The Future Warned Me Not to Marry Him

The night before my wedding, I opened the smart security camera in our new home, but the feed accidentally connected to five years in the future.

Ethan sat on the sofa. I smiled and pressed the intercom button.

Ethan, my grandfather said he'll officially announce me as the heir to the Winchester estate at the wedding.

He suddenly looked up at the camera, his eyes filled with pity.

"Lily, did you take too many hallucinogens today?"

Before I could respond, my sister Rain walked into frame, her belly swollen with pregnancy.

Ethan gently pulled her close.

"Don't you remember? The night we registered our marriage, I locked you in the attic. You're just a fake occupying her place."

"Rain is the true Winchester bloodline. She's been running Winchester Corporation for five years now. I forged your signature long ago to transfer all your shares to her."

"Don't worry. Even if you really have gone insane, you're still my legitimate wife. I'll take care of you for the rest of your life."

A bone-deep chill swept through my body as I plunged into an icy abyss.

The smart camera screen emitted a harsh burst of static, then went completely black.

I collapsed onto the bed covered in rose petals, my body soaked in cold sweat.

Less than ten hours remained until our wedding of the century tomorrow.

No wonder for the past six months, Ethan had been forcibly interfering with my work under the pretext of letting me focus on wedding preparations.

First, he'd transferred my most capable assistant away from headquarters under the excuse of expanding company operations.

Then he'd sent my protective grandfather to a fully enclosed private hospital under the guise of convalescence.

They wanted to completely take over my shares in Winchester Corporation!

Face pale, I fumbled for my phone, wanting to call the police, wanting to contact my personal lawyer.

But the upper left corner of the screen clearly displayed "No Service."

The entire mansion's signal had been blocked.

I staggered toward the door and yanked the handle, only to discover it had been locked from the outside.

Just then, steady, familiar footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Ethan wore the loungewear I'd personally selected for him, carrying a glass of milk, his eyes tender.

"Lily, why aren't you asleep yet?"

He approached, habitually moving to kiss my forehead.

"Being a bride tomorrow will be exhausting. Drink your milk and get some rest."

If this had been ten minutes ago, I would have drowned in his devotion and willingly drunk that glass of milk.

But now, I only felt violently nauseated.

I knocked the glass from his hand, grabbed a shard of broken glass and pressed it against my carotid artery, staring him down.

"Ethan, drop the act."

"I know what you put in there. Don't even think about taking Winchester shares from me!"

Ethan sighed helplessly, his tone still gentle.

"Lily, your persecution complex has been getting worse lately."

"Winchester would only destroy you. I'm taking over the company to protect our future together. Why can't you understand my good intentions?"

As he spoke, he opened his phone screen and turned it toward me.

Rain's hand was casually pinching my grandfather's oxygen tube.

"Ethan! Get her out of there!"

My eyes nearly split with rage. The glass shard instantly pierced my skin.

Seeing my blood, Ethan frowned, his tone displeased.

"Rain is just visiting my grandfather. Why hurt yourself? It makes me worry."

He raised his hand slightly, and the bodyguard outside immediately handed him another glass of milk.

"But my grandfather's heart and lungs are so fragile. If the machines malfunction in the middle of the night, I wonder how many minutes he could survive?"

I looked at my grandfather's weakly rising chest in the video, trembling as I released the glass and drank that cup of milk.

The drug took effect extremely fast. Accompanied by intense muscle weakness, I sank into darkness.

When I opened my eyes again, I'd been changed into an elaborate French wedding gown.

My brain was abnormally clear, but my throat couldn't produce a single sound.

My limbs were completely immobile, held down by two bodyguards as they slowly wheeled me into the hotel ballroom.

Ethan knelt before me, leaning close to whisper in my ear with a low laugh.

"Lily, are you happy? Our wedding is about to begin."

Ethan slowly stood up and took the microphone from the officiant.

The romantic wedding photos on the big screen abruptly stopped.

In their place appeared two documents stamped with embossed seals.

A paternity test, and a diagnosis of severe manic-type schizophrenia.

The entire venue fell deathly silent.

