Nine Weddings Fled I Left Him First

Chapter 4

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside.

Every eye in the hall turned toward the entrance.

"Who's coming?"

"Someone's actually here to steal the bride?"

"This is going to be a show."

The door swung open. A tall man in a black coat walked in, his strides quick.

Nadia's face went pale. She clutched Julian's sleeve.

But Julian exhaled. He recognized the man. His assistant, Derek Shaw.

Derek hurried to his side and lowered his voice. "Mr. Hayes, your father called. He said—"

" Said what?"

"Handle this now. Don't embarrass the Hayes family."

Julian turned to me, his tone returning to that familiar certainty. "Clara, my father is involved now. You're still making a scene?"

The guests heard it was just the assistant and relaxed.

"I told you. No one's crashing the wedding. It's just the assistant with a message."

"Let's go, let's go. False alarm."

"Miss Quinn, get on stage. Stop dragging this out."

The groomsmen came back to life. One patted his chest.

"You scared me. I thought someone actually showed up."

Another shouted toward the door.

"Anyone else? If nobody else is coming, our Julian is getting married!

The room burst into laughter.

My mother sat in the audience, clutching a handkerchief. Her face was white as paper.

She finally stood up and staggered to the edge of the stage, her voice shaking.

"Clara, tell me the truth. What you said just now. Was that just anger? Where is the person you found? Where is he?"

Tears were about to spill from her eyes.

"It's not that I don't believe you. There are only a few minutes left. Your father has a bad heart. Your grandmother is in the hospital waiting to watch the livestream. All our relatives and friends are here. How am I supposed to handle this..."

Nadia stepped forward to steady my mother. "Auntie, don't worry..."

"Get away from her." Tessa pushed her hand aside.

"You were crying the hardest just now. And now you're playing nice. You found the earrings in your bag. Too bad your shame didn't get lost with them."

Nadia's eyes reddened. She shrank back behind Julian.

I checked my phone. Three minutes left.

I looked up. My gaze landed on the door. Empty.

Julian followed my gaze. He lowered his voice, speaking only for me.

"Clara, stop acting.

"I checked. You posted ten minutes ago. Apart from a few comments from my friends, no one replied.

"Where's your new groom? Where is he?"

I looked at him.

He was certain I had no way out but him. Certain that after seven years of orbiting him, I had no other men in my life.

But his voice was shaking.

"Nine times. And now the last one. Do you really have to make a scene?"

So for the tenth, I was supposed to just endure it?

He suddenly felt like a stranger. Or maybe I had never seen him clearly in seven years.

I didn't answer. I just lit up my phone screen again.

In the chat, a message from three minutes ago was still glowing.

Unknown Number: I'm here. Wait for me.

Clara: Come in.

13:08.

Julian saw I wasn't moving. He turned to the host and ordered quietly, "Time's up. Start the ceremony."

The host hesitated. "But... the bride hasn't come on stage—"

Julian spoke, one word at a time. His eyes were red. "Clara. I'm asking you one last time. Are you coming on stage?"

The hall went silent. Everyone was waiting for me.

My mother gripped her handkerchief. Tears finally fell.

My father turned his head away, shoulders trembling.

Tessa stood beside me, palms sweaty, gripping my arm like she was afraid I would collapse.

Nadia stood behind Julian, head lowered. The corners of her mouth curled up. "Clara, stop being so stubborn. Everyone's watching..."

13:08 and 30 seconds.

Julian looked at me. His lips moved. Then nothing came out. His voice was almost inaudible.

"Three."

I raised my eyes, past him, to the door.

"Two."

His hand clenched around the ring, veins bulging. The corners of his eyes were red.

"One—"

He forced the last number out through his teeth. The ring was dug deep into his palm.

Outside the door, at the end of the corridor, footsteps finally sounded.