Runaway Groom : A Bride's Tale

Runaway Groom : A Bride's Tale

Jenny · Completed · 186.3k Words

429
Hot
4.1k
Views
339
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

"The entire wealthy circle in Seattle knew how much Stella Carlson loved Aaron Malone. People watched the childhood sweethearts grow from inexperience to maturity, finally getting married in a grand wedding ceremony.

On the day of the wedding, despite the alliance between the Carlson and Malone families, the groom ran away. Stella knew that Aaron had rushed to L.A. to take care of his ex-girlfriend, who had attempted suicide.

Unwilling to become the laughingstock of all Seattle, she gritted her teeth and dialed the number of her adversary, her tone almost commanding, "Ethan, come and marry me now. This is your only chance for revenge."

On the other end, Ethan Powers raised an eyebrow as he gripped his phone, staring at the floor littered with cigarette butts. "Did the groom run away?" he asked. "My darling."

Chapter 1

May, Seattle

The clouds hung low, the weather brewing with mugginess. Just after the typhoon passed, the air carried a damp mist, accompanied by a gentle breeze blowing into the room through the window.

The clock ticked slowly, steadily pointing to eight o'clock sharp.

Just then, there was a light sound outside the door. Upon getting a response from Stella Carlson, Aurora, dressed in professional attire, entered the hotel's presidential suite.

Merbeil, where Aurora worked, was the best-known wedding planning company in the industry, specializing in high-end clientele. Of course, the services provided were also absolutely considerate and meticulous, worthy of the million-dollar fee.

Two months ago, Merbeil received a commission for a luxury wedding. After internal competition, Aurora stood out and officially won the planning for this luxury wedding.

The top-floor presidential suite at SIMO Hotel was elegantly simple in style, yet luxurious details were subtly embedded. Even the water glasses casually placed on the coffee table were custom-made by Queen-W.

Upon entering the room, Aurora saw the bride, Stella, standing silently by the window. With a polite smile, she kindly asked, "Miss Carlson, it's still early, would you like to rest first?"

Upon hearing her voice, Stella turned around. Her bright eyes were clear and charming, with a soft light akin to water. With chestnut hair and red lips, her delicate features adorned her swan-like neck and shoulders. Her skin resembled porcelain. She was draped only in a loose bathrobe, yet her beauty stunned Aurora, who was also a woman, almost rendering her unable to look away.

The beauty's gaze fixed on the clock on the wall, which was moving constantly. Then, with a faint smile, she gently asked back, "Is it still early?"

Her voice was soft, as if asking Aurora, yet also as if speaking to herself, which puzzled Aurora a bit. After all, it was just past 8 o'clock, and according to the wedding schedule, it would be another two hours before Mr. Malone arrived.

As the head wedding planner, Aurora naturally had some understanding of the groom and bride.

The Malone family was among the few prominent elites, and the groom, Aaron Malone, was the current head of the Malone family.

This well-known young man was truly the pride of heaven, born with a silver spoon, educated in prestigious schools. He successfully launched a startup while studying, which later went public, and then orchestrated the largest medical merger in the industry after inheriting the family business.

However, the wealthy bachelor, what people found most fascinating was a rumor.

Many gossip accounts speculated about the ambiguous relationship between the elite Mr. Malone and the rising starlet in the entertainment industry, Avery Fletcher. Naturally, Aurora was also curious. But after interacting with him during this period, she felt that Mr. Malone's attentive care for his fiancée, Miss Carlson, didn't seem fake.

Miss Carlson was both beautiful and graceful, not inferior to Avery, who stood out in the entertainment industry for her looks. It was heard that she entered the Radiant Arts Institute with outstanding results in liberal arts in Seattle, and later pursued further studies at the Lawton Business School, a definite academic achiever. Such an illustrious lady with outstanding credentials and a personable demeanor. After two months, Aurora had become a loyal supporter of Stella.

Avery had a solid background, and negative news about her had been wiped clean. However, Aurora still heard from her screenwriter friends that Avery tended to throw tantrums while filming.

