The Seventh Time I Stopped Waiting Chapter 04

The Seventh Time I Stopped Waiting Chapter 04

The three days slipped by.

Jude spent these final days rushing to finish his shooting and never once came to look for me.

When he saw me from a distance, there was only disgust in his eyes.

I stopped explaining.

On my wedding day, Granny woke me at first light.

She brushed my hair and helped me into my dress.

Granny took my hand and patted it gently.

“For us mountain women, marriage is our lifelong refuge. Live a quiet life, and all hardships will fade away.”

I nodded.

I walked out of the courtyard, and the loud, clear notes of a banjo echoed across the mountains.

“Bride’s in the wedding wagon!”

…

The wagon had just started moving when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

The screen lit up. Jude’s name.

I stared at the caller ID for ages. The cart had begun to rock before I slowly pressed the answer button.

“Where are you?”

“In a wedding wagon.”

He didn’t seem to hear me clearly. Before he could speak, a crew member’s voice came through loud and clear.

“Jude, there’s a wedding up ahead. The ceremony looks totally authentic.”

“Perfect timing for our last shot. It will serve as a perfect closing scene for our documentary.”

Jude chuckled. “Good. Let’s film this wedding.”

His careless voice came through the line again.

“Yuna, this is the last shot. The documentary is almost done.”

“Don’t get jealous or throw a fit. When we’re finished, I’ll take you down the mountain and marry you.”

I sat in the swaying wagon and listened.

He hung up quickly.

The wagon rolled on, bumping along the mountain path.

Soon, it stopped.

Footsteps drew near, along with the sounds of camera equipment being adjusted.

Then Jude’s clear voice rang out.

“We’re documentarians filming the culture of Briarvale.”

“Mind if we get a few shots? This is the last footage for our documentary.”

A hand reached in and pulled back the entire red curtain.

Bright sunlight flooded the wagon.

I looked up. Straight into Jude’s frozen eyes.

He held the camera, a smile still lingering on his lips.

The camera lens adjusted gradually, framing my figure in the traditional wedding dress.