Thea Rowland practically bounced off the walls when she received a text from the wedding dress shop: "Miss Rowland, your customized wedding dress has arrived at the hotel. Contact us if you need anything." She was marrying her boyfriend of eight years in a week. The venue was booked, the invitations sent, and everything was running smoothly.

After work, Thea planned to go to the hotel and perhaps sneak a peek at their new menu offerings. However, upon entering, the hotel manager greeted her with a strange, twitchy smile. "Miss Rowland, I didn't expect you! Is everything alright? Do you need anything?"

Still elated, Thea replied briskly, "My wedding dress is here, right? I can't wait to try it on."

"Oh, yes, it arrived about half an hour ago," the manager said, his grin unsettling. "By the way, we have some new dishes you might like to sample. If you approve, we can add them to your menu at no extra charge."

"Let's discuss that after the dress," Thea said, heading for the elevator.

"Miss Rowland!" the manager called, following her. "We also have a recital group here today. Perhaps they'd be a good fit for your wedding?" Thea's suspicions were aroused. "Wait, is there a problem with the dress?" she asked, her smile fading.

The manager stammered, looking close to melting. That confirmed Thea's suspicions. Avoiding the manager, she hurried to her room. As she reached the door, she heard muffled sounds from inside—a woman's flirtatious laughter mixed with a man's moans. She checked her phone; it was the correct room number.

"Jake, this doesn't feel right. What if we get caught?" a woman whispered.

"Madelyn, you look incredible! I can't wait!" a man replied.

Moans and heavy breathing punctuated their hushed conversation. Thea felt suffocated, her mind going blank. She couldn't recall opening the door. Shaking uncontrollably, a sharp pain pierced her heart as she witnessed the chaotic scene. Tears welled in her eyes; she dug her nails into her palms to stop herself from collapsing.

Inside, two bodies were entwined. Jake Hendrix, her fiancé, who was supposedly on a business trip, was kissing another woman. The woman's shoulders were bare, and the hem of Thea's wedding dress was carelessly bunched beneath her. Thea recognized the woman as Madelyn Terrell, Jake's assistant. They were cheating, and Madelyn was wearing her wedding dress.

The revelation hit Thea like a ton of bricks. Overwhelmed by a dizzying array of emotions, she leaned against the doorframe to steady herself.

Hearing the noise, Jake hastily pulled away from Madelyn, quickly covering her with the sheet.

Thea gritted her teeth, regarding them with contempt. "Mr. Hendrix, you seem to be enjoying yourselves," she said, her voice slightly unsteady. "Shall I capture this wonderful moment for you?"

A flicker of guilt, quickly replaced by annoyance, crossed Jake's face. He hung his head. "It's probably better you found out now. I was going to tell you eventually. To be honest, I've been unhappy for a while. You're very controlling, and you keep me at arm's length. I have needs."

"Just be discreet, and our wedding will proceed without incident. Once we're married, you'll be my wife. And Madelyn will be staying with us," he added.

A wave of anger and humiliation washed over Thea. She slapped Jake hard. "You really think I'd still marry you after this?"

Before Jake could respond, Madelyn, tears streaming down her face, rushed forward. "Miss Rowland, this is all my fault. Don't blame Jake. I'll beg if I have to! And I never meant to wear the dress."

Thea cut her off sharply. "Save it."

Madelyn stumbled backward, tripping on the dress and hitting her head on a table. Jake shoved Thea aside and helped Madelyn up, his care for her in stark contrast to his treatment of Thea. He glared at Thea. "Look at you now, you crazy bitch. You're disgusting!"

The eight years together culminated in this insult, leaving Thea wondering who was truly disgusting.

At that moment, the manager burst in, panicked. "Mr. Hendrix, we have a problem. Reporters are outside."

Jake's expression hardened. He grabbed Thea's wrist. "Thea, you've made a mess of things, haven't you?"

Thea retorted defiantly, "Maybe you should have considered that before cheating on me. This is your fault."

"Bitch!" Jake cursed, pushing her down. "If anyone hears about this, I'll talk to your brother. And you'll be involved." He left with Madelyn.

A wave of exhaustion hit Thea. She wanted to collapse, but she couldn't afford to wallow. She stood up and left the room, only to be confronted by a throng of paparazzi. Dodging them, she ran into a man's arms, the scent of peppermint and nicotine filling her senses.

Despite the warmth, a chilling stare made her uneasy. Behind her, the reporters stopped, shocked. "Sir, please help me," Thea pleaded.

The man was in the presidential suite. Thea took a chance. He eyed her sadly. His assistant intervened, smoothly dealing with the reporters.

As they left, the man said, raspy and cool, "Getting cozy in there?"

Thea lowered her head. He dismissed his assistant, instructing him to escort her out.

'How did he know my name?' Thea wondered. After she was safely escorted away, she glanced back. The man stood tall and poised. She felt a strange familiarity. Outside, the reporters were like zombies.

Shaking off the experience, she called her brother. "Darwin, about the wedding with Jake next week… let's call it off."