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Chapter 4
The air froze for a moment before the guests‘ clamor broke through the ceiling.
“Where’s the bride? She’s gone!”
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“Did she run away from the wedding? This is a huge scandal!”
Jake stood there stunned. The bride who was supposed to be waiting behind the door had vanished.
Suddenly, he felt an inexplicable panic, as if he was about to lose something important.
Ignoring the officiant’s attempts to stop him, he rushed to the door searching for the woman he thought would always wait for him.
“Ruby, where are you? Stop hiding!”
“Ruby, come out! It’s our wedding day. Everyone is watching— stop playing around!”
But no matter how much he called out, he couldn’t find her.
The curious gazes of the guests fell on Jake in his formal attire, making him even more uncomfortable.
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“Where is she? Where did Ruby go?”
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“Jake, did something happen to Ruby? This ceremony is so important… why don’t I take her place?” Lacie, who should have been standing below the stage, had somehow made her way up. Her face couldn’t hide her eagerness, and she had mysteriously changed from her bridesmaid dress into an extravagantly luxurious white evening gown.
She looked like she was the real bride of this wedding.
But Jake didn’t accommodate her as he had in the past. Instead, he pushed her away and walked off the stage without mercy.
“Only Ruby deserves to be my bride.” After saying this, he completely disregarded Lacie’s embarrassed expression and rushed outside the hall trying to find me.
Of course, I only learned about all this later when my mother recounted it to me.
By then, I had already returned to my parents‘ home, watching the servants prepare everything for my departure abroad, feeling a touch of reluctance in my heart.
“Mom,” I hugged my mother tightly, my nose stinging with emotion, and finally couldn’t hold back my tears.
In my previous life, after marrying Jake, I rarely visited my
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parents. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, but because whenever I suggested going back, Jake would express his disapproval.
“You’re married now and still want to visit your parents all the time? Am I not treating you well enough?”
Because of those words, until my death, I barely saw my loving parents. I couldn’t bear to think how devastated they must have been when they learned of my death.
“There, there, don’t cry, Sweetheart.” Mom affectionately brushed my face, her eyes also glistening with tears. “It’s almost time. Let Jude take you to the airport.”
The journey to the airport was quite long, and I nearly fell asleep. Jake kept calling me. Since I was about to leave, I decided to be straightforward with him.
As soon as I answered, Jake’s voice rose an octave, tinged with
anger.
“Ruby, where are you?! Isn’t today our wedding?”
I replied coolly, “Jake, I’ve already made myself clear. There’s no need for us to continue. I don’t love you anymore. Goodbye.”
His breathing became rapid through the receiver, and I could almost feel him–grinding his teeth.
“Don’t love me? Impossible! Is it because of Lacie? She does go
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too far sometimes, but I’ve explained everything to you. What more do you want—”
“I don’t want anything. I just find loving you exhausting. Jake, I’m leaving the country. Let’s not see each other again.”
After a few seconds of silence, Jake’s voice trembled. “Why? Don’t go. You’re at the airport, aren’t you? I’m coming to find you!”
He actually asked me why. I was leaving him because he always chose Lacie over me without hesitation, because his eyes still lingered on others despite claiming to love me, because of his false love.
Not wanting to say more, I was about to hang up when someone spoke on the other end, and Jake’s voice suddenly rose. “What? Lacie’s been in a car accident!”
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