He looked at me and said quietly, “You saved my life, Talia.” And since then, my heart has been all yours.”
I looked at him, stunned, and my heart began to beat again for the first time.
When Rhett’s mother learnt that he had confessed to me, she practically jumped for joy.
“Marking! You two are holding the Marking Ceremony right now!”
She hurried to reserve the banquet hall and notify guests, as if she was afraid I’d run away.
I didn’t know how to react, but Rhett just smiled like a fool. “Let her be. She hasn’t been so happy in years. She believes her daughter-in-law may vanish.”
My face burned with embarrassment, but deep down, I felt warm. Being with Rhett felt natural; there was no fear or hesitation.
I didn’t expect to see Noah again on the day of our Marking Ceremony.
I was applying my makeup in a side lounge near the banquet hall when I heard Selene’s voice from the next room.
“Hmph. Those two old fossils dislike me, but now that I’m pregnant with Noah’s pup, they have no choice but to participate in our Marking Ceremony!
“Once I become his mate, I’ll make sure they regret everything.”
I frowned. I couldn’t believe our ceremonies were on the same day.
I sighed and stood up, preparing to enter the hall early. I had no interest in encountering ghosts from the past.
Unfortunately, fate was never kind that way.
As I stepped outside, I ran into a drunken man. I attempted to avoid him, but he grabbed my wrist tightly. “Talia? Is that you?”
I froze. The haggard, drunken man in front of me was Noah.
“Talia, you’re alive! You finally came back to me.”
He drew me into his arms, choking on his words as he cried. “I missed you so much. I was wrong. I’ll kick Selene and her pup out right now, okay? Please stop being mad at me. You have no idea what these days have been like for me-please don’t leave again.”
He seemed to have completely forgotten that they were having a Marking Ceremony today.
I struggled hard, but I couldn’t get away from Noah.
Selene stormed out of the room next door. She froze when she saw us, screamed, and dashed over, slapping Noah on the back with all her might.
“Noah! Do you even remember what day it is? How can you hug another woman right in front of me?! Have you thought about how I’d feel?”
Noah’s arms loosened. His body flew backward and struck the ground hard, landing a few feet away.
I was drawn into a warm embrace. It was Rhett.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice tight with concern. “Did he hurt you?”
I shake my head.
Rhett exhaled and wrapped his arm around me before turning to leave.
Noah stumbled up from the floor and lunged at me again. “Talia, don’t go!”
When Selene saw my face for the first time, she stood frozen. She then snapped out of her daze and dashed forward to block him. “Noah! You’ve got the wrong person. Talia is dead! She just looks like her. Pull yourself together!”
Noah’s eyes became bloodshot as he yelled at her, “Shut up! She’s Talia. She’s my mate-I know her!”
Selene lost it and screamed back, “Neither of you are mates anymore; I am your mate now!
“Can’t you see? She’s already with someone else!”
Noah finally noticed what I was wearing: a white bridal gown.
His entire body stiffened.
“No, that’s not true,” he said quietly. “Talia, tell me this isn’t real. You are mine. “We are meant to be.”
I sighed softly and stepped away from Rhett, approaching Noah and looking him in the eyes. “Noah, our story ended a long time ago.” Today is your Marking Ceremony with Selene. I wish you well. And I hope you will do the same for me.
Noah’s gaze fixed on Rhett, his eyes sharp and feral. “You abandoned me for him?” What does he have that I do not? Is he better than I?”
