I Wore White While He Told Me I Was Never the Bride Chapter 02

I Wore White While He Told Me I Was Never the Bride Chapter 02

The limo stopped outside the hotel, where reporters packed the press line.

Julian stepped out first and turned to offer me his hand.

I did not move.

He did not rush me. Instead, he bent down to arrange the skirt of my dress, then placed one hand over the top of the car door so I would not hit my head.

Camera flashes exploded around us.

“Talk about a devoted groom,” someone exclaimed.

Julian looked up at me with a smile.

“Hear that? Everyone knows how much I adore you.”

I met his gaze.

“They don’t know you’re about to leave and marry someone else.”

A reporter was livestreaming from directly in front of us.

“Mr. Sterling has personally escorted the bride to the hotel, and the wedding of the century is about to begin.”

Before he could finish, another reporter glanced down at his phone. A second later, he thrust his microphone toward Julian.

“Mr. Sterling, an anonymous source claims the woman listed on your City Hall wedding appointment today isn’t Ms. Bennett.”

“It’s her half sister, Mia Sloan.”

“Is that true?”

Everyone along the press line fell silent.

More reporters crowded around us.

“Are you planning to leave your own wedding and go to City Hall today?”

“So who is the real bride today?”

Julian’s grip tightened around my hand.

He faced the cameras without losing his composure.

“This is a private family matter. I’ll address it later.”

He did not deny it.

The livestream that had been meant to showcase his devotion turned into a public joke on the spot.

Just then, his phone vibrated.

Mia was crying when he answered.

“Julian, we’re about to miss our ceremony slot.”

Julian looked down and carefully adjusted my veil.

“Evelyn, go inside for now.”

Then he let go of my hand and climbed into another car.

The reporters erupted.

“Mr. Sterling is actually leaving!”

“Ms. Bennett, do you have anything to say?”

Camera flashes went off in my face from every direction, but I did not say a word.

Chloe steadied me, though her fingers were trembling.

“Evelyn, I recorded everything.”

I looked at her.

Her eyes were red, but she forced a smile.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Julian’s mother hurried outside and linked her arm through mine.

“Julian was called away on urgent business. Evelyn needs to go inside and rest.”

The moment the lounge door closed, the smile vanished from her face.

I looked at her.

“You knew he was going to City Hall to marry her?”

Mrs. Sterling adjusted the jade necklace at her throat.

“Mia is carrying Julian’s child.”

Her tone softened.

“Mia gets the legal marriage. You get the wedding and the Sterling name in public.”

“If people call you Mrs. Sterling afterward, no one is going to correct them.”

I laughed.

“So I get to be the fake Mrs. Sterling?”

“Does it matter whether it’s real?”

The door opened.

Dad and my stepmother walked in. The moment he saw me, his expression darkened.

“What’s with the attitude?”

I asked, “Dad, did you know Mia was going to marry Julian today?”

My stepmother sighed.

“Mia has always been insecure. You’re supposed to be the more mature one, Evelyn. Can’t you let her have this one thing?”

Chloe snapped, “Let her have what? Evelyn’s fiancé? Her place as his wife?”

Dad shouted, “Evelyn Bennett, control your friend!”

Then he slammed two documents onto the table.

One was an agreement extending Sterling Holdings’ financing to the Sloan family business.

The other was a set of mortgage documents for my mother’s house.

“Sterling Holdings is still keeping the Sloan business afloat.”

“The house your mother left you was pledged as collateral too.”

“If you make a scene today, Sterling Holdings will pull the financing tomorrow, and the bank will come after the house.”

“You’ll lose her photographs, her belongings, even the magnolia tree.”

My fingertips went numb.

My phone vibrated with a voice message from Julian.

Julian: [Evelyn, Mia is in bad shape. I’m going to marry her at City Hall first. Don’t worry. I’m not canceling the wedding I promised you. When I get back, I’ll slide the ring onto your finger myself.]

At the end of the recording, Mia’s voice came faintly from the background.

“Julian, they’re ready for us.”

I stared at the screen for several seconds before replying with one word.

Me: [Okay.]

Everyone in the room relaxed.

I lowered my head and sent my attorney three pieces of evidence: a photo of the City Hall appointment confirmation, a photo of the mortgage documents, and Julian’s voice message.

The moment they went through, I remembered the phone call from Grandma years ago.

She had said, “Evelyn, never be afraid to ask someone for help.”

“Someone who truly loves you won’t wait until you’re on your knees before reaching out.”

I had not understood back then.

I had believed Julian was the kind of man who would reach out before I ever had to beg.

But now he was holding another woman’s hand on his way to City Hall to make her his legal wife.