He Picked Up Another Woman on Our Wedding Day Chapter 02

He Picked Up Another Woman on Our Wedding Day Chapter 02

I was helping my mother up the stairs when a private message popped up on my phone.

From Shelby.

[Natalie, I’m so sorry. I had no idea he’d make such a mess of things. I can get out right now if it helps. I never meant to cause this.]

I stared at the screen and said nothing.

A few messages trickled into the family chat—a cousin asking if everything was okay, an aunt sending a praying emoji. I didn’t open them.

My mother stood on the stair landing, staring at her phone. Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard, then fell away.

The envelope was still in her hand, one corner crumpled.

After a long pause, she said quietly, “Let’s wait for him to come.”

But my father leaned the parasol against the wall and said only, “Don’t reply.”

My mother looked up at him.

His voice was low. “He sent the wedding car to pick up another woman. What are you still defending him for?”

No one answered in the hallway.

Jenna’s eyes were red with anger. She muttered under her breath, “He’s not even here yet, and he’s already making you take the heat from the family.”

I didn’t say anything.

My phone buzzed again.

Two messages from Ryan.

[Natalie, don’t post anything else in the group chat.]

[The venue’s been calling me. Tell your parents to hold off coming down. I’m on my way.]

I stared at those two lines for a long time.

The wedding coordinator called again, her voice more careful this time.

“Ms. Moore, the venue wants to know—are we still filming the pickup footage?”

“If the pickup is off, the videographer will switch to shooting the venue exteriors instead.”

My mother asked first, “If we don’t film it, does that affect anything later?”

“We’d lose a segment. The groom picking up the bride, the parents’ handoff, and the blessing toast—none of that would have footage.”

The words “blessing toast” landed, and my mother’s hand pressed against her bag again.

She’d spent half the night picking out that envelope. Not too flashy, but festive enough.

Now the groom hadn’t even shown up, and she pushed the envelope deeper into her purse.

My father took the phone from me and told the coordinator, “Don’t film the pickup.”

The woman paused. “Sir, are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

My father glanced at me, his voice steady.

“The groom hasn’t even arrived. There’s nothing to film.”

After the call ended, my mother turned her face away. Her eyes reddened all at once.

Ryan called again immediately.

I didn’t answer.

He sent three voice messages in a row. Jenna tapped the last one for me.

Ryan’s voice came through the speaker.

“Natalie, don’t let your parents go upstairs yet.”

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes max. Just tell the coordinator the schedule stays as planned.”

The relatives in the hallway all heard it.

My aunt Diane had been about to head downstairs. She stopped when she heard his voice and pulled her foot back.

My little cousin Lily swung her favor bag, but no one opened it anymore.

Someone put the confetti poppers back into the cardboard box and didn’t take them out again.

My mother’s face went even paler.

My father’s fingers tightened around the parasol handle.

I picked up my phone and typed only two replies.

[Whatever happened between you and her, I don’t want to hear it from you now.]

[You’d better start thinking about what you’re going to say to my parents when you get here.]

Ryan didn’t reply right away.

But Shelby posted again in the chat.

[Mr. and Mrs. Moore, I’m really sorry. I caused trouble.]

[I can sit in the back car instead. Don’t let them wait to long.]

My father set his phone down on the table.

“She’s sitting in the wedding car and saying all the right things.”

My mother said quietly, “Don’t.”

She turned the phone over and placed it on top of the envelope.

After a long pause, she said, “Tell the relatives not to come downstairs yet.”

I walked over, took the blessing envelope out of her bag, and set it on the table.

“Mom, put this away for now.”

My mother looked at the envelope. After a long moment, she nodded.

“Alright.”

She tucked it back into her bag.

Halfway in, she pulled it out again.

The paper was creased at one corner. She smoothed it for a long time.