Chapter 2
836words
On the morning of the wedding, she sat proudly in the passenger seat of Arnold’s Maserati, deliberately flaunting everything in front of me. Arnold was driving her himself. A bouquet of white roses lay in the back seat, every bloom flawless, as if carefully selected to show how cherished she was.
As for my groom, Caspian never appeared. I was told he was handling an urgent family matter, so only a single car waited outside my home. The driver politely informed me he was there to take me to the church.
Leia wasn’t done provoking me. She said triumphantly, “Arnold even booked the presidential suite for me tonight. He said he wants me to have an unforgettable wedding night.”
Her thoughts rang sharply in my head.
‘Serves you right! I’d like to see how you handle being humiliated in front of everyone at the ceremony later.’
Hearing her inner voice only confirmed how vicious and childish she truly was.
I replied calmly, “Family matters come first. That’s an unbreakable rule of the Falcone family. As his wife, I should understand and support him.”
“Sure. Keep telling yourself that,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes as she hooked her arm around Arnold’s and walked away.
The wedding was held in the Falcone family’s private church. Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting brilliant colors across the marble floor. Leaders of the major families were all present, dressed in formal suits, each wearing their family crest on their chest. Yet, the groom’s seat was empty. Only a lone bouquet of white lilies rested there.
Whispers spread through the church—soft, but filled with malice.
‘Is Caspian deliberately humiliating his bride? This is too much.’
‘Oh, poor Elysia, left standing there alone. This is a complete disgrace.’
‘I heard Caspian never wanted to get married. He was forced by the family.’
Deep down, Leia was gloating. ‘This time, you’re the one embarrassing yourself.’
As the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward, I slowly stood up and walked toward the microphone.
“Distinguished guests,” I said, my voice calm and steady as it echoed through the church. “I would like to say a few words.”
The entire hall fell silent. All eyes turned toward me.
“My husband, Caspian, is currently safeguarding the interests of the Falcone family,” I continued without a trace of hesitation. “As his wife, I am deeply proud of him.”
Immediately after, a soft but distinct round of applause came from the main seat. The family’s Donna, Isabella Falcone, slowly rose to her feet. She was seventy years old, yet her presence was as commanding as a queen’s.
“Well said, child,” she said approvingly. “A Falcone daughter-in-law must always understand the family’s priorities.”
One by one, the guests began to applaud. The mocking whispers vanished instantly.
‘This girl is smart. She turned the situation around so well.’
‘It looks like Caspian married a smart woman.’
‘If Donna Isabella approves, who are we to object?’
Leia’s face twisted, her fury nearly exploding from within as she thought, ‘I can’t believe she resolved it. No, I can’t allow her to steal the spotlight like this. During the toast, I’ll make sure you embarrass yourself in front of everyone.’
Thanks to my mind-reading ability, I saw her plan clearly.
When the toasting began, I held a crystal champagne glass and greeted each guest with composed elegance. As I approached Leia’s table, her thoughts began counting down.
‘One, two, three… Now!’
Just as she quietly stretched out her leg, I shifted aside gracefully, as if I had anticipated it all along, and continued walking forward without pause. She missed, and because she had used too much force, she lost her balance and fell hard onto the marble floor.
“Ah!” she screamed, and the hem of her expensive wedding dress tore on impact.
Arnold hurried to help her up, his face full of concern. Yet, his thoughts were nothing but mean.
‘What useless idiot! Making a fool of yourself in this situation is nothing short of embarrassing me.’
Donna Isabella’s expression darkened instantly.
“How disgraceful,” she snapped coldly. “You’ve humiliated the Falcone family.”
A deathly silence filled the church. Every gaze turned toward Leia, who stood there in utter humiliation. Her face burned with shame. Wishing she could disappear into the ground, she could only cling to Arnold as he escorted her out of the church in disgrace.
I calmly continued the rest of the toasting ceremony, maintaining my perfect composure. Inside, however, I sneered.
In my previous life, I survived Arnold’s controlling nature only by being cautious at every step. That was how I managed to secure my place within the Falcone family. Leia, on the other hand, never understood that living a good life was never about who you chose.
Since she desperately wants to destroy me, I will no longer endure it in silence.
