I Wore White While He Told Me I Was Never the Bride Chapter 03

I Wore White While He Told Me I Was Never the Bride Chapter 03

At 12:10 p.m., the ballroom’s massive screen suddenly went black.

It had been playing a montage of our seven years together.

In one clip, he sat beside me beneath the magnolia tree at my mother’s old house on the anniversary of her death.

He climbed up and hung a little carved wooden heart from the highest branch, then turned back and smiled at me.

“Evelyn, one day I’ll give you a home.”

The image flickered.

A second later, it changed to a photo of a certified marriage certificate bearing two names: Julian Sterling and Mia Sloan.

The ballroom erupted.

The technician in charge of the screen frantically worked the controls, but no matter what he did, he could not change the feed.

At the same time, Mia’s Instagram post appeared on the screen.

[Location: Bayport City Hall]

The photo showed a cropped image of Julian and Mia standing on the steps outside City Hall, holding up their signed marriage certificate.

[Finally, someone chose me without hesitation.]

Comments began appearing one after another.

[The woman he really loves is the one he married.]

[Some women can wear the most expensive wedding dress in the room and still not be the one he chooses.]

The murmuring throughout the ballroom grew louder.

“Did the groom really marry her half sister?”

“Then what does that make the woman in the wedding dress?”

“They were just showing a seven-year love story, and now there’s a marriage certificate with someone else’s name on it. How humiliating.”

The emcee came over to hurry me along for the third time.

“Mrs. Sterling, we can’t delay any longer. The press is already asking whether the groom has walked out on the wedding.”

My phone rang.

It was Julian.

“Evelyn, I’m on my way back. I’ll be there soon.”

I stared at the marriage certificate glowing on the screen.

“Did you go through with it?”

He paused for a second.

“Yes.”

I asked, “So, how do you like your new marriage certificate?”

Julian was silent for a long time.

“Evelyn, don’t do this.”

“I know you’re hurt.”

“But Mia nearly fainted just now.”

“She said that if she didn’t become my wife today, she would never be able to face anyone again.”

“What about me?”

I asked, “Do I look like I can face anyone right now?”

The line went silent.

Then he said, “You’re stronger than she is.”

There it was again.

You’re stronger than she is.

So apparently, I deserved to take it.

I closed my eyes.

“Julian, do you remember what you promised me after my mother died?”

His breathing quieted on the other end.

“You said that if anyone ever used the word homewrecker to hurt me again, you would make them pay.”

“Now you’re the one hurting me.”

The other end of the line went completely silent.

After a long time, he said quietly, “Evelyn, I’m not leaving you.”

“After today, I’ll give you the estate on the south side of town and a five-percent stake in Sterling Holdings.”

Julian’s voice dropped.

“This is the best solution.”

I laughed.

“Best for whom?”

His tone finally turned cold.

“Mia just became my wife.”

“I have to protect her.”

His wife.

Hearing those words from him hurt more than any other humiliation could have.

I ended the call.

A commotion suddenly broke out outside.

“Mr. Sterling is back!”

“Ms. Sloan is with him!”

The doors opened.

Julian walked in with the groom’s boutonniere still pinned to his lapel.

Mia peeked out from behind him.

She wore a white dress and clutched their marriage certificate in her hand.

“Evelyn.”

“You’ll give us your blessing, won’t you?”

Julian glanced at me.

There was exhaustion in his eyes, along with a warning and a trace of concern.

Mia walked straight onto the stage.

“Everyone, I’m sorry.”

“This is all my fault.”

“But I’m pregnant.”

“My baby deserves a father.”

The guests erupted again.

She turned toward me, her voice gentle.

“Evelyn, I wasn’t trying to steal your wedding.”

“I only wanted to be his legal wife.”

“Your mother was never the legal wife, and people called her a homewrecker for years.”

“That’s what drove her to jump off a building in the end.”

“You should understand me better than anyone.”

“So why are you calling me a homewrecker too?”

Something inside me finally snapped.

I rushed onto the stage and raised my hand to slap her.

Julian caught my wrist first.

The next second, his hand cracked across my face.

The entire ballroom fell silent.

Mia hid in Julian’s arms, sobbing softly.

His hand remained suspended in the air.

A flash of regret crossed his eyes.

Then he lowered his voice.

“Evelyn, stop being so stubborn.”

“I hate seeing you get hurt.”

I slowly turned my face back toward him.

“You hate seeing me hurt, so you slapped me in front of everyone?”

His fingers curled.

“I did it to shut them up before they said something even worse about you.”

Before I could laugh, tears began streaming down Mia’s face.

Her gaze settled on my wedding dress.

“Evelyn, you look so beautiful in that dress.”

“But I may never get the chance to wear a wedding dress of my own.”