Ethan's eyes reddened.

"Everyone, I apologize. Today, besides our wedding, I must announce something heartbreaking."

"My bride, Lily Winchester, is not of Winchester blood. The true heiress is only one person---Miss Rain."

The crowd below erupted in gasps.

Ethan closed his eyes in pain.

"Unable to accept the truth, Lily developed severe schizophrenia. Just last night, she even tried to self-harm to threaten her family."

The big screen flickered, playing a silent surveillance video.

It showed me from just hours ago in the bridal suite, holding a glass shard against my bleeding neck!

My pupils constricted sharply, blood rushing backward through my body.

Everything had been within his control all along!

"For Winchester's stability, and for Lily to receive proper treatment."

Ethan stepped aside.

The family attorney, who had watched me grow up, walked onto the stage. He avoided my gaze and read aloud:

"Given that Miss Lily Winchester has been determined legally incapacitated, her Winchester shares shall be transferred by her husband Ethan to the true heiress, Rain."

Rain, wearing an elaborate bridesmaid dress, carried the transfer documents to me.

Looking at her pale, slender hands, a painful memory flashed through my mind.

Six months ago, I'd been in a car accident with a compound fracture in my right hand, desperately waiting for family consent to save the limb.

But Ethan, who was almost at the hospital, turned back because Rain claimed her claustrophobia was triggered and she was going to cut her wrists.

I missed the optimal surgery window, leaving my right hand barely able to hold a pen.

Afterward, he'd slapped himself hard at my hospital bedside, crying as he held me tight.

"Lily, it's all my fault. Rain is your sister. I was afraid if something happened to her, you'd spiral. From now on, my hands are your hands. I'll take care of you forever."

Now, Ethan walked over and gripped my right hand.

On that document stripping me of everything, he firmly signed my name.

The guests finally reacted, their contempt and disgust pelting me like hail.

"No wonder she's in a wheelchair---she's insane!"

"Mr. Fitzgerald is so unfortunate, tricked into marriage by this lunatic!"

A glass of champagne was viciously thrown from below.

Ethan removed his custom suit and wrapped my trembling body in it. His face was cut by glass shards.

"Please don't blame Lily. It's not her fault---it's the illness."

"I, Ethan Fitzgerald, swear that no matter what Lily becomes, she is my lawfully wedded wife. I will never abandon her!"

The guests were moved by his loyalty and devotion.

He pressed his lips to my ear, his voice tender as a love confession.

"Did you hear that, Lily? The whole world knows you're insane."

"You'll stay by my side alone and be Mrs. Fitzgerald for the rest of your life."

When the drugs wore off, I opened my eyes to find myself in a completely sealed room.

A surveillance camera's red light blinked overhead.

The door lock clicked softly. Rain walked in, smiling triumphantly.

"Lily, you're finally awake. After being overshadowed by you for twenty years, I've finally taken back everything that belongs to me."

"The Winchester inheritance, and Ethan---they're all mine now. And you can only stay locked in here like a dog forever."

I looked at her coldly and laughed.

"You really think Ethan loves you? You're just his shield for swallowing Winchester. He made you the heir because he likes how stupid you are."

Her expression changed. She grabbed my hair viciously.

"Shut up! That old bastard helped you hide your fake identity for twenty years, but Ethan still found out, didn't he?"

"Ethan helped me, and you have nothing. What right do you have to sow discord now!"

As if remembering something exciting, she suddenly sneered.

"Lily, you don't actually think that severe schizophrenia diagnosis at today's banquet was just fake paperwork Ethan paid for, do you?"

"I was the one who told him about your habit of drinking warm water every morning."

My brain exploded. Ice shot up my spine straight to the top of my skull.

I'd thought yesterday's milk was the first time.

But all these years, the warm water he'd handed me after every good morning kiss had been drugged!

She raised her hand with a smile, her sharp nails scratching across my face. Blood immediately welled up.

Ethan walked in at that moment.

Rain's expression changed instantly. She collapsed weakly to the floor, tears threatening to fall.

