My Wedding Stolen, I Saved Lives Abroad

Chapter 2

I reached back, found the zipper, and eased it down.

The $200,000 dress slid off my shoulders like the air had gone out of it, pooling around my feet.

I suddenly remembered the day I'd gone in for my fitting.

Damon had sat on the couch the entire time, glued to his phone. When the sales associate asked if she should take in the waist a little, he didn't even look up.

"Don't. Make it two sizes bigger. You love to eat so much, you might gain some weight by the wedding."

I'd laughed and playfully smacked him, thinking that was just his unique way of showing affection.

Now that I thought about it, the signs had been there all along.

The dress had been altered two sizes too big because, from the very beginning, I was never the one meant to wear it.

Just then, I heard muffled voices outside the door.

It was Grace.

"Lena, when you walk down the aisle on the lawn later, make sure you stand next to Damon. I'll deal with Margaret."

Damon's voice followed.

"Mom, don't go too far. Margaret..."

"Too far?" Grace let out a cold laugh. "I'm doing this for your own good, and for the Lawson family. Have you forgotten that car accident? If it weren't for her, would you have broken more than a dozen bones?"

Damon didn't answer.

After several seconds of silence, Grace's voice softened.

"You and Lena grew up together. You were practically childhood sweethearts. I know you were hurt when your older brother got to her first. Now that he's gone and the company's assets have been handed over to you, taking care of her and her son is only right."

My breath caught.

Silence fell outside for a moment.

Then I heard Damon speak again.

"Mom, just don't make things too hard for her. She's the same rare blood type as Leo. If something happens and we need her blood, she'll be useful. If we drive her away, we'll be the ones losing out."

Grace gave a dismissive snort.

"Got it. If it weren't for that, do you think I'd have put up with her this long?"

My whole body trembled uncontrollably. I grabbed the vanity beside me to keep myself from collapsing.

So that's what it was.

I'd always thought Grace's attitude toward me had softened because I'd finally managed to win her over.

But no.

The only reason she'd tolerated me was because of my blood type.

In their eyes, I was nothing more than a living blood bank they could use whenever they needed me.

Through the c***k in the door, I saw Lena standing beside Damon with Leo in her arms.

Her head was lowered, the tips of her ears flushed red. Her fingers nervously twisted the edge of Leo's clothes, making her look shy and demure.

Leo had already stopped crying. He wrapped his arms around Lena's neck and whispered,

"Mommy's going to be a bride."

Damon didn't correct him.

I understood his silence.

They had already made their choice.

This so-called "stand-in" at my wedding was nothing more than a respectable excuse.

What they really wanted was to be together openly and legitimately.

My eyes fell on the pair of scissors lying on the vanity.

I picked them up and held them against the wedding dress.

One cut.

The train was severed cleanly in half.

Sequins and pearls scattered across the floor.

Damon heard the noise and rushed inside.

His gaze landed on the scissors in my hand, then on the shredded dress covering the floor.

His face changed instantly.

"Margaret, have you lost your mind? That dress cost over two hundred grand!"

I looked up at him.

The man who had once sworn he'd live and die with me hadn't spared a thought for how I felt.

Yet now, he was worried about a wedding dress.

"Lost my mind?"

I laughed and pulled out my phone.

"I haven't even started losing it yet."

Right in front of him, I made one call after another.

"This is Margaret. Cancel today's wedding reception. Yes, cancel everything. The hotel, wedding planner, photographer—everything. I don't need the deposits refunded. Handle them according to the contracts."

Damon rushed over and tried to grab my phone.

"Margaret, calm down!"

I stepped aside, finished the last call, and slipped my phone back into my bag.

Then I picked up the ruined wedding dress from the floor and threw it into his arms along with the diamond ring on my finger.

"Damon, whoever wants this wedding can have it. I'm done."

The shredded dress hung from his arm as pearls, sequins, and the diamond ring scattered across the floor.

He stared at me, his face turning ashen with anger, though he was clearly trying to keep his emotions in check.

"Margaret, don't do anything rash. I know I handled things badly today, but just wait for me. Once the wedding is over—"

"The wedding?"

I cut him off, my voice so sharp it barely sounded like my own.

"You think there's still going to be a wedding? Or do you want Lena to put on my wedding dress and marry you instead? Damon, you planned this from the beginning, didn't you?"

A flash of panic crossed his eyes, as if I'd hit the exact spot he wanted to hide.

"I didn't..."

Just then, Lena rushed in with Leo sobbing in her arms.

"Damon, Mom's causing a scene at the venue and fighting with the hotel manager! She knocked over the champagne tower and even slapped the manager. Everything's a mess. There are guests everywhere!"

Damon's face went pale.

He instinctively took a step toward the door, then turned back to me.

His voice was rushed and frantic.

"Margaret, go home and cool off for now. I know I hurt you today, and I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you. I'll give you an even better wedding—ten times better than today's. Just go home for now, okay? Once I take care of everything here, I'll come find you."

Before I could answer, he'd already pulled out his phone and dialed.

"Jason, bring a new dress over right now. I don't care how much it costs. Just make it fast."

Still talking on the phone, he hurried out the door and disappeared down the hallway.

The despair came over me in waves.

I pulled out my phone and sent one message.

Margaret: Cancel my leave. I'm back on shift tomorrow.