The Bride He Locked Out

Chapter 2

I looked up at Daniel at once.

"Why would you tell them I'm nervous?"

He avoided my eyes.

"Should I tell a few hundred guests that Olivia's taken over your bridal suite? Her wedding was just called off. She can't handle people gossiping about her. It's only a temporary explanation. No one will care once the wedding's over."

To protect Olivia's reputation, Daniel had immediately made me responsible for this mess.

14 minutes until the wedding.

Chloe anxiously checked her phone. Her expression suddenly changed.

"Daniel! Olivia isn't asleep at all!"

I took out my phone to check, too.

Olivia had posted on f*******: a minute earlier.

The photo showed the city skyline outside the bridal suite. Her reflection was visible in the glass, phone raised and hair carefully curled.

She had added only a single caption.

For some people, today might be a happy day. For me, it's full of regret. At least someone still remembers how I feel.

Daniel had been the first to like it.

I held my phone out in front of him.

"She's awake."

He glanced at it, then switched off the screen.

"Maybe she just woke up for a moment."

"She can take pictures and post on f*******:, but she can't open a door?"

He was silent for a few seconds, then finally stopped looking for excuses.

"This was supposed to be Olivia's wedding day, too. Hers was called off 4 months ago, and it just happened to be scheduled for today. When she saw the wedding decorations at the hotel last night, she broke down and cried in the room for a long time. She's already lost one wedding. You're about to marry me. Can't you give her a little peace and quiet?"

My fingers slowly went cold.

"So losing her wedding gives her the right to ruin mine?"

"Who's ruining your wedding?"

Daniel was getting impatient.

"The ceremony will go ahead, and I'll marry you, just as planned. Simpler makeup, no photos, a few minutes' delay—none of that changes the wedding."

With every sentence, he cut another part of my wedding.

He thought that as long as he still put a ring on my finger in the end, he had done nothing wrong.

The elevator doors opened, and his parents hurried out.

His mother took my hand. The first thing she said was, "Emma, this is an important day. Don't make things worse. Olivia's just had her wedding canceled. You need to be more understanding."

I pulled my hand out of hers.

"I can understand Olivia. But who's going to understand me?"

"You're about to marry Daniel. What more do you want?"

"Olivia was supposed to be a bride today, too. You're the one who gets to marry Daniel now. There's no need to blame her over this."

Mom shook with anger.

"My daughter still hasn't put on her wedding dress. What exactly has she gotten out of this?"

Daniel's mother's face darkened.

"There are hundreds of friends and relatives downstairs. If this gets out, they'll gossip about both our families. You've already accepted their wedding gifts. Do you want to make us all a laughingstock?"

Dad gave her a cold look.

"My daughter is standing here at her own wedding, and you're telling her to give up her room and her time for another woman. Is this how the Reed family shows her respect?"

Just then, a server approached, pushing a room-service cart.

The tray held oatmeal, scrambled eggs, and hot milk.

Daniel immediately reached out and touched the outside of the bowl.

"The milk's too hot. Let it sit for 2 minutes. Olivia's stomach is upset, so no scallions in the eggs."

I hadn't eaten anything since early that morning, and my stomach was already aching badly.

He hadn't said a word of concern for me, yet he had time to arrange another woman's breakfast.

10 minutes until the wedding.

The emcee came to the hallway in person, clutching the schedule.

"The ballroom doors have to open at 11:20 a.m. If the bride doesn't get changed now, we're going to have a gap in the program."

Daniel took a pen and began changing the schedule himself.

"Cancel the getting-ready robe photos. Cancel the family portraits. Cut the father's toast and shorten the entrance. No video interview with the couple, and no vows. Go straight to the rings."