My Wedding, A Deadly Illusion.

Just as I lay down on my bed, my best friend's call came through:

Ethan, where the heck are you? The wedding's about to start! Why aren't you here yet?

I was stunned. What wedding?

Liam sounded furious. Yours and Chloe's wedding, of course!

I thought he was joking, but then he turned the camera to the wedding venue.

In the city's premier hotel ballroom, my parents and a host of relatives and friends were all seated.

The welcome sign at the entrance clearly read:

Ethan Miller & Chloes Wedding Ceremony!

My scalp instantly prickled.

Chloe? Wasn't she the goddess I'd secretly adored for years?

She was the city's wealthiest CEO, and I was just a guy barely scraping by on minimum wage.

I hadn't seen her since high school graduation; I didn't even have her SnapChat.

Get married? Get married to whom?

But Liam was so insistent, everyone was urging me to hurry to the wedding.

To find out what was going on, I rushed to the hotel.

But the moment I stepped out, I was hit by a runaway truck and died on the spot.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment Liam called me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was drenched in cold sweat.

The pain of being hit by the truck in my past life still lingered. Even as I died, I couldn't understand

why everyone was saying today was my wedding to Chloe.

I quickly searched: "Chloe wedding."

But there wasn't a single piece of information about her dating or getting married!

My contacts, my chat history, even my Ins and photo gallery

there was no information about her anywhere!

My phone vibrated frantically. Liam's anxious voice came through:

"Ethan, the wedding's about to start, where are you?"

"Everyone's getting impatient, hurry up, you need to make your entrance!"

His voice was full of frantic urgency, but I felt ice-cold all over.

I, stone-faced, sent him screenshots of the information I'd gathered:

"Liam, there's a limit to jokes! Chloe and I have zero connection. What wedding are you talking about?"

Liam paused, then immediately turned his phone to the grand ballroom.

Chloe, in a flowing white gown, and a crowd of guests appeared before my eyes.

"Dude, are you okay? You already signed the papers, and you're saying you're not married?"

"The ceremony's about to begin! Why are you using some ancient news from a burner account to pretend you're single? What's your deal?"

"Stop stalling! Everyone's waiting for you to make your entrance!"

The groomsmen also crowded around:

"Ethan, where did you go? You just disappeared, we've been looking everywhere!"

"Chloe proposed to you 99 times! This wedding alone cost millions! What more could you possibly want?"

Chloe proposed to me 99 times? What a joke!

She was known as the Ice Queen, untouchable and aloof.

What pull do I have with a multi-billionaire tech CEO like her?

Chloe's clear, cool voice suddenly cut in:

"Did you find Ethan? Is his phone connected?"

"No, not yet..."

Liam quickly covered his phone, answering guiltily.

Chloe's eyes darkened. She turned and coldly instructed her bodyguards:

"Check the hotel surveillance. Find Ethan immediately!"

Seeing this, Liam immediately lowered his voice and warned me:

"You moron, did you hear that? Chloe's been looking for you all morning!"

"Stop messing around and get out here! No matter how much she spoils you, you're leaving everyone hanging here today. Where's her dignity in that?"

"If you don't come soon, I can't cover for you anymore!"

As he spoke, he raised his phone again.

My parents stood anxiously by the door, looking around, and guests were buzzing with chatter.

Chloe's expression grew colder by the minute.

Everyone's anxious, worried faces didn't look fake at all.

But in my last life, I believed them and died on the road.

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but clench my fists:

"Liam, I've never even dated Chloe, let alone married her!"

"Joking around with AI videos, I'm genuinely getting angry!"

Liam froze, then laughed in exasperation:

"AI? Ethan, are you out of your mind? Look closely, is that AI?"

"Get this straight, today is *your* wedding, not mine! Whether you want to get married or not, I'm done dealing with it!"

With that, he angrily sent me a screenshot and then hung up.

I was dumbfounded.

In the screenshot, I had officially announced my marriage!

And on that marriage certificate, my and Chloe's photos were clearly visible!

I looked at it several times; there were no signs of Photoshop or AI manipulation.

But I had never posted a marriage certificate, nor had I seen this post on Ins before!

My mind was a mess.

Liam and I have been best friends since childhood. He always stutters when he lies.

But his rant just now clearly wasn't an act.

And my parents had no reason to conspire with them to trick me.

If all of this was real, why did I have no memory of dating Chloe?

