My Wedding Stolen, I Saved Lives Abroad

In the bridal suite, I stood in front of the mirror, pressing the third pin into my waist. But my waist was still too loose to fill out the dress, making it look as though I'd stolen someone else's wedding gown. Damon had ordered this dress from Milan special. Fully handmade, with a train that ran nearly ten feet. You only get married once, he'd told me back then, so my dress had to be one of a kind. Nobody was ever going to look down on me again. I'd laughed and called his taste new-money. Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside. The door was thrown open. Damon stood in the doorway, impeccably dressed in a sharp suit. His platinum cuff links gleamed coldly beneath the lights. Grace followed behind him, her eyes slightly swollen as though she'd just been crying. My heart sank. "Margaret, let Lena stand in for you at the wedding today. Think of it as helping her check off one last wish." Damon gently took my hand and slipped a massive diamond ring onto my finger. "I'll put your ring on you first." I froze. The pin in my hand dug into my fingertip, and I flinched from the pain. "When my brother passed away, Lena never even got a proper wedding." Damon's expression was solemn. "Her biggest regret in life is that she never got the chance to be a bride." I stared at him, my nails digging into my palms. "So?" I forced the words out. "You want her to be the bride at my wedding?" "It's just for show. Once the ceremony is over, you'll still be my wife. Nothing will change." I thought I must have misheard him. "Damon, do you even realize—" Grace cut me off. "We're not here to ask your permission. Lena's your sister-in-law. She gave the Lawson family a son, and your brother never gave her the wedding she was owed. This family owes her that much. Today's the perfect chance to make it right." "Mom, I—" Before I could finish, a tiny figure squeezed through the c***k in the door. Leo, in a little suit. The second he saw me in the gown, his eyes lit up. He ran over and threw his arms around my skirt. "Your dress is so pretty! I wanna see Mommy be a bride!" Lena hurried in behind him. She grabbed Leo and bent down to coax him. "Leo, don't make a fuss. Auntie is going to get mad." But Leo immediately threw himself onto the floor, kicking and screaming. "I wanna see Mommy be a bride! I wanna see Mommy be a bride!" His shrill cries filled the entire bridal suite. Grace's heart broke for her grandson. She scooped him into her arms, then glared at me with undisguised disgust. "Listen to that! Even a child knows better than you! You're a doctor. You see a child crying like this and you still won't give him an inch? Where's your compassion? How can someone like you even be a pediatrician?" I opened my mouth, but my throat felt completely blocked. Grace didn't give me a chance to respond. "If you don't let Lena take your place at the wedding, then this time next year will be the anniversary of my death!" She shoved Leo into Lena's arms and lunged at me, grabbing my wedding dress. "Take it off!" Her rough fingers caught on the beading across my chest. With one vicious tug, three pearls snapped loose and rolled across the floor. I instinctively stepped back, but Grace kept coming. "You're giving up that dress whether you like it or not!" She reached for my waist again. My foot caught on something. I stumbled and crashed to the floor, my palm scraping against the edge of the carpet. A sharp, burning pain shot through it. Damon immediately rushed over and helped me up. I looked at him, hurt and humiliated. I waited for him to stop his mother. I waited for him to say something—anything—in my defense. But all he did was steady me and murmur, "It's just a ceremony. Just go along with my mom this once. I'll give you anything you want afterward." It felt as though I'd been dropped into an ice bath. "A wedding only happens once." My eyes burned with tears. "We can have another one. Next time, I'll give you an even grander wedding." He gently brushed the tear from the corner of my eye. Right on cue, Lena began to cry. "It's not anyone's fault that I was born unlucky... It's not Margaret's fault either." She clutched Leo in her arms, her shoulders trembling as she sobbed. Leo started wailing along with her. Grace pulled Lena into her arms, her eyes red. "Sweetheart, none of this is your fault. Mom will make this right for you." Lena wiped her tears. "Thank you, Mom. For helping me fulfill my dream." Then she looked at me. "Margaret, I'm sorry." "I'm not trying to take anything from you. I just want to stand in for you during the ceremony. All I want is one proper wedding..." Her voice broke, and she couldn't finish. Damon nudged me, his brow furrowing. "Margaret, aren't you supposed to be the compassionate one? Just have some pity on your sister-in-law and help her fulfill her dream. It's one ceremony. It won't affect our marriage in the slightest." "Won't affect it?" The words came through clenched teeth. "Damon, do I look like an i***t to you?" His expression stiffened for a moment. Then I suddenly smiled. "Fine." "Go ahead and get married."