C25 The Wedding

Back at his villa, Ethan was crushed. He felt like a puppet, controlled by forces he could not see. He wanted to numb himself, to forget the pain of losing Dana.

He dragged every bottle from the cabinet and drank until his vision blurred—but the more he drank, the more awake he became. Memories flashed like a movie: Icy, Zhang Yu, Li Yizhu, and now Dana.

He envied Li Yizhu. Death had set him free.

Ethan soaked in a bathtub full of wine and finally passed out.

When he woke, his head throbbed. He stank of alcohol, but he didn’t care. Love was a luxury for men as cursed as he was. He put on a suit and headed to the municipal government—today was his official appointment as mayor.

The ceremony was grand. Everyone was shocked that a reckless businessman with no political experience had become mayor. Some admired him; others envied him. Most just doubted he could do the job. He arrived smelling of liquor, his face still faintly bruised.

Secretary Ma forced a smile. Ethan had not caused trouble, which was already a miracle. Ma assigned him three senior secretaries to handle all real work—he just needed Ethan to be the public face.

Ethan complained silently: Why no beautiful female secretaries? But he accepted the arrangement.

For days, Ethan was bored to death. Paperwork and handovers drove him crazy. He realized being a mayor was harder than running a company. Luckily, Ma and the secretaries did everything. Ethan only attended ceremonies and signed documents. His handwriting improved dramatically.

His first official act was targeting hospital malpractice. He launched a patient complaint hotline and personally oversaw it. He fired the entire management team of the hospital that had lost Li Yizhu’s body. The public praised him as a rare, honest mayor.

He visited DreamBrand headquarters. The company had grown massively under Hu Chunlin. Ethan felt like a stranger—he no longer enjoyed business. He was happy to let Hu Chunlin keep expanding.

Then Secretary Ma reminded him: tomorrow was Dana’s wedding.

Ethan’s heart sank.

He told himself he would attend like a strong man, put on a calm face, and let her go. Single life was freedom. No worries, no arguments, no pain.

But he struggled to find a gift. Money was tacky. Flowers were awkward. A house would cause rumors. He watched TV ads and suddenly had an idea: a wedding gift was not about cost—it was about making Dana feel like the happiest bride in the world.

The next day, Ethan arrived early at the wedding venue. He was the first guest, just as he’d promised.

Dana came out in her wedding dress. She was breathtaking—softer, more beautiful without her police uniform. Beside her stood Yu Dong, her fiancé, a gentle university professor.

“Congratulations,” Ethan said, handing her a delicate jade Buddha. “For your safety and happiness.”

Dana’s eyes filled with mixed emotions.

Yu Dong smiled politely. Dana introduced them: “This is Ethan, our new mayor. And this is Yu Dong, my fiancé.”

They shook hands, both acting like gentlemen.

Soon the wedding procession began. Dana and Yu Dong got into their car. Ethan followed, and his plan unfolded.

Every street they passed was lined with performers, dancers, and musicians—all Ethan’s employees and hired entertainers. Huge banners read: Congratulations, Dana! The whole city seemed to celebrate her wedding.

Dana cried. She knew only Ethan could do something so crazy, so grand, so heartfelt.

The delayed schedule reached the hotel by afternoon. The wedding hall was packed, festive, and alive like a New Year gala. Ethan watched quietly, satisfied. Yu Dong looked nervous—he wondered who was so devoted to his bride.

When Dana and Yu Dong came to toast Ethan, he raised his glass and drank deeply.

“I wish you both peace and joy,” he said quietly.

He truly meant it. He could not give her the stable life she deserved—but Yu Dong could.

Suddenly, Ethan felt a sharp, deadly aura.

His instincts screamed danger.

A flash of white light cut through the crowd.

A bullet.

Ethan moved before thinking. He shoved Dana aside.

To him, the bullet moved in slow motion. He reached out, caught it mid-flight, and twisted its momentum. Blood ran down his fingers. His arm trembled—but he had saved her.

For the first time, he had successfully protected the woman he loved.

Then his heart dropped.

Dozens of guests—many of the actors Ethan had hired—pulled out guns.

They aimed straight at Ethan, Dana, and Yu Dong.

The wedding had become a death trap.