Why was everyone insisting today was my wedding to Chloe?

Just then, I suddenly remembered someone.

My Aunt Carol works at the marriage registry. If the marriage certificate was fake, she'd definitely find out!

I immediately sent her the marriage certificate:

"Aunt Carol, I need to ask you something! Is this marriage certificate real?"

Aunt Carol immediately snapped in anger: "You little rascal, trying to fool me with a fake certificate? You're doing this on purpose to annoy me!"

"I introduced you to so many potential partners, and you didn't like any of them! Now you're trying to wind me up!"

Hearing Aunt Carol's familiar grumbling, the knot in my stomach finally loosened a bit.

"So, this certificate is fake?"

"Of course it is!"

Aunt Carol shoved her computer screen right in front of the camera.

"Look at the system yourself. Does it say 'married' anywhere in your marital status?"

"The registrant's name on there is mine! If you were getting married here, wouldn't I know?"

I stared intently at the screen. Sure enough, it said 'single.'

Aunt Carol's colleague also leaned over, joking:

"Honestly, it's a pretty good fake!"

"Ethan, your aunt has been worrying herself sick about your marriage, don't mess with her like this! Hurry up and find someone to marry, your aunt will personally register you!"

Listening to their familiar chatter, I let out a long breath.

Yes, my aunt had always doted on me since I was little; there's no way she wouldn't attend my wedding if I were truly getting married.

The official government system even showed I was single, so I definitely wasn't married!

But the next second, a SnapChat group called "Operation Wedding" exploded on my phone.

Countless people were furiously @-ing me:

"Ethan, where the hell are you? The MC has called for you a dozen times, why aren't you making your entrance?"

"Hurry up! If you don't start soon, the guests will riot!"

My head buzzed.

When did this group appear? I have no memory of it at all!

Just then, a voice message popped up:

"Ethan Miller, are you getting married or not?"

It was Chloe.

Her tone was clearly tinged with anger.

My parents also sent voice messages:

"Ethan, what are you doing? Marriage is a serious matter, why are you disappearing now?"

"Hurry up and come in! Everyone's waiting! Chloe has been looking for you everywhere. Don't mess around at a time like this, hurry up, if you don't come, we're going to get angry!"

I was instantly infuriated, and I directly sent them the video recording of my call with Aunt Carol.

"Mom, Dad, what's going on with you? Why are you all in on this trick?"

"I'm not married at all! Why are you playing such a joke? This isn't funny!"

I thought they'd back down, but then my mom's scolding voice came through.

"Carol, what are you doing! My son is acting up, but are you losing your mind too? Is this really something to joke about?"

Aunt Carol's pleading voice followed:

"Oh, Honey, I'm sorry!"

"I thought Ethan was having cold feet, so I just wanted to tease him! How was I supposed to know he'd hide and skip his own wedding!"

"Ethan, your aunt was wrong! You really are married! I processed your marriage certificate myself! Hurry up and come in, Aunt Carol has been waiting for ages to celebrate your wedding!"

I widened my eyes in disbelief.

Didn't Aunt Carol work at the civil affairs bureau? How could she be at the wedding venue?

I quickly video called Aunt Carol.

But Aunt Carol was sitting primly at the marriage registry, looking impatient:

"You kid, I'm busy right now! Why are you calling again?"

I instantly felt a chill run through me.

What was going on? How could there be two Aunt Carols at once?

But neither of them seemed fake. Which one was real?

I felt like my head was going to explode. Trembling, I sent the call history into the group chat.

"I'm not married at all! What exactly are you trying to do?"

The previously buzzing group chat suddenly fell silent.

Then, Chloe sent a voice message:

"Ethan Miller, what are you trying to prove by constantly sending AI images?"

"My patience has limits. I'm giving you five more minutes. If you don't show up, you'll face the consequences..."

Hearing that, I stiffened.

Chloe, the city's ultimate power player, who dared to cross her?

But would someone like her play along with a nobody like me?

This wedding was incredibly lavish and dreamy. Just the imported peonies alone, flown in from overseas and worthy of a royal wedding, cost over a million dollars.

Who would spend such a fortune on a prank?

The group was still buzzing with urgent messages, and my phone kept ringing.

My emotional defenses slowly crumbled; I desperately wanted to rush to the venue to confirm.

But the fear of being hit by the truck in my past life once again choked me.

No! I couldn't gamble.

