The morning sun filtered through the windows of the Foster mansion, casting a warm, golden glow on the day that should have been filled with joy and celebration—the day of Jessica’s wedding. Inside, the atmosphere was anything but peaceful.

Camilla Foster fussed around her daughter, Jessica, adjusting her veil, smoothing down the intricate lace of her gown, and cooing over how stunning she looked. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” Camilla said with pride, her eyes shining with motherly affection.

Jessica glanced at herself in the mirror, a satisfied smile curling on her lips. “Thanks, Mom. But I’m starving.” She pouted slightly, tapping her perfectly manicured nails on the vanity table.

Without missing a beat, Camilla waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, darling. Eva will get you something to eat. She’s always there to help.” Her tone held no trace of gratitude, only expectation.

At that moment, Eva appeared in the doorway, her presence soft and unassuming. She offered her sister a gentle smile. “Jessica, you look so pretty,” she said sincerely, though her voice was tinged with sadness. There was always a sense of distance between her and Jessica, and today it felt wider than ever.

Before Jessica could respond, Camilla interrupted with a sharp tone. “Eva, stop with the nonsense. Jessica doesn’t need your flattery. Now go and get her something to eat.” Her words were laced with condescension, as if Eva were nothing more than a servant in the family.

Eva nodded quietly, not daring to argue. “Yes, Mom,” she said softly before slipping out of the room, her heart heavy as she carried out the request. Camilla hurrying behind her to make sure she carried out her task.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Jessica’s smile shifted into something colder, more calculated. She quickly pulled out her phone and dialed a number, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was around to notice.

“Nolan, where are you?” Jessica whispered into the phone, her tone impatient.

On the other end, Nolan Roberts—a man who had been quietly pulling strings behind the scenes in Jessica’s life—answered with a smug tone. “I’m five minutes away, baby. You ready?”

Jessica’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she twirled a lock of her hair around her finger. “You know I am. What’s a wedding when you can have a bribe instead?” She smirked. “Let Andrew deal with it later. I’ve got bigger plans.”

Nolan chuckled. “You’re gonna owe me a reward later, you know that.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Jessica purred. “I’ll make sure you get what you deserve.” With that, she hung up, her heart racing with the thrill of her escape plan. She wasn’t about to let a boring marriage to Andrew King tie her down. Nolan had promised her money, connections, and a way to skyrocket her career—everything she wanted.

Quickly, Jessica stood up, tearing off her wedding dress and tossing it carelessly onto the bed. The sight of it lying in a heap on the luxurious comforter made her feel even more liberated. She hurriedly changed into casual clothes, something easy to move in, and grabbed her purse. Time was running out.

Meanwhile, Eva had returned to the kitchen, carefully preparing a tray with Jessica’s favorite snacks and a glass of fresh juice. She moved with quiet efficiency, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of the wedding. She knew Jessica had always been ambitious, but there was something unsettling about the way she had been acting lately—more distant, more secretive.

As Eva made her way back to Jessica’s room, balancing the tray in her hands, she felt a strange unease in the pit of her stomach. Pushing the door open, she entered the room, but what greeted her was not the sight of her sister preparing for her big day.

The room was empty.

Jessica’s wedding dress lay discarded on the bed, the white lace crumpled and forgotten. Panic began to rise in Eva’s chest as she placed the tray on the table and called out, “Jessica?”

Silence.

Her voice grew louder, more desperate. “Jessica, where are you?” Eva searched the room frantically, opening closets, checking the bathroom, but there was no sign of her sister. Her heart pounded as she rushed out of the room, calling for Camilla.

“Mom! Mom!” Eva shouted as she hurried down the hallway. Camilla appeared, looking flustered as she adjusted her pearl necklace. “What’s all this shouting, Eva? You’re going to ruin the mood.”

Eva’s face was pale with worry. “Mom, Jessica’s gone. I—I don’t know where she is. She’s not in her room. Her wedding dress is just lying there, and she’s nowhere to be found.”

Camilla’s face dropped, the irritation clear in her eyes. “What do you mean, she’s gone? This is her wedding day!”She immediately pulled out her phone and tried calling Jessica, but there was no answer. The phone went straight to voicemail.

“Jessica, this is your mother. Call me back immediately!” Camilla’s voice was sharp as she left the message, but she could already feel her frustration boiling over.

She turned to Eva, her eyes narrowing. “Where could she have gone? She was just here.”

Eva shook her head, feeling helpless. **“I don’t know, Mom. I just—”

Camilla was already dialing Jessica’s number again, but this time, there was no answer at all. The phone had been turned off. Camilla’s jaw clenched, her irritation growing. “What is that girl thinking?”

Outside, as Camilla and Eva scrambled to figure out what had happened, Jessica was already far from the mansion. She sat in the passenger seat of Nolan’s car, her sunglasses on, hiding her expression as the wind blew through her hair. Nolan smirked at her, his hand casually resting on the gearshift as they sped down the highway.

“You sure about this?” he asked, though the grin on his face suggested he already knew her answer.

Jessica’s lips curved into a wicked smile. “Absolutely. Let Andrew think I’m running late. I’ll come back for him when I’m ready. Right now, I need to focus on what’s important—my career, my future.”

Nolan chuckled, pressing the gas pedal even harder. “You’ve got ambition, babe. I like that.”

Jessica stared out the window, watching as the city skyline appeared in the distance. “And when I get what I want,”she thought to herself, “Andrew will be the least of my worries.”

Back at the mansion, the panic had spread. Camilla, now joined by Matthew and a few wedding planners, was frantically trying to figure out how to salvage the situation. But without the bride, there was no wedding.

Eva stood to the side, wringing her hands nervously. She glanced at the wedding dress lying on the bed, her mind racing. Where could Jessica have gone? And why would she leave on her wedding day? Something about it all didn’t sit right with her.

Just then, Andrew arrived at the mansion, unaware of the chaos unfolding inside. But it wouldn’t be long before the truth came crashing down on him.