The Night Before Our Wedding, I Replaced Myself With My Best Friend Chapter 05

The Night Before Our Wedding, I Replaced Myself With My Best Friend Chapter 05

Ten o’clock the next morning. The appointed hour had arrived.

Nathan arrived at the Grandview Manor in his custom-tailored suit, Molly beside him in her lavish

bridesmaid gown.

The hotel staff spotted them, and a few guests near the entrance set off confetti poppers.

“Welcome, bride and groom!

Colorful paper scraps rained down. Nathan instinctively raised a hand to shield Molly’s hair. She leaned into him, a blush creeping across her cheeks.

The banquet hall doors swung open. The master of ceremonies’ voice boomed through the

speakers.

“In this moment filled with love and blessings, let’s give our warmest round of applause!”

“Please welcome the groom, Mr. Nathan Cole, and his beautiful bride, Ms. Molly Sharpe, as they step into this sacred union!”

The room erupted in thunderous applause.

Nathan, who’d been leaning down to murmur something to Molly, froze mid-step at the MC’s words. His head snapped up, brows knitting into a deep furrow.

“What the hell is the MC talking about?” he muttered under his breath, his gaze sweeping toward the stage at the end of the aisle.

In his mind, I was supposed to be standing there at the end of the red carpet in that old sundress,

pitiful, waiting.

He’d planned to walk in with Molly, playing the savior, and carry out his “perfect” ceremony.

But the stage was empty. No sign of me.

Nathan’s eyes drifted upward, unbidden, to the massive LED screen at the center of the stage. A slideshow of wedding portraits cycled across it.

In every photo, the groom was him. And the bride, beaming in his arms, was Molly.

Beneath the images, elegant script read:

(Congratulations to Mr. Nathan Cole and Ms. Molly Sharpe – A lifetime of happiness together.)

Nathan’s face drained of color. He looked like he’d been hit by a sledgehammer, frozen solid at the

head of the aisle.

“How did this happen?” He spun toward Molly.

Molly was just as stunned. She stared at the screen, panic flickering in her eyes. “I… I don’t know,

Nathan. I swear, I didn’t change those photos!”

Down in the audience, the guests finally caught on that something was wrong. Nathan’s parents shot up from the head table, pointing at the screen in disbelief.

“Nathan! What’s going on here? Where’s Elena? Why does it say that woman’s name?”

Around them, relatives and friends began whispering, voices rising.

“Isn’t she Elena’s bridesmaid? How’d she become the bride?”

“Right, I thought her dress was way too flashy. Now I see why.”

“What kind of wedding is this? Did they swap brides?”

The murmurs and speculation crashed over Nathan like a wave. He’d always prided himself on dignity and order. But now, that composed face finally cracked.

He yanked his arm free from Molly’s grip and stormed toward the MC.

“Who told you to say those names?” he hissed through gritted teeth. “Who gave you that poster?

Where’s Elena? Get her out here!”

The MC flinched, then held up a printed schedule with a helpless look.

“This is the final confirmation the wedding planner sent me last night, Mr. Cole. It clearly states the

bride is Ms. Molly Sharpe. And the poster came from them too.”

Nathan snatched the paper and stared at it, his eyes fixed on the words.

Black and white. No Elena. Only Molly.

His chest heaved, his mind roaring with static.

He’d thought I was just throwing a tantrum. He’d convinced himself returning the dress was just a ploy for attention.

He’d been so certain I’d never actually miss the wedding we’d spent half a year planning.

But now, it finally hit him.

I hadn’t just failed to show. I’d personally turned this wedding into his and Molly’s public

humiliation.