Chapter 4

"Why isn't your daughter out yet? I'd love to see what the bride looks like."

"Soon, soon. My little girl wasn't feeling well earlier, so Sidney took her to the hospital. We had to push the ceremony back. Please bear with us, everyone."

"Oh my, your daughter is truly blessed, marrying such a wonderful man."

"She is. As long as the two of them are happy, I can rest easy."

My mother sat in her wheelchair, chatting cheerfully with the people around her.

The emcee cleared his throat, his voice ringing out.

"The auspicious hour has arrived. Please welcome the bride!"

The double doors swung slowly open.

The woman who'd just been talking to my mother shot to her feet, staring straight at the doorway.

"Careful, don't throw your back out."

My mother said it half in warning, but she was craning her own neck too, eyes fixed on the door without blinking.

"The bride's coming out! Look at that fair skin, your daughter is so pretty!"

My mother narrowed her eyes, her brow drawing tight.

"That... with all that makeup on, she looks like a completely different person."

As Catherine drew closer, the color drained from my mother's face bit by bit.

"You... who are you? My daughter—"

My mother's voice cut off.

I stood behind Catherine holding the train, not a trace of powder on my face, dark shadows under my eyes, like a withered tree.

"Sara, you—"

My mother clutched her chest, barely able to draw a breath.

"Mom, are you all right?"

Val patted her back, only to be met with a glare that shoved him back.

"What is going on? Isn't today my daughter's wedding? Who is this woman?"

"Mom, keep your voice down. A lot of my business associates are here today, don't let them hear—"

"Don't you call me Mom!"

Fury churned in my mother's eyes as she jabbed a finger at Val's face.

"You're going to explain yourself today, or you can forget about marrying any other woman!"

"Explain what?"

A shrill female voice cut out of the crowd.

Catherine's mother strode forward on sky-high heels, the fat on her body quivering like jelly, piling up on her face.

She looked me up and down and clicked her tongue.

"Whoever's wearing the gown is the bride. It's that simple. Do I really need to spell it out?"

"Mom..."

Catherine tugged at her mother's sleeve, her voice hurried, though her hand put no real force into it.

"It's the truth!"

Janice Summers shook off her hand, her gaze sweeping over my pale face, a mocking smile pulling at her lips.

"Look at this gown, how beautifully it fits my Cathy."

"Then look at your daughter. She couldn't even land a bridesmaid's dress?"

My mother trembled all over, the armrests of her wheelchair creaking under her grip.

"You... all of you..."

I crouched down and gripped her hand tight.

"It's all right, Mom, it's all right..."

"How is this all right?"

My mother's voice shook so hard it broke, her eyes red enough to bleed.

"They've ganged up to bully you, just you alone, and you call that all right?"

"Am I wrong?"

Janice's voice dropped low again.

"The one who isn't loved is the outsider."

"My Cathy just mentioned once, offhand, that she was craving the red bean pastry from back home. Sidney booked a flight and went to buy it the same day. They were still warm when he got back."

"And your daughter, eight years with Sidney. Did he take her to a single event? No, your daughter drudged around like a housekeeper, not half as polished or pretty as my girl."

She paused, her voice climbing another notch.

"While Sidney was helping Cathy try on wedding gowns, your daughter was at home Photoshopping her own wedding photos."

"Who Sidney really wants, isn't that clear enough?"

My mother's tears finally fell, one after another, striking the backs of our joined hands.

Janice looked at my mother, smug, and delivered her verdict at a leisurely pace.

"This wedding has to be my daughter's."

Confetti rained down out of nowhere, drifting over everyone's heads.

I let my gaze move slowly around the room.

This wedding, I had planned every bit of it for a whole year.

From choosing the venue to the setup, from the menu tasting down to the wrapping on the wedding favors, I had done all of it alone.

Catherine plucked the confetti from her hair, took a close look, then happily wrapped herself around Val's arm.

"Val! Look, it says 'a hundred years of happiness together'!"

I fought the tears back, refusing to let them fall.

"Mom, don't worry. I'll have my own wedding."

"That's right."

Val, silent until now, suddenly spoke.

"Sara will have a wedding of her own. I promise."

His eyes churned with guilt when they turned to me.

Only for it to vanish the moment he lifted his head toward the crowd of guests.

"Sorry to keep everyone waiting. Let's carry on with the ceremony."

A message came in on my phone.

"Sara, I'm here. I'm waiting for you outside."

Just like that, my spirits lifted.

"Mom, let's go."

Janice sneered, "Should've cleared out ages ago. Stop getting in the way of my daughter's wedding."

The ceremony went on as usual.

At the moment the rings were exchanged, Val's heart ached for no reason he could name.

He looked at Catherine, beaming in front of him, and felt suddenly restless.

Why wasn't the wedding over yet?

By the time the toasts came around, it was already one in the afternoon.

Val glanced at his watch, grabbed his coat, and moved to rush out.

"Val, where are you going? We haven't done the toasts yet."

Val didn't look back, already pulling out his phone to make a call.

"The wedding's over. Of course I'm going to—"

A notification popped up on his phone.

【Your marriage-license appointment has been canceled】