Just then, my phone rang urgently: Chloe!

My pupils constricted instantly, and I almost dropped my phone.

Impossible!

I had searched countless times just now;

Chloe's name wasn't in my contacts at all!

Why was her name appearing on my phone now?!

My heart pounded wildly. Trembling, I pressed the answer button.

Chloe appeared on the screen, her face a mask of frost:

"Ethan Miller, time's up. Are you... still not coming?"

A strange pang of sadness hit me, and I cautiously began:

"Ms.... Ms. Chloe, we're not... not married, are we?"

As my words fell, her eyelashes trembled violently for a few seconds on the video call.

She let out a bitter, sarcastic laugh. "Ethan Miller, you really outdid yourself!"

"We've been together for three years. I thought if I loved you unconditionally and fulfilled your every need, I could win you over..."

"But now, it seems I was wrong..."

Seeing her forlorn expression, I almost reflexively denied it:

"No, it's not like that..."

Marry her? I've dreamed of it!

I've had a crush on her since high school.

All these years, I hadn't dated anyone because my heart was always set on her!

But logic told me that this was all fake.

How could an ordinary man like me make the 'Ice Queen' burn with passion?

Moreover, in my previous life, I died tragically at that intersection; I couldn't gamble with my life!

I took a deep breath and looked at her with a mix of seriousness and complexity:

"Ms. Chloe... we really aren't married! Please stop messing with me... okay?"

Hearing this, the warmth in Chloe's eyes slowly froze.

She gave a desolate smile, nodded, and then simply hung up.

Before I could react, my parents' call immediately came in:

"Ethan Miller, are you insane? A wife like Chloe, you wouldn't find even if you searched with a flashlight, and you're letting her go!"

"Why are you so willful? You always took her love for granted when you were dating, constantly making her prove how much she loved you. Now that you're married, you're still acting up like this? What exactly do you want?"

I was so anxious, I almost cried.

"Mom, Dad, what's wrong with you? I'm not married to Chloe, I..."

My parents immediately erupted in anger, delivering harsh threats:

"Still playing dumb!"

"Let me tell you, Ethan Miller, if you don't show up, we won't acknowledge you as our son!"

The call was immediately cut off. When I tried to call back, the number was disconnected.

I was on the verge of a breakdown. Suddenly remembering the hotel's name, I immediately called them.

"Excuse me, is Chloe and Ethan Miller's wedding being held at your hotel today?"

The voice on the other end was decisive:

"I'm sorry, we don't have any wedding banquets today. Are you looking to book one?"

The knot in my stomach finally loosened.

See? They were indeed lying to me!

It must be Chloe who had bought everyone off, deliberately playing a cruel trick on me!

Only she would have such immense power to make everyone listen to her.

But what was her motive?

Before I could figure it out, Liam suddenly sent me a link.

I instinctively clicked it open, and the sight that greeted me made my vision go black!

It was Chloe standing at the ballroom entrance!

Her eyes were bloodshot as she publicly announced the cancellation of her wedding to me.

Countless reporters swarmed her, their cameras flashing wildly.

News of me ditching my wedding flooded the internet.

Everyone was calling me an arrogant jerk, ungrateful, saying I turned down the city's wealthiest CEO.

My parents and Liam were frantic, sweating profusely, constantly trying to dissuade her:

"Chloe, Chloe, please wait a little longer, okay?"

"Ethan isn't someone who'd be so inconsiderate, he must have run into something. Can we please wait a little longer?"

"I'll go find him myself right now, I'll drag him back and make him explain, okay?"

Aunt Carol eagerly chimed in from the side:

"Yes, Chloe, Ethan definitely didn't do this on purpose!"

"You don't know, Ethan might be willful around you, but he's always liked you! He's acting up because he feels you're too amazing, he feels insecure, like he's not good enough for you!"

"That kid, Ethan, has liked you since high school, he dreams of being with you! He cried with joy the day you got your marriage certificate. How could he intentionally not show up for such an important occasion as his wedding?"

Chloe, her eyes bloodshot, let out a low laugh.

"Not on purpose?"

"Three years ago, the moment I met him, I swore I wouldn't miss him again."

"To be with him, I gave my whole heart. This wedding has been planned for a year. I thought he was as excited as I was, but it seems it was all just my own self-delusion..."

"He's been treating me like an idiot, trampling my dignity into the dirt!"