If Mr. Malone wasn't blind, why would he ignore his fiancée, who was stunningly beautiful, and instead favor Avery, who only knew how to market her beauty like a duck trying to imitate a swan?

Aurora felt that perhaps the rumors were just hearsay, merely the online community chasing shadows.

Unaware of Aurora's thoughts, Stella glanced at her phone, closed the window, and walked over to the sofa to sit down, asking, "Aurora, I remember you're from L.A.. Do you know how long it takes to travel from L.A. to Seattle?"

"If you're taking a plane, it's less than two hours. Hmm... but today might be an exception. I have a friend who wants to come to Seattle for a visit. Originally, they had a flight booked for today, but just saw on their social media that many flights from L.A. have been canceled."

Both Seattle and L.A. were coastal cities, and this season, there were often typhoons, occasionally causing flight delays due to weather.

Just as Aurora finished speaking, her two colleagues entered, pushing a rack with wedding dresses.

Stella, in a relaxed posture, nodded casually while half-leaning on the sofa, no longer engaging in further conversation.

...

The presidential suite had a separate dressing room, where Stella went to change.

The wedding dress was a special custom design from Stella's friend Natalie Barrett's personal brand. Layers of sheer white chiffon cascaded, adorned with hundreds of pearls and diamonds, shimmering in the light. The fitted off-the-shoulder design highlighted her sexy and delicate collarbones, accentuating her graceful and enchanting figure. It had to be said, this dress and Stella were a perfect match, and everyone exclaimed at how beautiful it was.

The wedding team's executive assistant, Hannah, walked over at this moment to help with arranging the train of the dress.

The Carlson family might not be as prominent as the Malone family in recent years, but they were still considered notable figures in Seattle. Most importantly, Stella was about to marry into the Malone family and officially become Mrs. Malone.

Hannah tried to please, casually tidying the wedding dress while also complimenting, "Miss Carlson, I've worked with many clients, but this is the first time I've met such a handsome groom like Mr. Malone. Mr. Malone said you two met when you were 16. First love always holds the most sincere feelings."

While Hannah's attitude was teasingly polite, Stella remained lost in thought, politely smiling at the end without responding.

Feeling a bit awkward, Hannah was relieved when Stella's phone rang at the right moment, giving her a chance to change the subject. She smiled and said, "Mr. Malone is really considerate, calling at this moment."

Seeing Stella slightly furrow her brows, Aurora thought she might not appreciate Hannah's approach, so she spoke up, "Alright, let's not disturb Miss Carlson anymore. Let's go over the wedding itinerary again."

Although Hannah had some support behind her, she didn't dare openly defy Aurora, the executive of the wedding team, so she reluctantly bit her lip.

The three soon left the room.

The room quieted down as Stella walked to the window and answered Aaron's call.

The man's voice was gentle and calm. "I'm sorry. The flight got canceled, and I won't make it back in time."

Stella rubbed her brow as if she had expected it, her tone flat. "I know." Her voice was as gentle as ever, putting Aaron at ease on the other end of the phone.

Next, Aaron's voice became steady and firm, as if he were handling business matters. "It's still early. We can reschedule the wedding for tomorrow. I've already called Daniel. He'll inform the guests later. Don't worry."

Don't worry?

Hearing Aaron's words, Stella found it ridiculous and smiled, almost as if mocking herself.

Yesterday, when Aaron said he had to rush to L.A. for a branch matter, he used the same gentle and calm tone to assure her not to worry, that he would come back and it wouldn't affect the wedding.

"Aaron, I know Avery was admitted to the hospital last night. Are you at the hospital now?" Stella asked directly.

Aaron obviously didn't expect her to know the reason for his trip to L.A. and remained silent for a moment.

Stella's eyes dimmed slightly, a touch of self-deprecation coloring her gaze as she spoke knowingly, "So you're at Avery's apartment."

There was a pause on the other end, and he spoke softly, "I'm sorry, Stella, for not telling you yesterday. I was afraid you'd misunderstand."

"Misunderstand? But look, even though you knew I might misunderstand, you still went there." Her tone betrayed no emotion, adding a hint of irony.

