Chapter 4

My mother panicked. She forgot the injury on her own wrist and reached out to press me back. "Frederick, what are you doing? Today is your wedding day!"

Her voice caught, and she turned to face Carmen. "Carmen, let me apologize on my own behalf. I was wrong just now."

"For the sake of all these years, please don't make things so hard for Frederick. Let the two of you finish the wedding first. Can you do that?"

Carmen didn't so much as glance at my mother. She only fixed her cold eyes on me. "Take it off."

The bridesmaids around her started murmuring again.

"That's our Carmen for you! She hasn't even walked through the door and she's already got the mother-in-law under her thumb. That way she won't have to swallow their attitude once she's in."

"Right. Today's all about putting them in their place. Otherwise they won't know who's boss, and later they'll only give Morton grief!"

"Serves them right. If the groom hadn't been so bent on digging his own grave, his mother wouldn't have had to throw away her pride begging like that!"

My mother tried to say something more. I gave her a light tug. "Mom, don't beg her. I'm not going to marry her."

She whispered anxiously, "By custom, if the red silk on the wedding car is gone, your life after the wedding won't be easy."

"There's still a little time before the lucky hour. If I go buy some now, I can definitely make it back."

But the next second, Carmen raised a hand and blocked my mother's path. "Since Morton already handed the red silk back, then this is all you get."

Carmen's brow twitched, and she turned to look at me at once. "Do you want me to peel it off you myself?"

Without a second thought, I stripped the suit right off.

My mother quickly passed me a jacket to cover up. "You're right, son! She isn't worth marrying!"

Carmen handed my suit to Morton. "Go change into it."

Morton wasn't the least bit embarrassed. He put it on right there in front of everyone. "What a perfect fit!"

One of the bridesmaids said in a low voice, "Hehe, Carmen had it tailored to your measurements. Of course it fits."

What?

So that was it. No wonder it had felt a size too small every time I put it on.

Carmen tossed the ruined groomsman's suit down at my feet. "Put it on. The lucky hour is almost here. The moment it arrives, I'm leaving for the reception. Whether you follow is up to you."

Morton looked at me smugly and slowly mouthed the word: Trash.

My mother's eyes reddened. She turned and took my hand. "We're not changing."

Carmen let out a cold snort. "Save the act. Isn't your son just a kept man?"

"In a while he'll still be chasing after my wedding car."

We didn't bother answering her. We turned and went back into the room.

Seeing how much it pained my mother, I gave her a rough account of the Marilyn Butler situation.

She froze for a moment, then wept with joy. "It's her..."

"That's wonderful. She's chased after you all these years, and I've seen every bit of it..."

"Back then, she actually came to you with the money too. She was just a step too late..."

I went still for a beat. So that was how it had been.

Soon the bridesmaids reminded Carmen that it was time to head to the reception.

When Carmen didn't see me come out, she erupted, shouting at the doorway. "Frederick, you're really set on making a scene today, aren't you?"

"Fine! I'll give you what you want!"

She turned to face everyone. "I hereby announce that the engagement between Frederick and me is off!"

"When he finally figures out what he did wrong, we can do this wedding all over again!"

At that very moment, a roar of engines came from the distance. A line of Rolls-Royces rolled slowly toward us, so long you couldn't see the end of it.

The lead car's hood was draped with a broad sweep of red silk, bound up in grand style, more than twice as beautiful as the ones Morton had taken.

Carmen's brow furrowed at once. "Who are they?!"

The motorcade came to a stop, and Marilyn stepped out.

The instant Carmen saw her, she finally lost her nerve. "What are you doing here!"

The next second, I pushed the door open and walked out.

Marilyn shoved Carmen aside, placed the car key in my hand, and smiled. "I came to bring the wedding car to my groom. Is there a problem?"