2
Chapter 9
The wedding venue buzzed with anticipation.
Quentin had finally managed to calm Daisy down, but his mind kept returning to Fiona’s emotionless eyes when she’d last seen him. That terrifying thought crept
back into his consciousness – he needed to see her.
As he moved toward the bridal suite, several wedding coordinators rushed to block.
his path.
“It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony!” one insisted. “Just wait a little longer – you’ll have a lifetime together after today!”
Quentin’s heart plummeted, but he stopped in his tracks. Fiona was probably just angry, he reasoned. It didn’t matter – once the wedding was over, he’d take his time making it up to her. They had their whole lives ahead of them, after all. She’d always been understanding; her anger wouldn’t last long.
This thought brought him some comfort, but as noon approached, Fiona still
hadn’t appeared. Instead of his bride, he received the shocking news: she had fled.
the wedding.
And then, instead of their romantic engagement video playing on the massive screen at the front of the hall, footage of him and Daisy began to roll. Their intimate moments echoed through the reception hall, leaving nothing to the
imagination.
The crowd erupted into shocked whispers. Quentin stood frozen, as if the ground. had fallen away beneath him. His first reaction wasn’t anger – it was pure panic
and fear.
Did Fiona know everything?
Suddenly, her strange behavior these past few weeks made perfect sense. No. wonder she’d risked both families‘ reputations by running away. She’d known all along, silently bearing the weight of his betrayal.
“Who played this video?” he demanded, his composed demeanor cracking. “Who authorized this? Where’s Fiona? Take me to her this isn’t what she thinks!” He grabbed one of Fiona’s friends, desperation evident in his voice. The friend
1/4
09
a bitter laugh. “What else should we play? Your wedding preparation video? Why don’t you think about what you’ve been doing all these months?”
Faced with these accusations, Quentin had no defense. What had he done? He’d spent all his time with Daisy, sneaking around behind Fiona’s back.
He hadn’t helped with the new apartment’s decoration, never knowing there were security cameras installed. He hadn’t accompanied Fiona to try on wedding dresses, hadn’t helped choose the rings, hadn’t even shown up for their wedding
photos.
Everything a groom should have done, he’d failed to do.
Quentin’s hands trembled as he tried to maintain control. His usual cool composure shattered as he frantically ordered his staff to search for Fiona. Five hours later, he had learned only one thing: Fiona had left the country. Everything else about her whereabouts remained a mystery.
He sat alone on the balcony, watching his cigarette’s ember pulse like a dying star
in the darkness.
Ashes had accumulated at his feet, forming a grey carpet of regret. The space
beside him felt emptier than ever- missing was the girl who would always steall his cigarettes with a laugh, replacing them with candy. But she wasn’t coming back. Even now, Quentin couldn’t accept that Fiona had left him at the altar. The wedding dress lay crumpled by the door like discarded trash – a painful
metaphor for their years together, now seemingly worthless.
Mrs. Sherwood’s name flashed on his phone screen again.
Quentin’s stomach churned. He wanted to decline the call, but his trembling
fingers betrayed him, accidentally hitting “accept.”
“Where the hell is Fiona? Do you have any idea how much shame she’s brought to
the Sherwood name?” His mother’s voice crackled through the speaker.
“I warned you about marrying that kind of woman! Even her own mother abandoned her – what did you expect from damaged goods? She’s been twisted since childhood, a complete monster!”
2/
09
“She is NOT!”
Quentin’s outburst cut through his mother’s tirade. As the golden boy of the Sherwood dynasty, this was the first time held ever raised his voice to an elder.
But that was just the beginning of the family’s disgrace.
“Sherwood Corp Heir in Pre–Wedding Affair with Sister–in–Law!” “Mrs. Sherwood–to- Be Makes Dramatic Wedding Day Escape!”
These headlines dominated every instagram platform, every news site.
Sherwood Corporation’s stock price had plummeted within hours, years of carefull business building evaporating like morning dew.
Everyone urged him to find Fioma, to make her the scapegoat for everything..
But Quentin couldn’t do it.
He’d known Fiona since he was seven years old, and better than anyone, he knew
the truth of her heart..
“Quentin, what are your thinking?” His mother’s voice softened to a desperate plea. “Your father and I are at our wit’s end. Paparazzi and reporters are hounding us everywhere.”
“Are you really willing to sacrifice the entire family’s future for this… this woman?” “For people of our status, these little indiscretions are normal! If she wanted the
privileges of the Sherwood name and fortune, she should have learned to look the other way. How dare she throw everything into chaos over her petty feelings?” These were the same arguments Quentin had heard hundreds of times in the past twenty–four hours.
He massaged his temples wearily, his voice barely above a whispert. “Mom, please don’t worry. Just give me some time–I’ll sort this whole mess out.”
How exactly held sort it out, though? Quentin hadn’t got the faintest due. This time, the scandal had blown up far beyond damage controll. Every single member of the Sherwood family was seething with hatred toward Fiona, their anger practically radiating off them in waves.
Yet something in him still couldn’t bear to hear anyone speak ill of her. Not a single
m
09
word.
Deep down, Quentin understood perfectly well why Fiona had chosen to be with him. And even more clearly, he knew why Fiona Lockhart had walked away.
She loved him.
And it was that profound love that had twisted into such bitter hatred.
After taking one final drag from his last cigarette, Quentin slowly rose to his feet.
© 201
Add to Library – Read Anytime