Aaron's tone grew somewhat indifferent, "I know you have some bias against Avery, but she's your cousin. She's injured, and neither you nor I can turn a blind eye."

The man's obvious defense of Avery caused Stella's hand to tremble slightly. She sighed deeply, quietly lowering her gaze. "Yes, Avery is my cousin."

She was also Aaron's ex-girlfriend, and more importantly, his childhood sweetheart.

The Carlson and Malone families were close, and Avery moved in at the age of six with her mother, becoming Aaron's true childhood friend. Earlier, when Hannah tried to make light of the situation, Stella remained silent because Aaron's childhood affection didn't belong to her.

"How is she now?" she asked.

The two had argued too much over Avery, so Aaron didn't want to dwell on it now. He simply replied, "She's been discharged from the hospital, nothing serious."

"Oh, I see." Though she had anticipated it, Stella still felt a bit relieved. If Avery had really been seriously injured, Stella's grandfather, Thomas Carlson, who had been in poor health in recent years, probably wouldn't be able to handle it. However, when Stella received those photos just now, she already understood that Avery probably wasn't really in trouble.

"Stella," Aaron softened his tone, "My decision to come to L.A. before the wedding was not well thought out, but for now, we need to make sure tomorrow's wedding is properly arranged, okay?"

Because Avery was injured, he had to cancel last minute, so he wanted to postpone the wedding.

Stella was acutely aware, from the moment Aaron proposed to her, that the significance of this wedding in their hearts was different.

She remained calm, silently gazing out the window.

The city bustled with activity, towering skyscrapers dominating the skyline.

Perhaps the air conditioning indoors was too strong. With one arm wrapped around herself, she stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the flowing traffic below, yet feeling no sense of reality. It was as if she had returned to the year she turned 16.

After a long pause, she spoke again, "Aaron, do you remember when I first came back to the Carlson family, I lost the jade Buddha the dean gave me? I searched for it for a long time but couldn't find it. I hid in the attic and cried alone. Then you found me in the attic, didn't tell anyone, and secretly helped me find the jade Buddha."

Her voice was ethereal and soft, causing Aaron to be drawn into reminiscence, softening his heart. Later, he chuckled softly, "At that time, I wondered why you would hide and cry just because you lost something. But seeing how sincerely you cried, I had to help you find it."

Stella smiled.

Actually, she knew Aaron hadn't found that jade Buddha. It was just his gentlemanly upbringing that compelled him to not ignore a crying girl and so he bought a similar-looking one.

"Why bring that up all of a sudden?" Aaron asked.

"I just suddenly felt that losing that jade Buddha wasn't really worth being sad about." With that said, most of the emotions in her heart dissipated.

Initially, her tears were more about the overwhelming scrutiny she faced when she first returned to the Carlson family, suppressing too many emotions. Later, when she got into the Radiant Arts Institute, she heard plenty of flattery and praise from outsiders. The jade Buddha Aaron bought for her was also lost, but she seemed to feel nothing about it.

Time ultimately heals all wounds, and nothing is immutable. So what had she been holding onto all these years?

It was as if she had pondered one thing for too long and finally made a decision in this moment.

"Let's put an end to this wedding," she said. "Let's break up."

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

The mafia princess return

The mafia princess return

900k Views · Completed · Tonje Unosen
Talia have been living with her mother, stepsister and Stepfather for years. One day she finally get away from them. Suddenly she learn she have more family out there and she have many people that actually love her, something she have never felt before! At least not as she can remember. She have to learn to trust others, get her new brothers to accept her for who she is!
Game of Destiny

Game of Destiny

1.2m Views · Completed · Dripping Creativity
Amie's wolf hasn't shown herself. But who cares? She has a good pack, best friends and a family who loves her. Everyone, including the Alpha, is telling her she is perfect just the way she is. That is until she finds her mate and he rejects her. Heartbroken Amie flees from everything and start over. No more werewolves, no more packs.

When Finlay finds her, she is living among humans. He is smitten by the stubborn wolf that refuse to acknowledge his existence. She may not be his mate, but he wants her to be a part of his pack, latent wolf or not.

