Chapter 4

I took a deep breath and said nothing.

I walked slowly to Mavis's hospital bed and knelt down.

Once, twice, three times.

Each one landed with all my strength, my forehead striking the floor with a piercing thud.

Alfred's brow furrowed, and something stabbed at his heart.

"Enough," he said. "You can go now. Don't bother Mavis and me."

I stood up, turned, and walked out.

For the next few days, I seemed to fall into a kind of numbness.

I wasn't hurt anymore, wasn't grieving anymore. I just waited quietly for the wedding to come.

Now and then Mavis came looking to pick a fight, but I never argued with her about anything again.

What was there to argue about?

I'd already decided to give it all up anyway.

On the wedding day, the makeup artist was doing my makeup.

I looked at myself in the mirror in the wedding dress, feeling not the slightest anticipation or excitement.

Once your heart goes cold, you see through everything.

The dressing room door was pushed open.

Mavis walked in, a smile at the corner of her lips.

I looked at her, and a wave of unease rose in me.

"What do you want?"

She tilted her head.

"You look like you're really afraid of me."

I lifted my eyes to her.

"Mavis, I've given you everything you wanted. Aren't you satisfied yet?"

The corners of her lips curved up.

"No. There's still something I haven't been given."

I looked at her, irritated.

"What exactly do you want?"

She didn't answer. She took out her phone and dialed a number.

"Alfred, I saw Miss Swanson in her wedding dress. She looks so beautiful."

The voice on the other end was doting.

"Silly girl, it's just a wedding dress."

Mavis's voice suddenly took on a sob.

"Alfred, what if one day I suddenly die from an allergic reaction, and I die before I ever get to wear a wedding dress? That would be such a shame..."

There was three seconds of silence on the other end.

"Put me on speaker."

Mavis switched on the speaker.

"Vanessa, give the wedding dress to Mavis. Let her have the wedding. I'll hold one with you next time."

"I'll have the wedding planner change the details."

Mavis covered her mouth in delight, unable to hide the smugness in her eyes.

I went ice cold all over.

It was like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over my head, chilling me from head to toe.

I took out my own phone and called Alfred.

Time after time, he hung up.

Alfred sent a message.

"Vanessa, we're engaged anyway, so the wedding is only a matter of time. Just give way to Mavis this once."

I stared at that line, my chest aching.

He wanted me to hand my wedding to another woman. Did he not realize how big a laughingstock I'd be after today?

Mavis folded her arms and looked at me.

"Miss Swanson, take it off."

I took a few deep breaths and, with trembling fingers, unzipped the wedding dress.

The instant the dress came off, the dressing room door was suddenly pushed open.

Several male staff members barged in carelessly, their voices loud.

"Miss Summers, where do you want these ceramic ornaments you asked for?"

I screamed and shrank under the table, hugging myself tightly.

"Get out! Get them out of here!"

Mavis glanced down at me, the corners of her mouth curving.

"Put them wherever."

After those men left, I gritted my teeth and crawled out from under the table.

"You did that on purpose!"

She looked at me with a mocking expression.

"That's right, I did it on purpose. So what?"

Mavis put on my wedding dress and walked out the door with her chin held high.

The lights dimmed, and some people recognized Mavis and began to whisper.

Bent low, pressed against the wall, I made my way to my mother's side.

She stared at me in shock, then at the stage, her voice shaking.

"Vanessa, who's that woman up there? What's going on?"

I said softly,

"Mom, come out first. I'll explain."

Her voice cracked with panic.

"Why isn't the bride you? What on earth happened?"

I tried to soothe her.

"Don't worry, it's because..."

Before I could finish, the big screen behind us suddenly lit up.

The screen was playing the footage from the dressing room just now.

I'd taken off the wedding dress, not a stitch on me.

Several men suddenly burst in, and I screamed and shrank under the table, curling into a ball.

The me on the screen looked utterly wretched.

Laughter, gasps, and murmurs blended together from the crowd.

The emcee walked onto the stage.

"Sorry, wrong clip!"

I whipped my head around.

My mother's eyes were shut tight, her face ashen, her whole body slumped against the back of the chair, utterly still.

"Mom!"

A huge blast of music suddenly erupted, drowning out every sound I made.

On stage, Mavis and Alfred kissed to the music, drank the toast of the vows, and exchanged rings.

Then even more pumping music started up, and people on and off the stage began playing games, the whole place buzzing.

No one noticed my cries for help.

I held up my unconscious mother and made for the exit.

At the end of the corridor, I laid her down gently.

I put my finger beneath her nose.

My mom wasn't breathing.