Chapter 9 1/1 In the bridal suite , Victoria sat quietly before the mirror , allowing the makeup artist to work . The woman reflected back was stunningly beautiful , virtually unchanged from when she'd fled her wedding three years ago . Only her gaze had grown colder , more arrogant . She gently traced the lace on her wedding dress , a barely perceptible smile playing at her lips . Meanwhile , Sophia peered through the crack outside the door , staring intently at Victoria's back . Her nails dug deep into her palms . Just as she'd suspected , Victoria wasn't truly " generous " at all . She was simply playing hard to get , trying to capture Jason's heart through manipulation . How cunning . What infuriated her even more was that Jason had actually agreed to this wedding . Even if the ceremony was just for show , it was enough to drive her mad with jealousy . " Victoria Coleman … " Sophia whispered under her breath , malice flashing in her eyes . " You think this is some kind of power play ? Dream on ! " She turned and left , her heels silent on the carpet . Moments later , Jason pushed through the door . He stood impeccably dressed in his suit , though his handsome face carried a hint of impatience . He glanced at Victoria's reflection in the mirror and said coolly , " I'll go through with this wedding today , but I hope you'll stop making things difficult for Sophia afterward . " Victoria looked up , meeting his gaze through the mirror with calm , almost indifferent eyes . She didn't answer , just hummed softly . Jason's brow furrowed slightly . Something about Victoria seemed different , but he couldn't pinpoint what had changed . Just as he was about to investigate further , his phone began to ring . " Mr. Reid , something's wrong ! " Benjanin Linden , his assistant , said . His voice was frantic . " Ms. Page is missing ! " Jason's face went pale . Without another thought , he bolted from the bridal suite . At the airport waiting area , Maya was quietly organizing her passport . Her phone suddenly buzzed . She glanced at it to find a taunting message from Sophia . " Even on your wedding day , Jason will abandon you for me . Tell me , who do you think is more important to him ? " Maya read it expressionlessly , then removed her SIM card and snapped it in half . The sound was sharp and final . She tossed the pieces into the trash , as if discarding three years of endurance and pretense . Back at the wedding venue , chaos had erupted . Guests whispered among themselves , speculation running wild . The officiant stood awkwardly at the altar , unsure how to announce the delay , In the bridal suite , Victoria waited a long time for Jason's return . Finally , she stood to check what was happening , but the door burst open . Jason stood in the doorway , breathless and looking terrible . His suit was disheveled , and his damp hair clung to his forehead . He'd clearly been running . " Victoria , something happened to Sophia. The wedding's off . " His voice was hoarse with barely contained fury . Victoria watched him quietly , then suddenly smiled . " Jason , are you really going to abandon this wedding for some outsider ? " Jason froze , then replied coldly , " She's not an outsider ! If you hadn't been targeting her , why would she do something so desperate ? " Victoria shook her head , eyes full of pity . " You're pathetic . " Jason was about to explode at her words when his phone rang again . He glanced at the caller ID , and his face went deathly pale .