Chapter 7
Jonah grabbed the remote control and turned on the television in the room, only to witness the climax of the wedding ceremony.
Austin took the ring from the flower girl. The diamond sparkled under the light, but that was nothing compared to the shine in his eyes as he looked at me.
“Thank you for giving me a chance. I swear to devote my life to loving you and protecting you. Do you take me for your husband?”
“I do.”
Once Austin heard my answer, he slipped the ring with the massive diamond on my finger. As the weight of it registered in my head, my heart seemed to fill up and expand as well.
Austin lifted my veil and gave me a soft, earnest kiss.
Jonah clutched his wine glass so hard that it snapped. Soon, blood trickled down his
fingers.
“No! It’s all an act! It’s a lie! Celeste would never marry anyone else! She loves me! Why would she marry another man?”
The girlfriend of one of his friends shot him a contemptuous look. “Why not? I can’t believe
you even have the audacity to ask that question. She wanted to marry you, but you postponed the wedding three times! That’s enough to wipe out even the most ardent of
love.”
Eyes filled with anger, Jonah roared, “That’s impossible! I only postponed the wedding! It’s not like I broke up with her!”
Ignoring the looks coming from her boyfriend, the woman responded mockingly, “Why are you trying to act like you’re so deeply in love with her? Not only did you postpone the
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wedding just for Sasha’s sake, but you even did it three times! If I’d been in her shoes, I would’ve cracked your skull by now. Why are you acting so shocked about it?”
Turning her attention to the screen, she said enviously, “In any case, if I were Celeste, I would’ve chosen Austin too. He’s so handsome, and I heard they were childhood sweethearts too. The Everetts are absurdly wealthy, but most importantly, Austin is nothing but loyal. I heard he’s been in love with her for many years now.”
Jonah couldn’t take it anymore. He ran for the door, ignoring Sasha who desperately called
out to him.
By the time he rushed into the hotel, Austin was leading me around, holding my hand as he
introduced me to his relatives.
Jonah grabbed my hand and said, “Come with me at once, Celeste. Consider this wedding
y canceled.”
that was.
signaled his bodyguards while dragging Jonah away from me. Shielding me protectively, Austin questioned, “Have you lost your mind, Jonah? Celeste and I have just exchanged our wedding vows. What gives you the right to barge in here and demand that she leave with you?”
Jonah’s parents hurried over to stop him, all the while apologizing to Austin and me.
“What are you doing, Jonah? The Fergusons and the Everetts are celebrating the happy union of the two families today! Why are you causing trouble without taking into account
the situation first?”
Sasha, who had followed Jonah over, chimed in to twist things around. “Please don’t misunderstand the situation, Mr. and Mrs. Alston. Jonnie has every right to be upset. Celeste kept saying she wanted to marry Jonnie. He only had to postpone the wedding because he had to. Who would’ve thought that Celeste would just turn around and marry a random man without even saying anything?
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“I don’t mean to lecture you, Celeste, but how can you treat Jonnie like that? You and Jonnie had been together for so many years! Did it never occur to you just how upset he would be if you did something like this?”
Her dramatically spun version of the truth amused me. Turning toward her, I asked, “Sasha, don’t tell me you don’t know why Jonah repeatedly delayed the wedding. Why are you acting like I had betrayed Jonah despite his love for me? Who are you to question me on
his
behalf?”
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