Chapter 3

I didn't stop to think. I grabbed my coat and ran.

By the time I reached the Butler place, the front door was standing wide open, and Eliana was slumped on the floor, her eyes red enough to frighten me.

I rushed into the bedroom and saw Theo lying on the bed, perfectly still.

Eliana pulled herself up by the nightstand, choking on the words.

"Ever since he got sick, I've followed the doctor's orders exactly. Kept his meals light, nothing rich..."

"Tonight he said he wanted some porridge, so I made it for him. But somehow, partway through eating, he just stopped breathing."

I stood at the bedside, looking at Theo's quiet face, and couldn't say a single word.

Eliana took my hand, her nails digging into my palm.

"Hailey, all these years, because of how sick he was, nobody would marry him..."

"I introduced him to so many girls, and the moment they heard he was ill, they turned and walked away."

"You were the only one willing. And now Theo, he... how could he just..."

She couldn't finish. She dropped down against the bed and wept.

I crouched beside her, patting her back gently, and stayed a long while to calm her before I left.

【Theo's dead now, so the heroine won't be getting married, right?】

【Even heaven is helping the heroine!】

【No wedding needed. Crisis averted!】

When I got home, my mother was standing at the door, waiting for me.

She clearly already knew. The first thing she said when she saw me was:

"Hailey, what do we do about the wedding tomorrow?"

"The invitations are out, the banquet's booked, all our family and friends have been told."

"And now the groom is gone."

The more she said, the more frantic she got, until even her voice was shaking.

I took a deep breath and patted the back of her hand.

"Mom, for now we keep this from Grandma."

"And the wedding tomorrow goes ahead."

My mother froze.

Her mouth opened, like she wanted to ask something, but when she saw the look in my eyes, the words stopped at her lips and she swallowed them back.

It took a long moment before she slowly nodded.

"All right... we'll do it your way."

Early the next morning, the sky was just turning gray when I got up.

I'd barely finished putting on the wedding dress when a burst of noise and commotion came from outside.

I pushed the door open and stepped out, and there was Grandma.

She was wearing something even brighter than my wedding dress, climbing into the lead wedding car.

Someone beside her panicked and blocked her. "You can't sit there. The photographer and the bridesmaid have to ride in that car!"

But Grandma shoved the person holding her aside and plopped herself down.

Then she scooted over, taking up the whole back seat, shouting, "What's wrong with riding in my granddaughter's wedding car? I'm her own grandmother! If I don't ride in this car, who does? Who are you to stand here telling me what to do?"

The live-chat started flooding in.

【The old witch is up to her tricks again. Now she wants the lead car too.】

The person was left speechless, face flushed red.

Someone else tried to smooth it over. "Ma'am, why don't you take that car in the back? It's a nice car too, plenty of room."

Grandma sneered. "What car could be roomier than my granddaughter's lead car? This old woman is riding in this one today, and it's none of your business."

Just then my sister came over, frowning, and reached out to pull Grandma down.

But I caught my sister's hand gently and shook my head. "Sis, it's fine. Let Grandma sit there."

Hearing that, Grandma broke into a grin, every wrinkle on her face folding open. She slapped the door frame and raised her voice. "None of you are as good as Hailey. I've said it all along, out of all these kids, Hailey's the most devoted! Not like some people, ungrateful, raise them for nothing."

The moment Grandma finished, the wedding car started up.

Firecrackers crackled and popped, the drum and gong band pounded loud enough to shake the sky, and the crowd of onlookers parted to let us through.

Grandma sat in the back seat, leaning against the leather upholstery, eyes half-shut, looking thoroughly satisfied.

We'd been driving about twenty minutes when Grandma suddenly seemed to remember something and turned her head to ask me, "That's right, where's the groom?"

I turned to her and smiled. "He's got something to take care of right now, so he can't come for me this morning."

"But don't worry. He'll be at the wedding right on time."