Chapter 16
It was three days before the wedding. Melvin was completely overwhelmed, receiving every kind of treatment at the beauty salon.
“Make the nails as shiny as possible. But not too much. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Ah! Aren’t you pressing too hard? Be a little gentler.”
“…Understood.”
So many demands.
The staff attending to her were already half-exhausted when it happened.
“Melvin! Melvin!”
Durr barged into the salon, swinging the door open with a loud crash.
Startled by the sudden commotion, Melvin shot a glare at the man who would soon be her husband.
“This is a salon. Try to keep your voice down.”
What if her nails got messed up? She couldn’t have a bride with ugly nails.
But Durr didn’t even register Melvin’s annoyed scolding.
“Th-this is no time for that, Melvin.”
“What’s with the panic?”
“It’s a disaster.”
Normally, Durr would gush about how beautiful she looked even when angry. But today, he didn’t. That’s when Melvin sensed something was wrong.
“T-the wedding’s been canceled!”
“…What?”
“Our wedding has been canceled!”
“What are you talking about? Why would the wedding be canceled all of a sudden?!”
“I don’t know either!”
“How can you not know?!”
“The venue said something unexpected came up! Damn it—they’re even paying a penalty fee, but they insist they can’t open that day.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“They said they had to start emergency renovations. Apparently, they discovered a serious problem.”
“How could this happen…”
Melvin, who had been standing, collapsed onto the floor. But Durr had no time to help his fiancée up.
“We’ve already sent out all the invitations. The wedding is in three days. How do we explain this to the guests?!”
“What about other venues? Any alternatives?”
“I’ve contacted them all—no luck.”
They had reached out to every hotel and wedding hall in the capital, but the answer was the same.
“No one can make space available on such short notice.”
Even offering extra money hadn’t worked. All venues had major events already scheduled.
‘What on earth is happening on that day?’
Had some new national holiday been declared without them knowing?
“We could at least try contacting a church…”
“No way!”
Melvin jumped to her feet and shouted.
“I told everyone we were having a luxurious wedding at a grand venue. I can’t get married in some shabby place.”
“There are a lot of big churches around here. It won’t be shabby.”
“It will be shabby!”
What kind of place was a church? A space of abstinence and restraint—no extravagance allowed. No splendid chandeliers, no wedding aisle decorated with fresh flowers. That was certain.
“It’s nothing compared to Silvia Hall!”
Silvia Hall was one of the most extravagant wedding venues in the capital. They had splurged a fortune just to book it—for what was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime moment (well, second for Durr).
When they announced their wedding there, so many people had expressed their envy.
“If people find out the venue changed and we’re using a church, they’ll all laugh at us!”
“Melvin, that’s not true.”
“It is true!”
Because that’s exactly what she would’ve done. Melvin had always scoffed at people who got married modestly with nothing to show. She absolutely refused to have that kind of wedding.
More than anything, what bothered her were the whispers behind her back.
‘I’ve never seen a woman who stole someone else’s husband live happily.’
‘And it’s her sister’s husband, no less.’
‘There’s nothing more disgusting than seeing someone like that doing well.’
Melvin wasn’t oblivious to what people said about her.
That’s why she wanted to show them. She’d get married in the most spectacular way and live even more splendidly. She wanted Chloe to burn with envy. That was her greatest pleasure—seeing Chloe in pain because of her.
‘But if the wedding falls apart from the start…’
Forget pleasure—Chloe might be the one smirking. That Chloe, of all people.
“So absolutely not. No matter what, you must find a suitable wedding venue within three days. Got it?”
“…Sigh. I’ll do my best.”
Durr pressed his throbbing temple with his fingers.
‘There’s gotta be a way.’
The capital was huge. Surely there had to be somewhere they could hold the ceremony. If nothing else, they could transform the mansion’s garden into an outdoor venue.
Somehow, he’d make it work. Clinging to that hope, Durr dashed out of the salon.
Melvin loved showing off, so a large number of guests were expected to attend the wedding. Naturally, hundreds of them now found themselves in a difficult situation.
“They said the wedding venue changed?”
“What happened all of a sudden?”
“Isn’t the wedding in two days?”
The ladies gathered at the salon murmured in confusion.
“Forget us—what about the guests coming from far away?”
“So where’s the new venue?”
“They haven’t told us yet.”
“What?”
Their eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.
“Still?”
“Yes. It seems they haven’t found a new place yet.”
“How can that be?”
“Wait—why was the original venue even canceled? With only three days left before the wedding?”
The younger crowd busied themselves with wild speculations.
“I’ve lived over fifty years, and I’ve never seen such an inconsiderate wedding.”
“Exactly. They say you can tell everything from just one thing.”
“If they’re treating guests like this, you can imagine how things must be with their families.”
The older guests clicked their tongues at the rudeness of House Garrett and House Duncan.
“If they couldn’t decide on a new venue, they should’ve at least used the Garrett family garden.”
“My lord, look outside.”
A torrential downpour raged beyond the window. The wind was so strong the windows rattled, nearly ready to be torn from their frames.
“Not exactly weather for an outdoor wedding, is it?”
“Hmm, I suppose not…”
The nobles stared out at the dark storm clouds.
“Almost like someone cursed them.”
“Exactly. First the sudden venue cancellation, now this horrible weather.”
“There’s some truth in that. They say when a woman holds a grudge, frost falls even in midsummer.”
“Are you suggesting Chloe Garrett…?”
Whispers among the nobles quickly formed new rumors—everything from Chloe planning her revenge to Durr falling out of favor with royalty.
“But isn’t Chloe said to be dating Prince Verder? Why would someone like that bother with revenge?”
“You believe that rumor? I don’t think there’s a shred of truth to it.”
“Exactly. Why would a man like Prince Verder go for a divorcee?”
“He’s a mysterious one, though. No one really knows what’s going on in his head.”
The conversation naturally shifted. People now turned their attention to Chloe and Kaiden’s supposed relationship. More and more wild theories flew around, and the gossip only grew more intense.
“That way, please.”
The salon door opened, and a man’s voice was heard politely escorting a lady.
“Thank you.”
The woman replied with a soft, smiling voice.
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
“…!”
Their eyes widened the moment they saw her.
It was none other than Chloe—being escorted by a stunningly handsome man.
Everyone here was acquainted with Durr and Melvin. Meaning they all recognized Chloe, Durr’s ex-wife and Melvin’s half-sister.
Her honey-colored hair and round, scarlet eyes clearly confirmed it was Chloe Garrett. But who was the breathtaking man beside her?
“I’ve always thought Chloe was such a kind person.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because she says thank you even for the smallest things.”
The tall man, easily a head taller than Chloe, brushed her hair behind her ear with a smile.
“You’re definitely an angel without wings.”
“Oh, don’t say that—you’re embarrassing me.”
“I’m just stating a fact. My angel, Chloe.”
He then kissed the corner of her eye with a soft mwah.
“….”
The crowd looked on in stunned silence, jaws nearly unhinged.
Chloe Garrett had a new man. And he was absurdly handsome.
Which could only mean…
“P-Prince Verder?”
At someone’s quiet muttering, Kaiden raised his head. He had been leaning in toward Chloe but now looked out at the roomful of people.
“You called?”
“….”
“Hm, must’ve been hearing things.”
Though his tone was playful and light, the meaning was clear enough.
Kaiden Verder, who had rarely appeared in society, was openly dating Chloe Garrett—and they were absolutely sickeningly affectionate.
