Chapter 4

The emcee stood frozen where he was, glancing up helplessly, his eyes darting to me for a second.

He cleared his throat and got ready to push the ceremony forward.

But Isabel cut in again. "The ceremony hasn't even started yet. Why don't we play a game first, warm up the room?"

Theodore agreed without a second thought.

A row of groomsmen lined up, and Isabel pressed in close beside Theodore.

They were going to pass a playing card mouth to mouth.

The groomsmen didn't hesitate, quickly moving the card down the line, lip to lip.

When it came to Isabel's turn, she rose unsteadily onto her toes.

Her fingers settled on Theodore's shoulder.

The cameraman pushed in, and the big screen broadcast a live shot of him and Isabel passing the card.

Then Isabel's body gave a little shudder, and she lost her balance.

The card dropped to her feet.

Their lips met.

The groomsmen broke into whoops, clapping and egging them on.

"Ooh! You actually dared to kiss your daddy!"

Isabel wiped her mouth with a grand sweep and reached up to twist Theodore's ear.

"Fine, it's your big happy day, so I'll let it slide."

"Once your wedding's over, you'd better make it up to me!"

Theodore bent down to go along with her, grinning ear to ear.

"Okay, okay, my little queen."

Rubbing his ear, he shot a glance at me, my face gone pale.

Then he cut a look at the groomsmen to shut them up.

"Isabel and I are just buddies. Don't take it to heart."

I curved my lips weakly.

"But everyone saw it clearly. My groom just kissed another woman at his own wedding."

The muttering below grew louder.

My relatives had all gone stone-faced too.

"What kind of wedding is this? The groom kissing his childhood friend? It's outrageous."

"Do they think the bride's side has no one to stand up for her?"

Theodore's brows drew tight as he tugged at my sleeve.

"Listen to what your relatives are saying. No class at all."

"Hurry up and smooth it over."

The one with no class was probably him.

I snatched the microphone from the emcee's hand, and my voice carried into every corner of the banquet hall.

"Theodore, what do you want me to say?"

"Should I say the two of you squeezed into one bed at your bachelor party?"

"Or that your phone password is her birthday?"

"That she designed our marital home, and that even the wedding gown I had custom-made myself was supposed to go to her?"

Theodore's face couldn't hold together anymore, and he lunged to grab the microphone.

"Shut up," he snapped in a fury.

"Every relative and friend here is watching. You really don't want to go through with this?"

I looked at his face, flushed red with rage, and suddenly I laughed.

"Theodore, listen carefully."

"I'm taking my dowry back, and I'm returning every cent of the bride price."

"This wedding is off."