Chapter 5 THE ENDLESS WAIT

CHAPTER FOUR

ROLAND'S POV

I had been standing at the altar for quite some time and it feels like it's taking Gabriella ages to get to the church. I had spoken with her earlier and she confirmed that she was on her way, something about almost getting into the car then.

"But what could be delaying her arrival", I thought. I became more restless every time I checked the time. The guests murmured and checked their watches. Minutes turned into hour.

And she she's still not here.

My smile had now faded as I looked towards the doors with hope in my eyes. Every time the door opened, my heart leapt, only for it to sink again.

My best man whispered something to me but I barely heard it. My world was falling apart.

Yet, managed to stand although restlessly, at the altar as my hands became clammy and my heart pounded as each second stretched endlessly while I waited for a glimpse of Gabriela.

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, as I tried to mask the tremor in my limbs, my eyes were now permanently fixed on the entrance as I hoped she would appear soon.

Beads of sweat began to trace down my temple despite the cool air, and doubt began to flicker at the edges of my anticipation. Was she coming? Or had something gone wrong? The silence stretched unbearably, and beneath my composed exterior, panic bloomed like wildfire.

I took my phone and went away from the guest to call her to know if she's okay.

"I've called her several times without any of the calls been answered," l muttered, while I paced behind the altar and my voice tight with worry–I stared down at my phone's screen thinking perhaps she would call back.

Each call had rung endlessly before going to voicemail now, the message she had recorded cheerfully fuels my dread. My fingers trembled as I tried again, pressing the call button with more force than necessary, only to be met with the same result-silence and then a beep.

"Damn it," I hissed under my breath while I tried shoving the phone away but remembering something, I quickly pulled up another number.

"Screw it, I'm calling the driver-something seemed to be wrong."

Marco picked up on the first ring.

"Marco, where are you?" I demanded. "You were supposed to bring Gabriela here an hour ago."

There was a pause on the line.

"Sir, I-I didn't drive her today," Marco stated, sounding confused. "I was taken off the job this morning."

"What? By who?" I exclaimed.

"They said Ms. Clarissa gave the order. Dispatch told me I was no longer needed. Someone else was sent to pick up Miss Gabriela",

I felt the blood drain from his face.

"You're telling me... someone else drove her today? Without informing either of us?"

"I assumed you both knew. I'm so sorry, sir."

I ended the call without another word, my hands were trembling now. Something wasn't adding up. Gabriela wouldn't be late unless something was wrong. I had a terrible feeling that the change in drivers wasn't just a mistake.

So I dialed Clarissa's number.

She answered after a couple of rings with her voice sounding sweet. "Roland, what's going on? Isn't Gabriela there yet?"

"Don't play dumb," I snapped. "Why did you change her driver this morning?"

There was silence on the other end.

"Clarissa," I pressed, "I spoke to Marco and he said you pulled him off the job, Why?"

Her voice dropped, no longer charming. "He wasn't answering his phone and I didn't want Gabriela to be late. So I sent someone else. It was a simple decision."

"A simple decision?" Roland's voice cracked with anger. "You made a choice behind mine and Gabriella's backs. And now she's not here. Something happened, Clarissa. Something's wrong-and your little 'decision' might've caused it."

"I didn't mean-" I cut her short as her words trail

"But you did it. And if this delay...if whatever happened to her...has anything to do with the change you made..." I took a deep breath as I tried to control the fury in my voice. "I swear, Clarissa, I won't let it slide."

"You're upset. You don't know what really happened yet."

"No," I answered. "But I'm going to find out."

I ended the call and stood still as my phone lowered to my side. The wind tugged gently at the ribbons tied to the chairs. Somewhere in the distance, a siren wailed.

The ringing of my phone brought me out of my shock. I checked and saw that it was Rosa calling. At first, I frowned because Rosa never called me but when I thought about the possibility of her calling regarding her sister, I answered quickly.

"Hello?"

There was a pause on the other end, and then a shaky voice.

"Roland... it's me, Rosa."

"I know. What's wrong?" do you have information on the whereabouts of your sister?

Rosa's breathing sounded uneven, and her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Yes but... there has been an accident."

My heart dropped at the mention of accident. "What? What do you mean 'an accident'? What happened?"

"She... she was in a car crash," Rosa recounted "It happened on her way to the ceremony. The car she was in lost control. It's related to break failure."

I stood up my–hand gripping the phone tighter.

"Is she okay? Where is she? What hospital is she in?"

My heart shattered and my head tilted the moment I heard the news, my breath was stolen from me for a second, as disbelief gave way to a primal fear that I might lost her forever.

Without hesitation, I jumped into my car with my hands trembling on the wheel, and I sped to the hospital. Each second was a torment as memories of Gabriela's smile flooded my mind.

For a moment, the words resounded and they were like punches to my chest.

"No... that can't be. She was supposed to get married today. I-no. There must be some mistake." I cried out as I banged my fist on the steering.

On getting to the hospital, I stormed in with my chest heaving my eyes were wild with panic as I shoved past nurses before I grabbed the nearest doctor by the arm.

"Where is Gabriela? I need to see her-now!" I barked, my voice sounded raw with desperation. The doctor's face fell, and in a measured tone that felt like a death knell, he answered, "I'm sorry... she didn't make it." The words echoed in my ears again but it was distant and surreal, as if time itself had stopped.

My grip loosened and my knees gave way beneath me as the weight of those four words crushed my entire world. A strangled sob escaped my throat, and I sank to the floor.

My hands trembled and my heart splintered into a thousand pieces. The sterile scent of antiseptic mixed with the cold suffocated the finality of my grief but all I could think about was the last time she smiled at me-now gone forever.