A Promise

The wedding ended quietly, dissolving as soon as the last plates were cleared. Ava hadn't seen Eva nor Helen nor Zeke since the dance ended.

Zeke had disappeared without a word, as if his presence at the event had only been a fleeting obligation.

Lord Nathaniel and Lady Vivienne Summers finally approached her—offering a few obligatory words of congratulations before giving her a brief, almost mechanical hug. It lasted mere seconds before they left, blending into the crowd of departing guests.

Meanwhile, the Ford family—people she had barely known until this moment—gave her the warmest farewell she had ever received. Even Lord Nathaniel Ford, who was the mirror image of both Zeke and Zach, had been kinder to her than her own blood.

Adelle stood at a distance, watching it all unfold. For the first time, she felt a strange, unexpected pity—not for Ava, but for Eva.

She had always seen Eva as the troublemaker, the reckless one, but now, watching how easily her own parents discarded her, Adelle wondered if perhaps Eva had been an outcast all along.

Now, the only ones left were the event organizers, who had long been paid, and three makeup artists lingering to help Ava into the bridal car. Her bridesmaids were already gone, leaving without so much as a backward glance.

The golden carriage, meant to be a grand display, had been abandoned in favor of a simple car—less noticeable, less extravagant, and, apparently, less important.

One of the makeup artists offered a small, forced smile as they carefully lifted the flared hem of Ava's gown. "I hope you enjoyed your wedding, Lady Eva."

Ava's gaze remained fixed on the marble floor. "I-I did," she muttered, though her voice lacked conviction. "Thanks to all of you."

The women assisting her exchanged uneasy glances. It was impossible not to notice the weight of Ava's disappointment, the quiet heartbreak she carried. They had all seen it—the way the guests had remained indifferent, the way her own family had barely acknowledged her.

"Sure is hard to be the twin of the perfect Lady Ava, huh?" one of the girls whispered, her words slipping out before she could stop them.

A sharp elbow to her ribs from another woman silenced her immediately. "Shh!"

Ava's lips pressed into a thin line. "M-My sister Ava… she's not even that perfect," she mumbled, the sound of her heels clacking against the polished floor. "One of her biggest fears is failing to meet our parents' expectations. They believe she's incapable of making mistakes. But she's human, just like me."

Adelle stood outside the car, her posture stiff, every movement calculated. This night had already been an exhausting mess, and she wasn't about to let anything else go wrong. She had ensured Ava's quiet exit, making sure no one would question why the bride was leaving so unceremoniously. As always, Adelle was the reliable one—the one standing beside Ava at business meetings, charity events, and every high-profile function where the Summers' image had to be protected under blinding camera flashes.

As Ava and the three makeup artists stepped out of the venue, Adelle moved with practiced precision, reaching for the car door to let the bride in. Her fingers grazed the handle—

BAM.

Another hand slammed down on the door at the exact same moment.

Adelle, who had been fully prepared for a smooth, dignified exit, suddenly found herself propelled backward with a very undignified squawk. Her heels scraped against the pavement as she flailed for balance, arms windmilling like a malfunctioning wind turbine.

She barely caught herself, wide eyes snapping up to the owner of the offending hand, ready to unleash a string of very unprofessional words—until she actually saw who it was.

Her spine went rigid. Her hands immediately folded in front of her as if she had been caught committing treason.

Then, with the grace of someone who had mastered the art of forced humility, she dipped into a deep, exaggerated bow.

"I apologize for my clumsiness, Lord Ford," she said, voice steady, but as she lowered her head further, her face twisted into a silent grimace—eyes rolling, lips pressing into an irritated line, muttering something inaudible that was probably not an apology.

Because, honestly, did he have to be this dramatic?

Ava was genuinely surprised to still see Zach around. She had fully expected him to have disappeared off the face of the earth by now—maybe living with the fishes he once dramatically vowed he would.

Behind her, the three makeup artists nearly collapsed at the sight of him. Their hands clutched their chests, breaths hitching, their eyes wide with unfiltered Zeke-induced awe. If they found out it was actually the mysterious twin brother, Zach, there was a real chance they'd ascend straight to heaven on the spot.

But Ava, unfazed, simply stared at him as he wordlessly opened the car door for her. Not one to drag out awkward moments, she immediately slid inside.

To her surprise, Zach even reached in to carefully adjust the train of her gown before shutting the door and heading around to the other side.

