your special day for the world," April said smoothly.

"It’s next month," Ophelia said, her excitement spilling over. "On The Pearl. We’ll need to pick out dresses soon."

"Sounds good," April said, then added with a playful grin, "But how about we do something fun before the wedding? Like a bachelorette party."

Ophelia’s eyes widened in alarm. "Are you kidding? Dad would kill us if he found out."

"He won’t find out," April reassured her, waving off her concerns. "It’ll just be us. Harmless fun."

After a moment of hesitation, Ophelia nodded. "Okay… I guess it’s alright. But only if you promise to keep it a secret."

"Promise," April said with a wink. She turned to leave, her lips curling into a smirk as soon as her back was to Ophelia. Once inside her room, she looked into her mirror and whispered to her reflection, "It’s time I settle the score with my dear sister. I’ll give her one last wedding gift she’ll never forget."

Across town, in Uncle Lin’s study, another conversation unfolded.

"Are you absolutely certain about this marriage?" Uncle Lin asked, his tone heavy with concern.

Sen leaned back in his chair, his expression calm. "Don’t worry, Dad. I’m fine with it."

"You don’t sound fine," Uncle Lin pressed. "Do you even like Ophelia?"

Sen hesitated. "She’s… okay," he admitted. "But I don’t like her enough to marry her."

"Then why go along with this?" Uncle Lin asked, his brow furrowing.

"It’s for the business," Sen said with a shrug. "This marriage benefits both families. Love isn’t really a priority for me."

Uncle Lin sighed deeply. "Son, love is important in life."

"It’ll be fine, Dad," Sen said, offering his father a reassuring smile. "This is the best move for everyone."

Uncle Lin studied his son for a long moment before relenting. "Fine. But if you’re not happy…"

"I will be," Sen interrupted. "Don’t worry about me."

Uncle Lin nodded reluctantly, then Sen asked, "By the way, did April ever come back? I tried calling her, but she hasn’t answered."

"Kelly mentioned she’s back," Uncle Lin said. "Apparently, she’s doing fine."

"That’s good," Sen said, though his sigh betrayed a flicker of relief. "I was worried about her."

As the household prepared for the wedding, April and Ophelia busied themselves with dresses, parties, and plans. But while Ophelia dreamed of her big day, April’s mind churned with her own scheme, one that would ensure Ophelia’s fairy tale would not go as planned.