Amie cant resist the Alpha that comes into her life and drags her back into pack life. Not only does she find herself happier than she has been in a long time, her wolf finally comes to her. Finlay isn't her mate, but he becomes her best friend. Together with the other top wolves in the pack, they work to create the best and strongest pack.

When it's time for the pack games, the event that decides the packs rank for the coming ten year, Amie needs to face her old pack. When she sees the man that rejected her for the first time in ten years, everything she thought she knew is turned around. Amie and Finlay need to adapt to the new reality and find a way forward for their pack. But will the curve ball split them apart?
Ruined : You will always be mine.

Ruined : You will always be mine.

44.7k Views · Completed · Nia Kas
I could feel him standing in front of me. He grabbed my legs and in one single move thrusted into me.
“Fuckkk”, I couldn’t help but scream.
“You need to learn to be obedient” he said as he kept thrusting into me. When I felt his hands on my clit my body shook.
“Asher please, it’s too much”.
“No. if I really wanted to punish you, I would give you all of me”, he said against my ears and my entire body froze. Suddenly he moved and I was standing again. This man was insane.
I felt him behind me. “Ten Lashes for your disobedience”, he said
“Asher please”,
“No”. His voice was cold and void of any emotion.

Asher was what I wanted , what I truly craved until it was too late. An orphan should never fall in love with someone out of their reach. I thought loving him was the right thing to do until he revealed his true identity and Ruined me. I was ruined for everyone one else . I could still feel his touch, it was as if it was etched into my skin. I tired to avoid him but fate wouldn't let it happen.
The Sterling's were the most powerful in Havenwood and Dorian Sterling was off limits.

As an orphan finding out you still have people looking for you is hard to take but when it turns out to be people of wealth and standing I took the other road and ran, but running led me right back to the place I was avoiding and the person I was avoiding.
Asher and Dorling Sterling one and the same. When his first love shows up and along with everyone that has set out to ruin me, I prayed that he could protect me.
Rise of the Banished She-Wolf

Rise of the Banished She-Wolf

391.8k Views · Completed · Lily
"White wolf! Kill that monster!"
That roar stole my eighteenth birthday and shattered my world. My first shift should have been glory—blood turned blessing into shame. By dawn they'd branded me "cursed": cast out by my pack, abandoned by family, stripped of my nature. My father didn't defend me—he sent me to a forsaken island where wolfless outcasts were forged into weapons, forced to kill each other until only one could leave.
On that island I learned the darkest edges of humanity and how to bury terror in bone. Countless times I wanted to surrender—dive into the waves and never surface—but the accusing faces that haunted my dreams pushed me back toward something colder than survival: revenge. I escaped, and for three years I hid among humans, collecting secrets, learning to move like a shadow, sharpening patience into precision—becoming a blade.
Then, under a full moon, I touched a bleeding stranger—and my wolf returned with a violence that made me whole. Who was he? Why could he wake what I'd thought dead?
One thing I know: now is the time.
I have waited three years for this. I will make everyone who destroyed me pay—and take back everything that was stolen from me.
The Dragon's Last Fae Queen

The Dragon's Last Fae Queen

5.8k Views · Ongoing · Sylvia Sylvester
Hidden all her life in the slums of Emberveil, Aerith has one rule: never let the dragons see her eyes. Fae are extinct, hunted, burned, and erased from the kingdom. Or so everyone believes. But on the night of her eighteenth birthday, when her forbidden magic stirs awake and her grandmother falls deathly ill, Aerith breaks the one rule meant to keep her safe. She enters the royal dragon pharmacy… and collides with a werewolf princess who drags her straight to the dungeon. There, in the deepest shadows of the palace, the youngest dragon prince sees her glowing eyes and instantly knows what she is. A fae. A secret the entire kingdom would kill for. What would be her fate? Another dead Fae? Or the Last Dragon's Fae Queen?