Adelle took her usual seat in the front beside the driver, and the car rolled forward into the night.

And then... silence.

A deafening, suffocating silence.

Nobody spoke. Not Ava. Not Zach. Not even Adelle, who usually had something to say. The only sound was the faint hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of fabric as Ava shifted slightly in her seat.

She caught Zach's reflection in the windshield—he was simply staring out the window, looking as brooding as ever. Meanwhile, Adelle and the driver kept throwing each other glances, shrugging as if to say, Are we supposed to say something?

Ava internally sighed. If this ride got any more awkward, she might just jump out of the moving vehicle for some fresh air.

She didn't even know where they were going. Honeymoon? Yeah, right.

Ava had already kissed this man without blinking back in the altar—what could be more terrifying than that?

Well, actually, she could think of something far worse.

Her throat tightened as the thought surfaced, but she immediately shoved it away. Nope. Not happening. Absolutely not.

"Nah," she muttered to herself, arms crossed. "He'd never think of touching me. He doesn't even like me and was just forced into this wedding."

Zach, still staring out the window, gave no reaction.

But Adelle, sitting in the front seat, stiffened. "M-My lady, p-please silence your thoughts."

Meanwhile, Zach's mind wasn't in the car—it was still lingering back at the men's comfort room, where he had unexpectedly run into Zeke.

Zeke had been standing in front of the mirror, adjusting his tuxedo over his shoulder after washing his hands. There was something... off about him.

Zach had seen his twin wear many expressions before—smirks, grins, teasing winks—but this? This was different. Zeke's eyes were empty, devoid of their usual playful glint. He looked like a man carrying a weight no one else could see.

And then he said something unsettling.

"Take care of her for now. I'll take her from you when I'm worthy enough."

Zach had barely processed the words before Zeke turned and left, an eerie aura clinging to him like a shadow.

It didn't make any sense. Zeke had been the one to push Zach into this marriage—insisting that if Zach married Eva, it would buy him time to win over Ava. So why was he now acting as if Eva was someone he needed to become worthy of?

Something wasn't adding up.

Slowly, Zach turned his head toward his so-called bride.

"There's no way this woman could be Ava... right?" he muttered under his breath.

At that exact moment, Ava turned to him as well.

Their eyes locked before he realized it was the most stupid thing to do and was the one to turn away first.

"Why did I even agree to this marriage?" Zach internally groaned, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Ahh yeah, because of that promise."

Finally, the car rolled to a stop in front of a grand estate—bigger than Ava had expected. It was almost comparable to the Summers Manor, with towering columns, sprawling balconies, and the kind of intimidating elegance that made her stomach twist.

Before she could fully take it in, a butler promptly stepped forward, opening the door for Zach with practiced precision. Meanwhile, Adelle—ever the reliable one—moved to the other side, opening Ava's door and helping her out.

Ava barely had time to regain her balance before she caught sight of Zach already walking ahead, hands in his pockets, looking as if he hadn't just gotten married but had instead been sentenced to a particularly boring business meeting.

She let out a slow breath, glancing up at the massive house again and then back to Zach with his butler trailing behind him.

"My lady?" Adelle whispered conspiratorially, leaning in like they were plotting a heist instead of discussing Ava's actual wedding.

Ava pursed her lips. "Adelle, go back to the house and keep an eye on Helen and Eva. Don't let them out of your sight. Also, contact Ryu and have him check the name of the groom registered in the contract."

Adelle blinked. "Didn't you see it back when you signed it?"

Ava shook her head, looking almost betrayed by her own memory. "I—I don't even remember signing it. I was too lost in thought."

Adelle grimaced. "Wow, my lady! That's always a reassuring thing to say about your own marriage."

She sighed, already mentally preparing herself to march back into the Summers estate like some undercover agent. "Alright, I'll handle it. But first, let me help you inside. Oh, and should I also help you take off your gown, or will Mr. Casanova over there do it for you—"

"Adelle!!"

Adelle let out a scandalized gasp—fake, of course. "Oh my gosh, my lady, relax! I'm just kidding!" She giggled, dodging the inevitable swat Ava aimed at her arm as they walked into the house.

She hadn't told Adelle about the Zeke-is-actually-Zach situation yet. No need to drop that bombshell until she had solid confirmation.

For now, she'd just pray her lady didn't wake up tomorrow and choose violence after staying in one roof with a sin in human form.