Chapter 2

"Sylvia, it's our wedding day. Are you really going to make a scene here? Come with me, now. My parents keep calling."

A message from his parents lit up Stuart's phone.

He glanced at it, and his movements grew more frantic.

The bridal procession was over.

By now the hotel was full of relatives, all waiting.

The wedding favors, the banquet, the parting gifts — every last thing was prepared and ready to hand out.

If this wedding didn't happen, there would be no way to clean up the mess.

But I didn't care.

While Stuart was frazzled, firing off replies to his parents, I took out my phone and called mine.

The call connected quickly.

My parents' anxious voices came through.

"Sweetheart, why aren't you here yet? Did something happen on the way?"

My eyes went red in an instant, and the hand holding the phone shook so hard it frightened me.

"Mom, Dad, I don't want to get married."

The line went silent at once.

My grip tightened.

A minute later, a careful, aching voice reached my ear.

"Sweetheart, if you've made up your mind, then come home. We'll be waiting for you."

I nodded and hung up.

Stuart had just finished soothing the relatives, too.

He came over to me, his tone softening a little.

"Sylvie, whatever this is, can't it wait until the wedding's over? You don't want to be humiliated over something like this, do you?"

My eyes went cold, degree by degree.

Every word out of Stuart was a threat.

He didn't think he'd done anything wrong at all.

I stopped looking at him. Once I'd settled the arrangements with the motorcade, I lowered my head and booked a ride.

The wedding was off, but there was still a huge mess to deal with at the hotel.

After all, my family had covered more than half the cost of this wedding, so of course I was going to find a way to get it back.

Seeing no reaction from me, Stuart's brow drew tighter and tighter.

"Sylvia, I'll say it one last time. Come marry me, or I'll make you regret it."

I looked at him, almost amused.

"The motorcade is already gone. Do you not understand plain words? This wedding is canceled."

"Fine. Just fine!"

Stuart's fists clenched hard.

His fury tipped over into a laugh.

"You think this will force me to grovel and apologize to you?"

"You don't want to marry me? I can find someone else!"

He turned and pulled Jocelyn's hand into his.

"Jocelyn, will you marry me?"

Jocelyn froze.

Clearly she hadn't known about this beforehand either.

Her cheeks reddened bit by bit. She glanced at me, then lowered her head and spoke in a soft, delicate voice.

"Stuart, if you need someone to save the day, then I'll do it. Once the wedding's over, your bride will still be Sylvie. I'll leave then."

As Stuart listened, the anger in his eyes gave way to tenderness.

He spun around and shot me a vicious glare.

"Marry me, and you're my wife. No one else comes into it."

Stuart stood beside Jocelyn, but his eyes stayed fixed on me.

I knew he was waiting for me to give in.

He'd worn this trick out long ago.

Jocelyn stood at his side, clinging to his arm for dear life, without a trace of reluctance about her.

I let out a scoff and waved a hand at the two of them.

"If you're going, then go. I haven't canceled the banquet at the hotel yet, so just transfer me the money when the time comes."

As I finished, the ride I'd booked pulled up right at my feet.

I didn't look back. I climbed in.