5
Tears blurred my vision. I thought I would never shed another tear for him. The sound of the blade cutting into my flesh was clearly audible, once, twice, thrice… It cut a full one hundred times, completely eradicating the last vestiges of my feelings for him.
He threw me next to a trash can in the alley behind the wedding hotel.
“Don’t be so harsh on people in the future,” he said coldly, driving away.
A hotel staff member found me while taking out the trash and immediately rushed me to the hospital. Though I was saved, I lost more than half of my life force. My father was furious, sending people to investigate, but I insisted the wedding proceed as planned.
Mr. Davies reported that Julian had been constantly by Chloe’s side these past few days. Fearing she might be bored, he even carried her on his back to trendy restaurants and spent an entire day carrying her while shopping, buying her many high–end clothes to cheer her up.
Carry her? I scoffed. Did her broken arm somehow break her legs too?
My phone buzzed with a notification: Chloe had posted on Ins.
[No one–hundred–million–dollar wedding dress, but with you by my side, love is priceless.]
Below it was a picture of their silhouettes, making a heart shape against the sunset by the river.
I deleted and blocked them both, then lay back on the bed. Another message arrived. I was about to turn off my phone,
but then I saw it was from Atticus.
[I should have returned sooner, but the final step of my research requires me to wait, even if it means delaying the wedding.]
[I’ll be on a plane tomorrow morning and will definitely be there on time for the wedding! Also, there’s something I need to discuss with you when I get back.]
I didn’t ask what it was, just replied with an “Okay.”
Just as I was about to fall asleep, a call came through. It was Julian.
“You still owe Chloe an apology! But, as husband and wife are one, I’ve already apologized to Chloe on your behalf.”
I almost laughed out loud. Husband and wife are one? When he was cutting me, leaving me bleeding uncontrollably, why didn’t he mention “husband and wife are one“?
“I’ll be at the wedding tomorrow, but you must sign a prenuptial agreement with me.”
I tapped to open the agreement he’d sent.
Article 1: Post–marriage, both parties retain personal freedom and cannot control each other.]
Article 2: [All property, male and female, shall be communal and undivider.)
Article 3: Due to the female party’s physical condition, the male party has the right to choose other methods to continue the lineage]
Article 4…
“No, thank you.”
I deleted and blocked his number directly, then turned over and went to sleep.
At the wedding venue, guests filled every seat. The emcee stood awkwardly on stage, checking his watch. “The groom might be slightly delayed…”
“Why isn’t the groom here yet?”
“Could he have chickened out at the last minute?”
“Miss Sterling’s health, indeed…”
Thirty minutes passed.
An hour passed.
The guests‘ whispers grew louder and louder. Just then, the main doors were pushed open.
Julian walked in, dressed in a black suit, a triumphant smile on his face. “Seraphina, impatient, aren’t you? This is your punishment for blocking me last night.” He walked towards the front, his voice deliberately amplified. “I’m here, the wedding can begin.”
No one acknowledged him. Guests exchanged confused glances. Julian’s face turned sour. “My patience has limits. Still playing hard to get? Remember to sign the agreement later. Chloe is very sweet, unlike you…”
CRASH!
The main doors were pushed open again.
Atticus walked in gracefully, removing the eye patch that concealed his heterochromatic eye. One eye was a deep black, the other a sapphire blue like the ocean, both captivatingly beautiful under the lights. He walked directly to me, taking my hand. “Sorry I’m late.”
