"I want you to understand it's more than just assisting me. Considering my position, choosing a bride with a typical background wouldn't be feasible since that would surely arouse the suspicions from my family. However, since you're from the Foster family, it doesn't raise any red flags. It's a practical arrangement, though I realize it might be inconvenient for you," Stefan explained, refraining from casting himself as a sacrificial friend.

He draped his jacket over Raegan, his tone gentle. “The wedding is merely for show. Don't let it weigh on you. Let's carry on as we did before."

Raegan's eyes were red and tearful, unsure what to say. Stefan was a paragon of kindness, always gentle, patient, and considerate of others.

Later, Stefan had an exact replica of Raegan's wedding dress brought in. It was identical down to the last detail.

Raegan's eyes widened in astonishment as she asked, “Stefan, how did you manage to find an exact duplicate of my wedding dress?"

Stefan smiled. "I anticipated the unexpected, so I had two complete sets of your wedding attire and accessories prepared, just in case."

Raegan blushed. "Stefan, you've done too much."

Stefan chuckled. “Just make today's performance convincing, and that'll be all the thanks I need!"

Raegan nodded vigorously.

Once Raegan was fully transformed in her makeup and dress, Erick returned to the backstage area, double-checking every detail with a meticulous eye. He gave everything a final check and then gently led Raegan out, hand in hand.

Since Stefan had told his family earlier that he and Raegan had already formalized their marriage in Alcyone, so there was no need to repeat the ceremony in Aurora.

Considering Raegan's pregnancy, they opted to forgo the elaborate formalities and focus on the celebration. They kept it simple, raising a glass in a heartfelt toast to Stefan's father, the patriarch of the Clifford clan, and that was the extent of the ceremony.

Since this was a pretend marriage, Erick wanted to spare Raegan the hassle of a full-scale wedding and all its trappings.

As they arrived at the banquet hall, Erick discreetly handed Raegan over to Stefan, whispering, “Look after her well. She's precious to me."

"Of course," Stefan replied.

Raegan shivered, feeling a flutter of anxiety, and whispered, “You two are taking this way too seriously. It's making me really uneasy."

Stefan and Erick laughed, their chuckles filling the air.

“Let's go." With a warm smile, Stefan offered Raegan his arm, and together they walked toward the gathered guests, a united front.

Raegan looked around, seeing a few familiar faces from Aurora.

Given that this was a pretend wedding, and considering the sensitive circumstances, the guest list had been limited to only those from Aurora.