Quinton walked past her in a daze and locked himself in the study. Winnie stood at the door, lost and disoriented. Inside was the husband she had schemed so hard to win over but could never get close to; on her phone were endless accusations, curses, and vicious words from her in-laws. Her eyes were blank. She had once wanted to kill Isabella's son, and now Sterling had laid hands on her beloved niece, someone she'd treated like her own daughter. Would his revenge really stop there? Fate felt like a cruel cycle, and her head spun. Just as shattered as Winnie was Sylvia, who could barely believe her son had brought home a daughter-in-law after one trip out. Staring at the marriage certificates, she gritted her teeth and glared at Jasper. "I told you to expand your network and meet some heiresses. This is what you came back with?" Tybalt was already numb. He had known all along that one day, his son would fall right into Lydia's hands. Jasper hung his head, enduring his parents' disappointment and his brother William's gloating without saying a word. He looked like a man who had already lost all sense of the world. The moment he got that marriage certificate, it felt like his soul had been chained. He knew clearly that he would never escape Lydia's mark for the rest of his life. Smiling sweetly, Lydia hooked her arm through his. "We'll leave the wedding preparations to you." Sylvia smashed her teacup. "Whoever told you to get married can plan it themselves. I'm not doing anything." Tybalt stood up and left as well. "A daughter-in-law who's been to prison? We won't embarrass ourselves like that." Lydia's face twisted. The couple who once adored her now looked at her with utter disdain. The change in attitude was worse than outright hatred. Still, she was determined to move into the Fenton Residence no matter what. After that birthday party incident where she stabbed Lottie and things completely fell apart, she had moved out of the Lancaster Residence and rented a small apartment. The cramped space was nothing like the villa she had grown up in, and her money was running out—every cent she spent was gone for good. So, she had to hold on to the identity of being Jasper's wife. There was another thing weighing on her mind: Clarence would eventually find out she had sold the patent to a competitor. When that happened, he would definitely come after her, so she needed the Fentons' protection. Once the elders were gone, Lydia dropped her pretense and looked at Jasper, making her demand clear. "We need to have a wedding." Without the public's blessing, how could she ever show her face in social circles? Jasper let out a cold laugh. He had been looking dead inside ever since they got off the boat. Lydia was annoyed, but she still hoped he could make a comeback one day so she could proudly be his wife. "Jasper! What's with your attitude?" she snapped. Jasper tossed a bank card at her, and it hit her right in the face. "You want a wedding? Do it yourself." Then, with a twisted smile, he added, "Isn't this what you wanted? Money? Not enough?" He pulled out a few more cards and threw them at her. "Take them all. They're yours. Haha!" With that, he stumbled out of the house, unshaven and clutching a bottle of red wine. William, who had enjoyed the whole spectacle, strolled over with a grin and patted Lydia's shoulder. "Well, he said you can handle it yourself. Don't worry, I'll fully support you. On the wedding day, I promise a huge gift." Lydia brushed his hand off in disgust, but he did not mind. Humming cheerfully, he headed out to spend the night with another woman. He had been right about Lydia all along—she really was Jasper's ultimate downfall.