Seven Failed Weddings, and He Still Let Her Ruin My Marriage Shoes Chapter 02

Seven Failed Weddings, and He Still Let Her Ruin My Marriage Shoes Chapter 02

Once it became clear the wedding was canceled again, a few guests began whispering among themselves.

“I’ve lived this long and never seen seven failed bridal pickups. The ancestors must really not want her married.”

“Let’s stay away from Elara. That kind of bad luck rubs off.”

Before I could say anything, Nolan frowned.

“Elara, this wedding is between the two of us. Don’t take your resentment out on innocent bystanders.”

His body moved instinctively in front of Tessa, watching me like a hawk.

He was terrified that the gossip would set me off and cause me to lash out at Tessa the way I had during the sixth failed attempt, when the boots had been far too small.

Back then, no matter how hard I tried, I could not force my feet into them.

Watching me sweat from sheer panic, Tessa had sneered from the sidelines, calling me cursed and claiming the ancestors couldn’t stand the thought of me marrying Nolan.

I had ripped the boots off and hurled them at her, only for Nolan to snatch them up and throw them straight back at my chest.

“Elara Bennett, what the hell is wrong with you? If you bully Tessa again, don’t think I’ll still marry you.”

I lost control and said, “Then don’t.”

Nolan looked at me and sneered.

“You’ve put on a wedding gown for me six times already. Other than me, who else would marry you?”

My chest ached so badly I could barely breathe.

But I still could not bear to let seven years of devotion dissolve into nothing.

In the end, I gave him a way out. I made him recite my shoe size again, then let him leave.

Now, I looked at Nolan and calmly shook my head. “Don’t worry. I won’t blame anyone.”

My grandfather, the family elder, had already heard that something had gone wrong with the procession again.

He sent me the information about the strategic family alliance match moments ago.

The wedding date had already been set.

I no longer had the energy to argue with Nolan.

Nolan stared at me blankly.

He was just about to say something when Tessa instantly wrapped her arms around his arm.

“Nolan, there’s a show at the Eastlake Fairgrounds. Take me there.”

Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, and all eyes turned to them.

Nolan smiled at her indulgently, without the slightest hesitation.

“Okay.”

I lowered my head and gave a bitter little smile.

I had asked him many times before to take me to a fair show.

Every time, he frowned and refused, saying we were too old for that kind of childish entertainment.

I had been twenty then.

Tessa was twenty-four now.

So childishness, it turned out, had never been about age.

It depended on who was asking.

Tessa pulled Nolan away. Before he left, he did not give me a single word or even a glance.

After finalizing the alliance details with my grandfather, I returned to the townhouse Nolan and I were supposed to share to pack my things.

Night had fully fallen by the time I opened the door, only for my footsteps to instantly freeze.

Tessa was lounging on the couch, casually playing video games.

The moment I opened the door and saw Tessa sitting on the couch playing video games, my steps froze.

She was wearing the nightgown my late mother had sewn for me by hand.

“Take it off.”

I walked up to her, my voice trembling.

Tessa looked up. The moment she saw me, her face filled with grievance.

“Elara, my clothes got wet while I was out. If I take this off, I won’t have anything to wear…”

Before she could finish, Nolan swept into the room and threw himself between us.

“It’s just a piece of clothing. Did you really need to yell at her like that?”

“She’s young. Why can’t you cut her some slack?”

Again.

Why can’t you cut her some slack?

Ever since Tessa helped Nolan navigate away from a landslide at a scenic mountain pass years ago, he had taken it upon himself to fund her entire life, demanding that I accommodate her every whim without boundaries.

When Tessa and I were both hospitalized with severe flu and there was only one bed left, he told me to give it to her.

When Tessa’s birthday fell on the anniversary of my mother’s death, he told me to give in to her again.

He said I should celebrate Tessa’s birthday first, then visit my mother afterward.

“This is the only nightgown my mother left me.”

“So what?”

Because of me, Grandpa was already facing resentment from the people in Bennett Hollow. I could not cause any more trouble.

Looking at Nolan’s eyes, I suddenly felt exhausted.

“Nolan, let’s break up.”

“I’m getting married to someone else.”