Emily sat quietly, unfazed by the tension, a subtle smirk playing on her lips.
‘Looks like Whitney still cares about her grandma, huh?’ she mused, her mind laced with sarcasm.
Earlier that morning, Emily had called the hospital and learned that Whitney had indeed stopped by.
‘Her soft spot’s always been easy to spot,’ Emily reflected, a hint of satisfaction creeping in.
*****
Outside the chapel, Klein Harris sat in his car, his demeanor cold and detached.
Lena texted him, her message clear: [Uncle Klein, aren’t you coming today?]
He kept his gaze lowered, the chill in his eyes as he stared at the screen of his phone.
‘Should I go in? Should I really show up at their wedding?’ he questioned himself, uncertainty gnawing at him.
Klein leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes, remaining still for what felt like an eternity.
Finally, Marco, unable to contain himself, spoke up. “Sir, want me to move the car under that tree? It’s getting hot out here.”
Klein lifted his gaze, his eyes sharp and penetrating.
“Take it to the parking lot. I’ll call when I need you,” he commanded, his voice deep and authoritative.
With that, Klein pushed the car door open and strode purposefully toward the chapel, his long strides covering the distance with ease.
*****
With just twenty minutes left before noon, the tension in the air became palpable. If the ceremony didn’t commence soon, the guests would surely begin to murmur.
And murmur they did.
“What’s going on today? The bride hasn’t even shown her face yet,” someone whispered, confusion evident in their tone.
“Who knows? I heard Whitney has always had a thing for Carter. She wouldn’t bail on her own wedding, would she?” another voice chimed in, skepticism lacing their words.
The idea of Whitney fleeing from her own wedding seemed absurd.
“Look! She’s here! Is that Whitney Moore in that dark green velvet dress?” someone exclaimed, excitement rippling through the crowd.
All eyes turned to the entrance as the ladder slowly lowered from the main stage, revealing Whitney’s entrance in a striking dark green velvet gown. Her long hair was elegantly pinned up, a single pearl necklace gracing her collarbone, and a stark white bandage wrapped around her shoulder.
“What kind of look is that? I’ve never seen a bride arrive like this before,” someone murmured, eyebrows raised in disbelief.
“Come on, I know she lost her mom when she was three, but that’s no excuse for showing up looking so out of place,” another scoffed, shaking their head.
“Guess we’re in for some real drama today,” someone else snickered, anticipation hanging thick in the air.
Carter’s expression soured the moment he laid eyes on Whitney, who had been absent all morning. Her outfit only added fuel to his growing frustration.
He rushed up to the stage, his voice low and filled with irritation. “Being late is one thing, but seriously, what’s with that getup? People who know you might think you’re here to get married, but anyone else would swear you’re crashing a funeral!”
Whitney merely curled her lips into a smirk, her eyes glinting with mischief. “I’ll make sure to look even better at your funeral. Satisfied?”
“You!” Carter’s eyes sparked with anger, but he was acutely aware of the elite crowd from Ravorport watching them. He couldn’t afford to let the Harris family lose face today.
“Alright, enough. Be good. The ceremony’s about to start. We’ll talk about this later,” he said, attempting to maintain his composure.
As he reached out to take her hand, Whitney subtly shifted aside, evading his touch.
“Whitney, what the hell are you trying to pull?” Carter snapped, his voice a low hiss.
Whitney’s lips curled into a frosty smirk. “Isn’t it your precious Emily you care about?”
“Look at her down there. She’s about to bite her lip off,” Whitney remarked, her tone dripping with mockery.
“I’m open-minded, you know. Since we’ve had our little romance, I’m going to be the bigger person and give you a show-stopping proposal you’ll never forget,” Whitney proclaimed, her words laden with venomous glee.
Carter’s heart raced, confusion and anger swirling within him.
“What the hell are you trying to pull?” he demanded again, his voice sharp.
Before he could finish his thought, the lights in the banquet hall extinguished, and the screen behind the main stage suddenly illuminated.
“My princess, my Emily, today marks your sixteenth birthday. Happy birthday, sweetheart. I’ll always be here for you,” Carter’s voice echoed through the hall, sending ripples of surprise through the crowd.
The big screen focused on Emily’s youthful, innocent face, framed by the soft glow of candlelight.
She appeared shy, her eyes tightly shut as she silently made a wish.
It took her a full minute before she finally blew out the candles, a moment of pure innocence captured for all to see.
Carter’s voice resonated once more, gentle and teasing. “Emily, sweetheart, tell me. What did you wish for?”
“If I say it out loud, it won’t come true,” Emily replied, her voice soft and tinged with shyness.
“Come on, silly girl. If you don’t tell me, how can I help make it come true?” Carter coaxed, his tone playful.
“I wished I could be your wife. I don’t want anyone else to marry you. When I’m all grown up, can I be your wife?” Emily blurted out, her voice filled with innocent longing.
The hall erupted in an uproar.
“Wait, what’s going on? Isn’t this supposed to be the Harris and Moore family’s wedding?”
“Isn’t Emily the Harris family’s adopted daughter? Did they seriously raise their adopted daughter just to marry her off to Carter?”
George looked ready to explode, snapping at the staff around him, “Why are you just standing there? Turn that damn video off, now!”
To their embarrassment, the big screen continued to play, and suddenly, Carter appeared on camera-not just as a voice, but physically present in the shot.
He leaned down and pressed a soft, affectionate kiss to Emily’s forehead. “When you’re all grown up, marry you.”
The next scene flashed on the screen, revealing Carter’s hidden photo album on his tablet, filled with a staggering 3,344 pictures of him and Emily, now exposed for everyone to see.
Carter’s eyes blazed with fury. “Enough! Whitney, you actually snooped through my photo album?”
Whitney simply smiled, her tone cool and mocking. “We’re just getting started.”
The lights flickered back on, and a bold, flashing message appeared on the big screen.
[My princess Emily, will you marry me?]
Emily felt the weight of every gaze upon her, judgment and scrutiny from every direction.
Her nails dug into her palm, leaving crescent marks that mirrored the turmoil in her heart.
‘Is Whitney out to destroy me?’ Emily thought, panic surging through her veins.
Whitney seized the microphone, her voice dripping with provocation as she locked eyes with Emily in the crowd. “Emily, are you really going to accept Carter’s proposal?”
Someone began clapping, and soon the crowd erupted in unison.
“Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!” they chanted, their voices echoing through the hall, a cacophony of pressure that pierced right through Carter and Emily’s hearts.
Neither of them wanted their secrets laid bare like this, especially not in front of such a large audience.
Whitney watched them with a cool, collected satisfaction, a glint of vindictive pleasure dancing in her eyes.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.