Chapter 4

　　Killian's POV

　　"Behold the bride is coming……" The bridal choir sang as the bride made her entrance through the aisle, donned in a sparkling, flowing wedding gown and a veil sealing her identity.

　　My eyes drew to the woman following behind her.

　　Mandy.

　　The woman who sat before me a few minutes ago, weeping and I had to pull my handkerchief to her. Right before going to bring in the bride.

　　"Thank you," she had muttered, not even looking up.

　　But now she was face stiff, obviously blowing off the "I don't want to be here attitude."

　　My first time seeing her didn't have to be this. I frowned.

　　She wasn't happy.

　　Seeing her you'd know something is clearly wrong.

　　Susie finally approached the stage on which the officiant waited with the rites book in hand. The groom beamed with a wide smile.

　　"Today, we welcome Atlas Brooks and Susie Bennett who are about to be joined as lovely, wedding couples……" The officiant began but my eyes were on Mandy.

　　She stepped to the side, head lowered and fist slightly balled.

　　The bride was called to give the opening remark next after the officiant did his welcoming speech.

　　"Today is indeed the happiest day of my life," her voice rang. "…..Being here with my beloved to-be-husband….." Cheers and applause erupted, forcing her to pause but still, I sat, watching the ongoing drama with a confused glare.

　　For a brief moment, my mind sailed off in thoughts, roaming in the midst of the wild cheers. What I heard last, "A very special thanks to my lovely sister, my maid of honor….." before the voice paused and a throat cleared. A second voice graced the stage.

　　Mandy's.

　　I sat up.

　　"Point to be corrected. I'm not the maid of honor but the Matron of Honor. This man standing beside the bride is my husband.……"

　　"Urghh?" I sat up.

　　The atmosphere dropped dead silent. Next were whispers and murmurs, confused glares.

　　I still couldn't believe what I'd just heard. Mandy lived with a man, Atlas Brooks from what I'd gathered. He was the one she was going to marry and to me, I was gonna lose her forever.

　　Today was supposed to be my last day chasing her secretly, a day I was set to hand her over to the man who would take care of her for the rest of her life.

　　Only to hear she was married to him? When? How?

　　I wanted to know the truth but this is much more than I'd expected.

　　The elders and relatives rushed to the stage, throwing angry hands and raised voices at her.

　　"Why will you do that after all the things you collected from them?" A tall, bulky man growled, slapping her.

　　I sprang up in fury, balled fisted.

　　"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" The same man lashed at her, about to slap her again but she raised her hand fiercely in the air, blocking him.

　　"Dad….The one who should be ashamed is this husband snatcher!" She pointed an angry fist at Susie from where the dad pushed her. She staggered. Susie rushed over attempting to grab Mandy's hand with a frail face, veil already uncovered in the chaos.

　　"My greatest wish was to marry Atlas before I die." She sniffed, drawing closer to grab angry Mandy's wrist.

　　"Please don't be angry with me. I'll soon die." She broke into tears. "At least before leaving this world, I can fulfill this wish."

　　The previous murmurs and accusing fists shifted to groans and sighs of pity, with arms crossed against chests.

　　"You really touched me with this kindness, accepting……"

　　"I never accepted, you guys forced me to. Hypocrites." Mandy pointed fingers at each of the relatives on top of the stage.

　　They froze.

　　"No, please. Don't say that. Don't be angry at me. Hope you don't bear a grudge against me. I'll die after all and you can have your husband back."

　　Mandy scoffed. "Who wants a second-hand?" Atlas' face twisted.

　　I knew him, a business client.

　　Perhaps he was getting what he deserved and I loved it. When he sent me his wedding invite, I had thought to see Mandy's name, the lady he lived with but instead saw Susie.

　　So he switched her to satisfy Susie.

　　Atlas tried to talk to her but she slapped his hands off, stepping away from him in anger.

　　Her dad shifted him aside, "Don't worry, I'll deal with her. Just like her mom." He threatened.

　　I sprang up, ready to jump on that stage and deal with those abusing her.

　　Just wait a little! Just wait a little!

　　The small voice in my head persuaded me but in that moment of attempting to wait, Mandy's dad was after her.

　　"Can you tell me why you did that? Why did you disgrace us?"

　　She was running backwards. The only one she feared. Should he reach her, it would be a disaster.

　　She stumbled upon someone at that moment. Susie. She dropped, hitting her head on the crystal ground.

　　Panic rang. Everyone rose, staring.

　　And at once, he left all of them and rushed to Susie.

　　Mandy stood there in shock, glaring at her sister lying motionless on the ground.

　　I could tell it wasn't on purpose. But what will follow after this got my heart triple beating.

　　Should Susie die, she's finished!

　　That was her fear.

　　They rushed Susie out. What started as a blissful wedding had suddenly gone hell wild. Mandy's eyes locked with me for a brief moment before switching to the door, then she strode out, angrily.

　　Confused, I followed out minutes later, thinking of returning back to work in my company. But my alarm rang. My Ai PA.

　　"Hi Killian, you've got a zoom meeting in the next thirty minutes."

　　Returning to the company would take almost an hour and I couldn't miss this meeting.

　　Two hours on approx. I needed to eat before then.

　　MIAX Eatery and Lounge turned out to be my best available choice. Good enough, it was close to my sister's company. I could ask her to pick me up right after.

　　I texted her three hours later with my location after everything.

　　Minutes passed, no sign of her. I searched my phone, no call, no message.

　　What could be wrong?

　　Then a call finally came.

　　Audrey. My younger sister.

　　I hurriedly picked up.

　　"Hello."

　　"Yes bro, so sorry I can't make it to pick you up."

　　"What? Why? I was pissed but she scoffed, paused. "What's the matter?" I insisted.

　　"Well.…you will really thank me if you knew what I did today."

　　"What? What did you do?"