After putting on the pale white dress and following the maids to the family hall, Lily felt her stomach knotting. Her entire family was already seated on the plush sofas, their gazes sharp, dissecting her every move as though she were a specimen under glass.
The atmosphere was heavier than the cold weather outside—icy, suffocating.
Her stepmother, Mrs. Hui Liang, caught her eyes across the room. Lily flinched instinctively. Hui rose gracefully, though her expression was anything but kind. Each step she took toward Lily was laced with disdain, her eyes raking over her like she were something unpleasant tracked in from the street.
"There are a few things you need to take care of while at the Shulong house," Hui began, her tone clipped, rehearsed. "Firstly, treat all the adults there with respect. Do not look them in the eye, and bow as low as you can."
Hui didn't pause. Her voice was relentless, like the ticking of a clock.
"Secondly, you will hand over gifts to each family member and exchange pleasantries. Third, if they deign to converse with you, you will engage with grace and make them feel welcome. And lastly, you will be on your very best behavior at the Shulongs. Those people are your in-laws."
Before Hui could continue her catalog of rules, her father interjected sharply from his place on the sofa.
"Most importantly," he said, his voice like a blade, "you will get on the good side of Lihyun Shulong—your fiancé. If you mess this up for me, Lily, I will make sure you never set foot in this house again."
Lily's throat went dry. All she could do was nod.
Moments later, she was ushered into the car. She had braced herself to encounter her half-sister, Ruilin, after that horrific incident at the gala, but to her relief, Ruilin was nowhere to be seen. Lily didn't dare ask why.
Instead, she was surprised by the person who did sit beside her—her cousin Han Liang, freshly back from two years abroad. He had shot up taller since she'd last seen him, his boyish charm now edged with the faint maturity of twenty-one years.
He gave her a small, knowing smile as he settled in next to her. "Looking nice, Lily."
Lily blinked at him. No sarcastic jab, no loud teasing. Just… gentle. She had almost forgotten what that felt like in this family.
"Nice?" she muttered, smoothing her dress self-consciously. "I feel like a doll they've wound up and set on display."
Han chuckled softly, not unkindly. "A pretty one, though."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the faint smile tugging at her lips.
Han leaned back, folding his arms. "You nervous?"
"Should I be?" she countered, though her voice wavered.
He gave her a sideways glance. "I mean… I overheard Aunt Hui and Uncle talking last night. They said Lihyun Shulong isn't exactly easy to win over. Cold, controlled. The type who doesn't let anyone in."
Lily exhaled through her nose, keeping her expression unreadable. If only Han knew that her fiancé's heart was already taken. Still, she wasn't about to unload that on him now.
Instead, she asked quietly, "Why are you back, Han? After two years in Singapore, you just suddenly appear for my wedding like nothing happened?"
Han didn't answer right away. He stared out the window, the city lights flickering across his face. "Because you're my sister. And I figured… if there was ever a time you needed me, it was now."
Her chest tightened. The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard.
"I missed you, Lily," he added softly. "More than I thought I would."
For a moment, Lily had no words. She had been so used to being overlooked, criticized, pushed aside—Han's quiet care was almost foreign.
She tried to deflect, masking her emotions with a smirk. "You sure you didn't just come back because you were tired of Singapore food?"
Han laughed under his breath. "Well, I did miss home cooking. But mostly, I missed annoying you."
This time, Lily laughed too, though it came out shaky.
Their moment of warmth was interrupted when the car slowed in traffic near a busy shopping district. Bright signs and digital billboards flashed outside the window. One in particular caught Lily's eye before she realized what it was—a lingerie advertisement, bold crimson lace displayed across a towering screen.
Her eyes widened, and she quickly looked away, heat creeping up her neck.
Too late. Han had noticed.
He tilted his head, studying her expression with quiet amusement. "Ohhh. Interesting choice."
Lily snapped her gaze back to him, scandalized. "I wasn't looking!"
Han grinned, "Could've fooled me. You were practically memorizing the embroidery patterns."
"Shut up," she hissed, crossing her arms.
Han leaned closer, his voice low. "So… want me to get you that for your wedding present?"
Lily gasped, shoving him lightly in the chest. "Han Liang! You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, I would," he said easily, reclining back in his seat. "Singapore's got some nice boutiques. I could special order it for you. Maybe something in scarlet, to match your blush right now."
She buried her face in her hands. "I hate you."
Han chuckled warmly. "Nah, you love me. Admit it. Besides, someone has to make sure you don't forget to laugh before you marry into that iceberg of a family."
She peeked at him between her fingers, still red. "You're insufferable."
"Insufferably thoughtful," he corrected, tapping his chest. "See, I'm not like the rest of them. Everyone else is going to throw jewelry and titles at you. Me? I'm giving you something practical. A little… confidence boost for your wedding night."
"Confidence boost?" she sputtered.
Han nodded solemnly, though his eyes twinkled. "Every queen needs armor. Yours just happens to be made of lace."
Lily smacked his arm with her clutch. "You're disgusting."
He laughed but caught her hand before she pulled away, giving it a small squeeze. "But I'm on your side. Always."
The warmth in his tone softened her entirely. She stared at him, momentarily speechless.
Then, predictably, he ruined it. "So… size small, right? Or should I ask the shop for a fitting?"
"Han!" she yelped, shoving him again.
He doubled over in laughter, hands raised in surrender. "Okay, okay! No fittings. But don't blame me when you unwrap my gift and it's a lacy little—"
She clapped her hands over her ears. "Stop! I'm not listening to this!"
Han chuckled quietly, leaning back, his smile softer now. "Relax. I'm only teasing. You'll get a real present. Something meaningful." He paused. "Because you deserve it."
Lily lowered her hands slowly, her heart tightening at the sincerity beneath his laughter.
For the first time in days, she smiled for real.
Their soft banter was cut short when she noticed her stepmother glaring daggers at them from the car beside theirs.
"Sit up straight," Lily hissed.
"Mom saw us."
"Which mom?" Han asked, deadpan.
"Are you kidding me? Hui!"
"Oh." He straightened instantly, offering Hui an apologetic nod, then shot Lily a sheepish smile once Hui looked away.
Lily suppressed a laugh. For once, it felt good not to be alone.The car soon rolled to a stop, and Han's jaw slackened as he pressed against the window.
"Woah," he breathed. "This isn't a house—it's a resort."
Lily followed his gaze, stunned by the sprawling Shulong estate.
A glimmering pool stretched across the front, palm trees swayed in the night air, and a vast patio with lounge chairs and a massive outdoor screen made the place look more like a five-star retreat than a family home.
As they stepped out, Lily trailed behind her parents. The entryway was lined with servants in crisp uniforms. One took her father's coat, another Hui's fur shawl.
Trays of sparkling drinks were passed around, which Han accepted with a quiet, appreciative sip.
But what caught Lily's breath were the lilies. Hundreds of them lined the walkway, fresh and fragrant, their petals glowing pale in the evening light.
For a fleeting moment, her heart softened. Someone had thought of her.
And then her eyes lifted to the steps.There they were—the Shulong family, assembled to greet them, faces warm and welcoming.
And at the very center stood Lihyun Shulong.
Her fiancé.
His eyes locked onto hers, unwavering.