Chapter 3 A Wedding Without A Groom

Three days later, Adeline stepped into the grand hall, her white wedding gown trailing behind her, the delicate embroidery catching the light in fleeting glimmers.

A hushed wave of confusion swept through the small gathering. Among them, an elegantly dressed older couple stood motionless, their expressions tight with displeasure.

The wedding ceremony had officially begun. But the groom was nowhere in sight.

Though Adeline's vision had returned, she played the part of a blind bride, standing on the stage and pretending not to notice the tension swirling around her.

Zain hurried over, weaving through the crowd to reach Ruby Holden, Waylon's grandmother, and her husband, Gabriel Holden, Waylon's grandfather. He gave a solemn shake of his head-Waylon was nowhere to be found.

Ruby's face turned an alarming shade of red. Her hands trembled at her sides. "Someone bring me a rope," she hissed. "If that boy doesn't show up right now, I swear I'll hang myself right outside his door!"

Relatives hurried to her side, surrounding her in a desperate attempt to calm her down.

Adeline noticed a middle-aged woman in elegant attire moving toward Ruby with measured steps.

In a hushed tone, the woman leaned in and said, "Ruby, you know how Waylon is-he always does as he pleases. Don't let this upset you. Luckily, the guests today are all familiar faces. No word will get out. Let's just go through with the ceremony."

"Go through with the ceremony? Without a groom?" Ruby shot back.

However, with no better solution in sight, the Holden family selected a tall maid to act as Waylon's stand-in.

The ceremony went on without a hitch. Vows were exchanged, and rings were placed on fingers.

Adeline remained perfectly composed, her hand resting lightly on the maid's arm as if everything was perfectly normal. After the ceremony, she was led to a bedroom.

A soft knock resounded at the door before a voice came gently from the other side. "Mrs. Holden, Mr. Holden has gone on a business trip. He won't be back tonight. Please rest well."

At the wedding, the groom had deliberately chosen not to show up, letting a stand-in fulfill his role. And now, on their wedding night, he didn't come home. For most brides, such treatment would have been crushing-an unforgivable humiliation.

But Adeline felt nothing. Be it a total stranger or a beast in Waylon's place, she would still have walked down that aisle. That was her only shot at a new life, away from Oliver's manipulation.

She locked the door behind her and then turned to take in the extravagant bedroom. Not a single photo of Waylon adorned the space, and none of his personal items were in sight. Even with rose petals scattered across the bed, the room felt cold and hollow.

It was nearly ironic that she was married to a man whose face she could barely remember-just a blurry outline in her mind.

To be noted, for the past three days before the wedding, the Holden family had confined her to a sanatorium. Her room there had been guarded like a prison cell, locked down so tightly that not even a fly could escape unnoticed.

...

On the third day after the wedding, Zain showed up-this time with a lawyer in tow. He placed a stack of papers before her and spoke with practiced detachment. "This is a private agreement between you and Mr. Holden. According to the terms, the marriage is valid only until the end of lactation-assuming the baby is his."

The lawyer slid a Braille document across the table toward Adeline. "This is the Braille version. The contents of this private agreement must remain strictly confidential. In public, you are to state that the marriage occurred under ordinary circumstances."

In other words, once the child was weaned, Adeline would be discarded without a cent. The richer the family, the sharper their knives.

"I lost my sight at fifteen-I never learned Braille," Adeline replied, her voice devoid of emotion.

At her words, the lawyer proceeded to read the contract aloud. When he finished, she stayed rooted to the spot, offering no response. Her hands made no move toward the pen.

"Ms. Sullivan, if not for Mrs. Holden's interest in the child you carry, the Holden family would have already arranged an 'accident' to deal with you for daring to trick Mr. Holden. None could mess with a Holden without facing any consequences."

Adeline didn't move.

"If you refuse this marriage, the Holden family will not allow an illegitimate child to be born. Don't forget-you're pregnant, and a forced abortion is too much for your condition. You wouldn't survive."

Adeline's stomach churned. She didn't want to die. She had fought hard to stay alive. For herself and for the child inside her, she made up her mind. "I'll sign it," she announced.