“Prince? Dickhead? Asshole? Or stalker?” A slow, dangerous smile curved his lips. “Maybe I should show you the one title I want you to use.” Before I could react, his hand closed around my chin, tilting my face up. His lips crashed into mine, hard, claiming, breath-stealing. When he finally pulled back, his voice was a rough whisper against my lips. “You could call me yours… because you are mine.”
From Substitute To Queen

From Substitute To Queen

1.6m Views · Completed · Hannah Moore
For three years, Sable loved Alpha Darrell with everything she had, spending her salary to support their household while being called an orphan and gold-digger. But just as Darrell was about to mark her as his Luna, his ex-girlfriend returned, texting: "I'm not wearing underwear. My plane lands soon—pick me up and fuck me immediately."

Heartbroken, Sable discovered Darrell having sex with his ex in their bed, while secretly transferring hundreds of thousands to support that woman.

Even worse was overhearing Darrell laugh to his friends: "She's useful—obedient, doesn't cause trouble, handles housework, and I can fuck her whenever I need relief. She's basically a live-in maid with benefits." He made crude thrusting gestures, sending his friends into laughter.

In despair, Sable left, reclaimed her true identity, and married her childhood neighbor—Lycan King Caelan, nine years her senior and her fated mate. Now Darrell desperately tries to win her back. How will her revenge unfold?

From substitute to queen—her revenge has just begun!
The Shattered Moon King

The Shattered Moon King

1.6k Views · Ongoing · Hannah Kalu
In a world shattered by monsters, the only thing more dangerous than a lost memory is a forgotten identity.
Lena is a survivor. For years, she has weathered the harsh, post-apocalyptic landscape by following one rule: trust no one. But when she finds an amnesiac man near death in the wilderness—a man with kind eyes and a strength that is anything but human—she makes a choice that will unravel her solitary existence.
She calls him Cain, but the shattered-moon tattoo on his back brands him as Kaelen, the long-dead Alpha of the powerful Sky-Fall pack. His return triggers a brutal civil war with the usurper who stole his throne and his fated mate. Hunted by Lycan assassins and a fanatical human commander desperate for the secrets locked in Lena's own past, their only hope lies in embracing the very power Kaelen can't remember and Lena has always feared.
As they uncover a conspiracy that threatens not just the pack, but the future of every living thing, Kaelen must fight for a kingdom he doesn't know and Lena must confront a legacy she tried to bury. In a world of broken thrones and fated bonds, they will discover that the greatest choice is not between love and duty, but between who you are told you must be, and who you choose to become.
Cursed Beauty and her Three Alpha Mates

Cursed Beauty and her Three Alpha Mates

5.1k Views · Ongoing · Author Aimen
“I am Maya Blackthorn, the first daughter of Alpha Darius of the Ashbourne Pack, and I am damned… damned by the Moon Goddess. And destined to bring kingdoms to their knees.”
Cast out by her pack for being wolfless and plagued by uncontrollable heat, Maya has spent her life surviving humiliation in silence.
Fate drags her into the path of Kael Draven, the ruthless Lycan King who claims her… only to reject her.
But Kael is not the only Alpha bound to her.
Finn, her childhood best friend and the rising Alpha, loves her with a devotion so fierce, he spends four years locked away in the most ruthless dungeon only to keep her safe.
Xander, a rogue wolf who can make even Alphas bow to his will, has waited centuries for her to be reborn, and he has no intention of losing her again.
Three Alphas.
Three claims.
One cursed destiny.
They called her wolfless. They thought she was weak. But she is done hiding, and this time, she's rewriting the rules.
Owned By My Cold-Hearted Psychotic Straight Boss

Owned By My Cold-Hearted Psychotic Straight Boss

8.4k Views · Completed · Evermore
“Please…” I whispered.

“Please, what?”

I ran my wet tongue through my dry lips. Voice barely above a whisper. “Please… please... please make me… make me… make me your little bitch.”

The words tasted bitter and filthy on my tongue. I hated myself for saying them. Hated how my cock twitched when I did.

“I can’t hear you, Jones,” He said, voice hard, low and commanding. “Louder.”

I swallowed again, eyes stinging. “Please make me your little bitch.”

“A little louder.”

My cheeks burned. I forced the words out stronger this time. “Please make me your little bitch.”

