Eva stood in front of the mirror, her hand still trembling as she held her bruised cheek. Camilla's harsh words echoed in her mind from Camilla’s attack just a few minutes ago, each insult cutting deeper than the physical pain from the slap. "Why didn't you die?" Those words stung more than any strike ever could. She had returned home broken, hoping to recover from her coma, and now she was being thrown into a marriage she never wanted, with a man who despised her.

She let out a shaky breath, her emotions bubbling to the surface. "I never wanted any of this," she whispered to herself. Just then, the door burst open again, but this time, it wasn't Camilla.

Irene and Mia rushed inside, their faces painted with concern. "Eva!" Irene exclaimed, running over to her sister and gently helping her to her feet. "Are you okay? We heard yelling."

Mia stormed past her sister and confronted their mother, who still stood in the doorway, her face twisted with anger. "What is wrong with you, Mom?" Mia shouted, pushing Camilla out of the room. "How could you do this to her?"

Camilla, caught off guard by her younger daughter's fury, glared at them both before finally leaving, her expression still filled with resentment.

Eva, still shaken, crumbled to the floor in front of her sisters, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to marry him," she cried, her voice barely audible. "I don't want any of this."

Mia knelt down beside her, her own eyes brimming with tears. "Then don't, Eva," she said softly, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. "You don't have to do this. We can leave. We'll figure something out."

Irene, still fuming from what had just happened, joined them on the floor. "Andrew doesn't even want this," she added. "He's angry, and he thinks you're just like Jessica. A gold-digger."

Eva shook her head, trying to compose herself. "I know what Andrew thinks of me," she whispered. "But I have no choice. If I don't marry him, it'll destroy Dad. Leonard will ruin us."

Irene's eyes softened as she looked at her sister, understanding the weight of the burden she carried. "Eva," she said gently, "you don't have to sacrifice yourself for this family. You deserve to be happy too. I’m sorry for the position my father is putting you in.”

But Eva just smiled through her tears, wiping them away. "I'm doing this for Dad," she said firmly. "I have to protect him, no matter what. Even if Andrew hates me. Even if I hate this. I don't have a choice."

Mia and Irene exchanged a glance, knowing there was no convincing Eva otherwise. She had always been the selfless one, the one who carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. Even now, when she was the one who deserved to be saved, she was the one stepping up to save everyone else.

"Fine," Irene said, her voice tight with emotion. "But if you're going to do this, then we're going to make sure you walk down that aisle with your head held high."

Mia nodded, wiping her own tears away. "We'll help you, Eva."

Together, the sisters quickly went to work, smoothing out the wrinkles in Eva's dress and helping her freshen up. They worked swiftly, making sure there were no traces of the fight, no evidence of the chaos that had unfolded just moments ago.

Within minutes, Eva was transformed. She stood in front of the mirror, her reflection staring back at her. She looked every bit the beautiful bride—her hair perfectly styled, her makeup flawless, her dress flowing elegantly around her. But inside, she felt like she was suffocating.

"You're beautiful," Mia whispered, standing beside her with a small smile.

Eva forced a smile in return. "Thank you," she said softly. "Both of you."

As the three sisters stood together, the door to the room opened once more. Matthew Foster entered, his eyes filled with sorrow. He walked over to Eva, taking her hands in his.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Matthew said, his voice thick with emotion. "I never wanted this for you. If there were another way..."

Eva gently squeezed his hands, her smile faltering but still present. "It's okay, Dad," she lied, her heart breaking a little more with each word. "It's no big deal. I'll be fine."

Matthew's eyes glistened with tears as he pulled his daughter into a tight hug. "You're too good for all of this," he whispered. "I don't deserve a daughter like you."

Eva blinked back her own tears as she pulled away from the embrace, giving her father a reassuring smile. "Let's just get through this," she said softly. "It'll be over soon."

With that, Eva took a deep breath and stepped out of the room, her heart pounding in her chest as she walked down the hallway toward the wedding hall. Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of the moment pressing down on her like a lead blanket.

When they reached the entrance to the hall, Eva could see Andrew standing at the end of the aisle, his eyes cold and distant. He looked handsome in his tailored suit, but there was no warmth in his gaze. No love. He was just as trapped in this situation as she was.

Matthew stood beside her, his eyes full of regret. "I'm so sorry, Eva," he whispered once more.

But Eva just smiled, trying to be strong. "It’s okay," she said again, even though everything inside her screamed that it wasn’t.

As the music began to play, signaling the start of the ceremony, Eva took her first step forward. The hall was filled with guests, all of them blissfully unaware of the turmoil that had unfolded behind closed doors. To them, this was just another beautiful wedding.

But to Eva, it felt like the end of her freedom.

As she walked down the aisle, her eyes briefly met Andrew's. There was no softness there, no kindness. Only the same cold distance she had seen before. She wondered if he hated her, if he saw her as nothing more than Jessica's replacement.

Eva’s heart sank as she approached the altar. The moment she never wanted had finally arrived.

"This is it," she thought to herself, her stomach churning with nerves. "I have to go through with this."

And as she stood beside Andrew, ready to speak the vows that would bind her to a man who didn’t love her, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was the life she was destined to lead—a life of sacrifice, of suffering in silence, all for the sake of her family.

With one final breath, Eva prepared to seal her fate.