1/1 23.11 % Chapter 70 The birthday banquet carried on , glasses clinking , laughter rising and falling . Yet Jason kept drifting into distraction , his face dark , an inexplicable restlessness gnawing at him . At last , he picked up his phone . After a brief hesitation , he sent me a message . " [ Don't dwell on what happened today . ] [ You're always like this , making things escalate . Callista , you have to understand - I really don't want you to go against Fiona . ] [ You must attend the wedding three days from now . ] [ Otherwise ... Fiona will be gossiped about . After all , people still know we registered our marriage first . If you show up , they won't see her as the other woman . ] } [ Be good , don't make things difficult for me . You know ... no matter what , my wife won't become anyone else because of this wedding . ] Jason's messages were destined to sink without a trace . For these three days , I vanished completely . " No phone calls , no messages - not even the familiar shadow that used to follow the men around was anywhere to be seen . " At first , Simon and Ethan didn't care , thinking I was just sulking . After all , over the years , no matter how many grievances suffered , I always endured in silence - swallowing the bitterness , forcing a faint smile and eventually coaxing my way back into their good graces . But this time , it was different . < Spending three whole days with Fiona day and night , they finally realized - the presence engraved into their habits all along ... was never Fiona . At the birthday party , Simon had instructed his assistant to prepare several gifts , even specifically ordering an extra customized purple gown . " But when he handed it to Fiona , she frowned and said , " Since when have I ever liked purple ? This color is too old - fashioned . " " Simon froze . He remembered clearly - someone had once smiled and said ," The color of wisteria is like a dream . " } se eyes had shone as if lit with starlight and it was for that very smile that he had specially commissioned the gown .... t wasn't Fiona after all ? nan felt it even more keenly . " During the banquet , he had instructed the kitchen to specially prepare desserts without peanuts . But the moment Fiona took a bite , she grew displeased . " Who said I was allergic to peanuts ? Ethan , did you forget that I actually love eating them ? " Ethan froze on the spot , an inexplicable hollowness surging in his chest . Exactly . Over the years , he had always remembered - a certain girl had once been handed a piece of peanut cake and gone into an allergic reaction , trembling all over . " That day , he had rushed to the hospital holding her in his arms , heart pounding with fear , regretting his own carelessness.From then on , he had ordered that no peanut products were ever allowed in the house . But he had forgotten - unlike me , Fiona actually liked peanut - flavored foods . Now , Jason was living with Fiona , yet countless times he would instinctively call out my name . " Callista , where's my document ? " " Callista , bring me the car keys . " W But each time he said it , he would immediately realize something was off , hastily swallow the words and soothe Fiona - he was just used to it.E In fact , over these past few days , he had been quietly troubled by why I hadn't replied to a single one of his messages.M His pride wouldn't allow him to keep sending more - he could only wait for me to make the first move . ! Simon and Ethan thought the same , almost in unison . Yet in all three men's hearts , an inexplicable sense of loss quietly surfaced.N Truly , over these three years , I had left behind traces in their hearts that could not easily be erased.N The assistant inadvertently reminded Jason , " Sir , in a while it'll be the date you and Miss Corvin had planned for your honeymoon in the Maldives . I've already booked the flights and hotel - do you want to make any changes ? " & Jason gripped his wine glass , his knuckles white He still remembered that recent night - after we had shared a loving moment , we had dreamed together about the honeymoon I had teased him with a smile and he had looked at me unable to hide his grin 313 26.03 honeymoon.I had teased him with a smile and he had looked at me , unable to hide his grin . In that moment , he had truly felt happiness . But now , because of the wedding with Fiona , the ones going on the honeymoon had changed . Jason suddenly felt a bit dazed , a deep emptiness swelling in his chest . But in the end , he forced it down , thinking that Fiona wouldn't live much longer anyway . His attention during this time was only because she was nearing death . " From beginning to end , his wife could only ever be Callista . Why was I being so petty ? All three men instinctively thought the same . It seemed I was truly upset this time . They'd figure out a way to coax me back after a while . A woman who cared so much about them surely wouldn't really leave . That was , until the day of the wedding . The wedding hall was ablaze with lights , the seats filled with guests . " Fiona wore a pristine white wedding gown , her smile dazzling . She held Jason's hand and said in a sweet voice before everyone , " Jason , you're finally going to marry me . " > Yet Jason seemed distracted , his mind elsewhere . Simon and Ethan stood to the side , both frowning slightly . "