He smirked, slow and satisfied. The look in his eyes made my stomach flip.

“Good boy,” He murmured. “Now listen carefully, Jones. If you agree to this, you’re mine. Completely. You don't look at other men. You don’t think about them. You don’t even dream about them. Everything about you; your mouth, your ass, your cock, your body… even your thoughts, belongs to me. All of it. I get to treat and use you however and whenever I want. Rough. Gentle. Mean. Filthy. You take it all. And you praise me for it. Understood?”

I hesitated, heart pounding so hard I thought it was going to explode. The last bit of resistance flickered. My mind was screaming no; to get up, run and never look back.

“Well?” He urged, thumb still holding my chin.

I closed my eyes for half a second, detesting every inch of my being. Then I nodded, voice small. “Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes… I understand.”

“Good.”

...

Shane Blackwood is his name.

And he's a monster.

He's toxic, cruel and psychotic beyond your wildest imagination.

I knew all this.

And yet, I signed that stupid agreement.

And now... he owns me.

Completely.

There's no escape.

[This is a dark erotica MM. Rated 18+]
The CEO's Unspoken Love

The CEO's Unspoken Love

215k Views · Completed · Lily Bronte
"You want my forgiveness?" he asked, my voice dropping to a dangerous timbre.

Before I could answer, he moved closer, suddenly looming over me, his face inches from mine. I felt my breath caught, my lips parting in surprise.

"Then this is the price for speaking ill of me to others," he murmured, nipping my lower lip before claiming my mouth in a real kiss. It began as punishment but quickly transformed into something else entirely as I responded, my initial rigidity melting into compliance, then active participation.

My breathing accelerated, small sounds escaping my throat as he explored my body. His touches were both punishment and pleasure, drawing shudders from me that I thought he felt reverberating through his own body.

My nightgown had ridden up, his hands discovering more of mine with each caress. We were both lost in sensation, rational thought receding with each passing second...

Three years ago, to fulfill the wish of his grandmother, I was forced to marry Derek Wells, the second son of the family that had adopted me for ten years. He didn't love me, but I had secretly loved him all along.

Now, the three-year contractual marriage is about to end, but I feel that some kind of sentiment has developed between Derek and me that neither of us is willing to admit. I'm not sure if my feelings are right, but I know that we can't resist each other physically...
Accardi

Accardi

971.4k Views · Completed · Allison Franklin
“I thought we discussed this earlier, Weakness? I warned you. His death is on your hands.”
“I thought you said you were done chasing me?” Gen mocked.
“I am done chasing you.”
Before she could formulate a witty remark, Matteo threw her down. She landed hard on her back atop his dining room table. She tried to sit up when she noticed what he was doing. His hands were working on his belt. It came free of his pants with a violent yank. She collapsed back on her elbows, her mouth gaping open at the display. His face was a mask of sheer determination, his eyes were a dark gold swimming with heat and desire. His hands wrapped around her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table. He glided his fingers up her thighs and hooked several around the inside of her panties. His knuckles brushed her dripping sex.
“You’re soaking wet, Genevieve. Tell me, was it me that made you this way or him?” his voice told her to be careful with her answer. His knuckles slid down through her folds and she threw her head back as she moaned. “Weakness?”
“You…” she breathed.


Genevieve loses a bet she can’t afford to pay. In a compromise, she agrees to convince any man her opponent chooses to go home with her that night. What she doesn’t realize when her sister’s friend points out the brooding man sitting alone at the bar, is that man won’t be okay with just one night with her. No, Matteo Accardi, Don of one of the largest gangs in New York City doesn’t do one night stands. Not with her anyway.
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

2.8m Views · Ongoing · Harper Rivers
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother.

"What is wrong with me?

Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?

It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.

He’s my boyfirend’s brother.

This is Tyler’s family.

I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.

**

As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.

Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.

When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.

I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.

**

I hate girls like her.

Entitled.

Delicate.

And still—

Still.

The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.

Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.

I shouldn’t care.

I don’t care.

It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.

It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.

I’m not here to rescue anyone.

Especially not her.

Especially not someone like her.

She’s not my problem.

And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.

But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.