"Ethan, Lily's manic episode is acting up. She tried to hit me..."

Ethan strode over, but didn't help her up.

"Rain, the surveillance camera overhead is still on. I made you Winchester's CEO, not gave you permission to touch Lily."

"This is the Fitzgerald house. Lily is Mrs. Fitzgerald. Know your place and get out."

Rain's face went deathly pale. Filled with resentment and humiliation, she stormed out.

Ethan took out an alcohol swab and gently cleaned the blood from my face.

"Rain is just a tool to stabilize the board of directors. As long as you stay obediently in this room, I guarantee no one can hurt you."

He picked up a white pill and brought it to my lips.

"Since you know I've been feeding you these for years, just be obedient now."

"Don't forget---my grandfather is still in my care facility."

I looked at him without resisting, swallowing the pill with his hand.

Ethan smiled with satisfaction and methodically unbuttoned his shirt.

"Tonight is our wedding night, Lily."

His large frame immediately pressed down on me.

Extreme panic and nausea surged in my heart!

I found strength from somewhere, my nails clawing desperately into his back.

But the disparity in strength between men and women meant my resistance was merely a cornered animal's struggle in his eyes.

After an eternity of suffering, he threw his soiled clothes onto my tear-stained face.

"Compared to Rain's gentle compliance, you're utterly tasteless and disappointing."

"Next time, if you still haven't learned how to please your husband, I'll have Rain teach you in person."

With that, he strode away without looking back.

In the darkness, I curled up my wounded body.

I bit down hard on the fake death pill I'd been hiding in my cheek.

I suddenly laughed silently.

I laughed until my heart was torn, laughed until my mouth filled with blood.

Ethan, your love is truly the most revolting thing in this world!

Excruciating pain tortured me all night as the fake death pill viciously consumed my life force.

My body was ice cold, my breathing barely a thread.

Ethan walked in wearing a suit.

Seeing my bloodless face and weak appearance, he frowned.

"Lily, you know sympathy plays don't work on me."

He approached the bed, his tone icy.

"Didn't learn your lesson last night? Get up and take today's medication."

As soon as he finished speaking, his phone suddenly emitted a piercing alarm.

It was the dedicated app he'd specifically linked to my grandfather's vital signs!

Ethan's expression changed. He yanked out his phone.

I bit my tongue hard to stay conscious, using all my strength to lift my head and stare at his screen.

In the image, Rain wore a sterile suit, her hand casually holding the oxygen tube and pacemaker cord she'd forcibly disconnected.

She smiled innocently at the surveillance camera.

On the heart monitor beside her, the green wave representing my grandfather's vital signs convulsed violently twice, then instantly became a straight flatline!

My grandfather was dead.

The only leverage Ethan had to force my compliance for life was completely gone.

"That idiot Rain!"

Ethan's eyes nearly split with rage. He shouted frantically into his communicator.

"Where are the doctors! Resuscitate him now!"

I stared at that flatline, unable to produce tears from my dry eyes.

The last string in my heart finally snapped.

At the same moment, the fake death pill reached its final eruption.

I suddenly vomited a large mouthful of dark red blood, spraying it directly onto Ethan's shirt!

Then massive amounts of fresh blood poured madly from my mouth and nose.

It stained a large section of pure white sheets a shocking crimson.

Ethan's roar cut off abruptly. His hands trembled as he tried to stop the blood gushing from my mouth.

"Lily!!! What's wrong?! Stop bleeding!"

I used all my remaining strength to pull a blood-red smile.

"Ethan, in this lifetime, I'll never let you get what you want."

With that, my eyes completely lost focus.

Ethan scooped up my blood-soaked body and crashed through the door toward downstairs like a madman.

The Maybach ran through over a dozen red lights. He kicked open the emergency room door, his eyes bloodshot, roaring at all the top specialists.

"Save her! If you can't save her, you'll all die with her!"

The emergency room's red light turned on, then off.

The hospital director emerged, face ashen.

"Mr. Fitzgerald... your wife experienced sudden irreversible multiple organ failure. Resuscitation was unsuccessful. Please accept our condolences."