1 On my wedding day, I stood at the altar, my arm linked with Julian’s. He was the "tragic second lead" I was tasked to save after I woke up inside this novel three years ago. In those three years, I was his shadow. I sat through every therapy session with him; I stood on the balcony at 3:00 AM, watching him chain-smoke as he stared into the void. I helped him climb from rock bottom back to the top of the corporate ladder. Everyone said I was the miracle worker—the woman who finally cured his obsession with the "it-girl," Maya. When my mission was complete, Julian begged me to stay. I chose him over going back to my old life. Just as the vows were about to begin, a man in a black trench coat stormed into the chapel. He tore off his sunglasses, revealing a face identical to Julian’s, but weathered by a decade of misery. "Stop wasting your breath trying to save me," he rasped. His eyes bypassed me entirely, landing on Maya in the front row with a look of starving devotion. "I’ve lived the next ten years without her," he choked out. "And I’d rather rot in hell than spend another day in a world where she isn't mine." The resemblance was chilling. It wasn't just the features; it was the tiny mole under the eye, the shape of the jaw. But this man looked hollowed out. Was he Julian from ten years in the future? I had spent three years stitching Julian back together. Now, the healthy, happy version of him was standing at the altar with me, and this ghost was telling him it was all for nothing. My strength evaporated. My hand slipped from Julian’s arm. Beside me, the "young" Julian snapped. He lunged forward, grabbing the stranger by the collar. "I don't care what kind of freak show you're running," Julian hissed. "Get out. If you ruin this wedding—" The older man grabbed Julian’s wrists, dragging him toward the guest pews where Maya sat. He forced Julian to look at her. "Look at her! You idiot, look at her! This is the woman you love. This is the only one you ever wanted to marry!" His voice was a jagged mess of desperation and prayer. Maya stood up, her gaze flickering between the two identical men before settling on my fiancé. "Julian..." she whispered. "Do you... do you still feel that way?" The young Julian froze as if paralyzed. His expression shifted, his eyes darkening with an intensity I hadn't seen in years. He stared at Maya as if the rest of the room had vanished. The man between them let out a ragged sigh of relief. He could feel it—the spark in his younger self’s soul. The obsession hadn't died; it had just been dormant. "Please," the older man whispered to the younger one. "Don’t make me lose her again." The young Julian stood still for a long time. Finally, he turned back toward me on the altar. "Summer... can we put the wedding on hold? Just for now?" I looked into his eyes. That one sentence flipped a switch inside me. I knew then: the wedding wasn't on "hold." It was over. Some people don't want to be saved. Some people don't deserve the effort. 2 I didn't argue. I just watched him with a cold, detached clarity. Julian didn't wait for my answer. He turned to the crowd of Manhattan’s elite and announced that the ceremony was postponed. The guests cleared out, whispering. I didn't move. My eyes were fixed on the "Future Julian." The "Young Julian" was busy ushering people out, but his eyes kept drifting back to Maya. The love in his gaze was suffocating—a tidal wave ready to drown her. I hadn't seen him look at anyone like that since the day I first met him, back when he was ready to jump off a bridge for her. I looked down at my white dress and laughed silently. Three years of my life, gone like smoke. Julian eventually walked back to me. He looked exhausted. "Summer, I’ll have my driver take you home." He paused. "Once I figure this out, I’ll come talk to you. I promise, I’ll make this right." "I can get myself home," I said, glancing at the bizarre trio: Young Julian, Maya, and the Ghost of Julian Future. This was their twisted drama now. I was officially an extra. I gathered my train and walked out. I didn't look back until I was in a cab blocks away. As expected, Julian didn't chase after me. 3 Three years ago, I was just a broke college grad with no prospects. The "System" appeared and offered me a deal: Enter this world, save Julian, and earn $100 million. Once the mission was done, I could go home or stay. Either way, the money was mine to keep. I succeeded. Julian stopped being suicidal. He became the perfect partner. I felt a sense of pride—I had "fixed" him. I fell for the illusion of a happy ending. I chose to stay. But I never accounted for a time-traveling obsessive ruining the party. Fine. I still had the $100 million. It was time to go live my life. 4 A few days later, Maya showed up at my penthouse. She was the classic "It Girl"—effortlessly beautiful, the kind of woman men destroy themselves for. "Sorry to drop by unannounced," she said with a soft, practiced smile. I let her in and made tea. She waited for me to break, to scream, to ask questions. I stayed silent. "I know everything," she finally said. "Julian... the older one, let’s call him Ian... he told me everything." She leaned forward. "He said in ten years, I’m miserable. Married to my current husband, Liam, with an eight-year-old kid, stuck playing the trophy wife. He told me our world is a story, a script. He asked me if I was actually happy." She shook her head. "I’m not. I don't want that life." She looked at me firmly. "So, I’m divorcing Liam. I'm not going to be a puppet anymore." I nodded. Good for her. Then she smirked. "Ian also told me you’re a 'traveler.' That you were sent here to save Julian." She scanned me, her eyes brimming with pity. "Honestly, Summer, were you really going to spend your whole life on a man who never truly loved you? Is he really worth it?" I smiled. "You're absolutely right." Maya checked her watch. "Julian is on his way up. Why don't we see where his heart really lies?" Before I could ask what she meant, she picked up her tea and poured the lukewarm liquid all over her silk blouse.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "387682", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel